Working with Quotas

Applies To: Windows Server 2003 R2

By creating a quota for a volume or folder, you can limit the disk space that is allocated for it. The quota limit applies to the entire folder subtree.

You can create two types of quotas:

• A hard quota prevents users from saving files after the space limit is reached and generates notifications when the volume of data reaches each configured threshold.

• A soft quota does not enforce the quota limit but generates all configured notifications.

To determine what happens when the quota limit approaches, you can configure notification thresholds. For each threshold that you define, you can send e-mail notifications, log an event, run a command or script, or generate storage reports. For example, you might want to notify the administrator as well as the user who saved the file, when a folder reaches 85 percent of its quota limit, and then send another notification when the quota limit is reached. In some cases, you might want to run a script that raises the quota limit automatically when a threshold is reached.

We recommend that you base your quotas on a quota template. By using a quota template, you can create a standard quota limit (for example, 200 megabytes (MB) for each user’s folder on the server) and define a standard set of notification thresholds that can be applied to many quotas.

If you base your quotas on a quota template, and you later decide to change the quota configuration—for example, you want to allow each user additional space on the storage server—you can simply update the quota template and then choose to automatically update all quotas that are based on this template.

File Server Resource Manager Quotas vs. NTFS Disk Quotas

The following table outlines the advantages of using the quota management tools in File Server Resource Manager over NTFS disk quotas.

Advantages of Using File Server Resource Manager

Creating a Quota Template

A quota template defines a space limit, the type of quota (hard or soft), and a set of notifications to be generated when the quota limit approaches. If you base your quotas on a template, you can automatically update all quotas that are based on a specific template by editing that template. This feature simplifies the process of updating the properties of quotas by providing one central point where all changes can be made.

For example, you can create a User Quota template that you use to place a 200 MB limit on the personal folder of each user. For each user, you would then create a quota based on the User Quota template and assign it to the user’s folder. If you later decide to allow each user additional space on the server, you simply change the space limit in the User Quota template and choose to automatically update each quota that is based on that quota template.

File Server Resource Manager provides several quota templates. For example, you can use the 200 MB Limit Reports to User template to place a hard 200 MB limit on the personal folder of each user. For some folders, you might want to use the 200 MB Limit with 50 MB Extension template to automatically increase the quota limit when a 200 MB quota limit is reached. Other default templates are designed for monitoring disk usage through soft quotas—for example, the Monitor 200 GB Volume Usage template and the Monitor 500 MB Share template. To view the default templates, click the Quota Templates node in the File Server Resource Manager console tree.

Working with templates

File Server Resource Manager gives you flexibility in creating, using, and managing templates, both for quotas and for file screens.

If you create a quota with custom properties, you have the option of saving a quota template with the custom quota settings when you save the new quota. If you choose that option, a new template is saved, and then the template is applied to the new quota so that a link is maintained between the quota and the template.

After creating a template, you can select the template in the results pane and choose the Create quota from template action to quickly create a quota based on the template. You only need to specify the volume or folder to which the quota will apply.

To create a quota template

1. In Quota Management, right-click Quota Templates, and click Create quota template. This opens the Create Quota Template dialog box.

   Note

   If you want, you can copy the properties of an existing template by selecting it from the drop-down list box and clicking Copy. These properties can be used as a base for the new template, or you can create an entirely new one.

2. To identify the new template, type a template name and an optional quota label.

3. To configure the Space Limit for the quota, under Limit, specify the amount of space to allow, and then specify the type of quota to impose:

   • A hard quota prevents users from saving files after the space limit is reached and generates notifications when the volume of data reaches each configured threshold.

   • A soft quota does not enforce the quota limit but generates all configured notifications.

   • Notification thresholds determine what happens when the quota limit approaches. You can send e-mail notifications, log an event, execute a command or a script, or generate reports. By default, no notifications are generated.

4. To configure notifications that will be generated when the quota limit is reached, in the Notification thresholds list, click the Limit (100%) threshold, and then click Edit. This opens the Limit Properties dialog box.

