Managing your disk quota

The disk space allotted to your UDelNet account is called disk quota. If your UDelNet account exceeds its disk quota limit, you may be unable to access your UDelNet account.

Exceeding your account's disk quota limit
How to check your account's overall disk space use
How to identify files & folders that use the most disk space
How to reduce disk space use if you work with web pages