5. To configure e-mail notifications, set the following options on the E-mail Message tab:

   • Select the Send e-mail to the following administrators check box, and enter the names of the administrative accounts that will receive notifications. Use the format account@domain; use semicolons to separate multiple accounts.

   • To contact the person who saved the file that exceeded the quota threshold, select the Send e-mail to the user who exceeded the threshold check box.

   • Optionally, edit the default Subject line and Message body that are provided.

   • The text that is in brackets inserts variable information about the quota event that caused the notification. For example, the [Source Io Owner] variable inserts the user name of the user or application that saved the file to disk. To insert additional variables in the text, click Insert Variable.

   • To configure additional e-mail headers, click Additional E-mail Headers. You can add several header fields to the notification e-mail, including “From,” “Cc,” “Blind Cc,” and “Reply-To.”

6. To log an error to the event log, on the Event Log tab, select the Send warning to event log check box, and optionally edit the default log entry.

7. To run a command or script, on the Command tab, select the Run this command or script check box, and type the command or browse to the location where the script is stored. Optionally, enter command arguments, select a working directory for the command or script, or modify the command security setting.

8. To specify that one or more storage reports be generated automatically, on the Report tab, select the Generate reports check box, and select which reports to generate. You must choose at least one e-mail recipient for the report, either an administrator or the user.

9. After configuring each type of notification that you want to generate, click OK to save the threshold.

10. To configure additional notification thresholds, perform these steps:

    1. In the Create Quota Template dialog box, under Notification Thresholds, click Add.

    2. At the top of the Add Threshold dialog box, enter the percentage of the quota limit at which to generate the notifications. The default threshold for the first notification is 85 percent.

    3. Use the E-Mail Message, Event Log, Command, and Reports tabs to configure each type of notification that you want to generate, as you did in steps 6 through 10. Click OK to save the threshold.

11. When you are finished configuring the quota template properties, click OK to save the template.

Creating a Quota

The following procedure guides you through the process of creating a quota that is based on a template, which is recommended practice. By creating quotas exclusively from templates, you can centrally manage your quotas by updating the templates instead of the individual quotas.

To create a quota that is based on a template

1. In the console tree, under Quota Management, click Quota Templates.

2. In the results pane, right-click the template on which you will base your quota, and then click Create quota from template. This opens the Create Quota dialog box.

3. Under Quota path, select or type the path to the folder to which the quota will apply. Note that the quota properties will also apply to all of its subfolders.

4. To base the quota on a quota template, select the Derive properties from this quota template option, and select the template from the drop-down list box. Note that each template properties will be displayed under Summary of quota properties.

5. Click Create.

Updating Quotas by Editing a Quota Template

When making changes to a quota template, you have the option of extending those changes to quotas that were created using the original quota template. You can choose to modify only those quotas that still match the original template or all quotas that were derived from the original template, regardless of any modifications made to the quotas since they were created. When you reapply a template, all properties in the template overwrite all properties in the quotas; the updates are not limited to the properties that you changed in the quota.

The same capabilities for creating, applying, and updating templates are available for file screens.

To edit a quota template

1. In the console tree, under Quota Management, click Quota Templates.

2. In the results pane, right-click the quota template you want to modify, and then click Edit template properties, or select Edit template properties from the Actions pane, under Selected Quota Templates. This opens the Quota Template Properties dialog box.

3. Perform all necessary changes. For more information, see “To create a quota template” earlier in this guide. Optionally, you can copy the properties of a different template and modify them for this one.

4. When you are finished editing the template properties, click OK. This will open the Update Quotas Derived from Template dialog box.

5. Select the type of update that you want to apply:

   • If you have quotas that have been modified since they were created using the original template, and you do not want to change them, select Apply template only to derived quotas that match the original template. This option will update only those quotas that have not been previously edited and that still have the original template properties.

   • If you want to modify all existing quotas that were created using the original template, select Apply template to all derived quotas.

   • If you want to keep the existing quotas unchanged, select Do not apply template to derived quotas.

6. Click OK.

Creating an Auto Quota

Auto quotas allow you to assign a quota template to a folder and specify that quotas based on that template be automatically generated and applied to the existing subfolders, as well as to any new subfolders created in the future.

For example, you may define an auto quota for folders that are created on demand, for roaming profile users or for new users. Every time a new folder is created, a new quota entry is automatically generated for that folder, using the template defined in the auto quota profile of its parent folder. These automatically generated quota entries can then be viewed in the Results pane, under the Quotas node, as individually created quotas, which can be edited and modified separately.

To create an auto quota

1. In the console tree, under Quota Management, right-click Quotas, and then click Create quota, or select Create quota from the Actions pane. This opens the Create Quota dialog box.

2. Under quota path, select or type the path to the folder to which the auto quota will apply. The auto quota will be applied to all subfolders (current and future) in this folder. Once the path is entered, select Auto apply template and create quotas on existing and new subfolders.

3. Under Derive properties from this quota template, select the quota template that you want to apply. You can review the properties of each quota template in the summary list box.

4. Click Create.

   Note

   You can verify all automatically generated quotas by opening the Quotas node; an individual quota for each subfolder will be listed.

Editing an Auto Quota

When making changes to an auto quota, you have the option of extending those changes to existing quotas in the auto quota path. You can choose to modify only those quotas that still match the original auto quota, or all quotas in the auto quota path, regardless of any modifications made to the quotas since they were created. Since auto quotas are based on quota templates, any specific property changes have to be created either in the quota template used for the original auto quota or by creating a new quota template with the desired properties. For more information about how to modify an existing quota template, see “To edit a quota template” earlier in this guide.

To edit an auto quota

1. In the console tree, under Quota Management, click Quotas.

2. In the results pane, right-click the quota entry, and then click Edit quota properties, or select Edit quota properties from the Actions pane, under Selected Quotas. This opens the Edit Auto Apply Quota dialog box.

3. Under Derive properties from this quota template, select the new quota template that you want to apply. You can review the properties of each quota template in the summary list box.

4. Click OK. This will open the Update Quotas Derived from Auto Apply Quota dialog box.

5. Select the type of update you want to apply:

   • If you have quotas that have been modified since they were automatically generated, and you do not want to change them, select Apply auto apply quota only to derived quotas that match the original auto apply quota. This option will update only those quotas in the auto apply quota path that have not been edited and maintain the original auto apply quota properties.

   • If you want to modify all existing quotas in the Auto Apply Quota Path, select Apply auto apply quota to all derived quotas.

   • If you want to keep the existing quotas unchanged but make the modified auto quota effective for new folders in the Auto Apply Quota Path, select Do not apply auto apply quota to derived quotas.

6. Click OK.

Monitoring Quota Use

In addition to the information included in notifications, you can find out about quota usage by viewing quotas in Quota Management, by generating a Quota Usage report, or by creating soft quotas for the purpose of monitoring overall disk usage.

Viewing quota information

To view quota information in File Server Resource Manager, in the console tree, click Quota Management, and then click Quotas.

• In the Results pane, you can quickly find out the quota limit, the percentage of the limit that is used, and whether the quota is hard or soft.

  • Use the View options at the top of the Results pane to limit the display to the quotas that affect a designated path.

  • Click a column header to group quotas by that attribute.

• To find out additional information about a quota, select (highlight) the quota. The description area lists the notification thresholds and notes the remaining space available on the volume on which the quota was created.

• To view all quotas whose limits apply to a specific folder, right-click the quota of interest (identified by its path) in the Results pane, and click View quotas affecting folder. The description area lists the applicable quotas.

  -Or-

  To filter the Results pane display to the quotas that affect the path, in the View area at the top of the pane, click Quotas affecting path, then enter or browse to the path, and then click Filter.

Quota Usage report

Use the Quota Usage report to identify quotas that may soon be exceeded so that you can take the appropriate action. For instructions on generating a Quota Usage report, see “Generating Storage Reports” later in this guide.

Templates for monitoring disk usage

To monitor overall disk usage, you may also want to create soft quotas for volumes or shares. File Server Resource Manager provides the following default templates that you can use (or adapt) for this purpose: the Monitor 200 GB Volume Usage template and the Monitor 500 MB Share template.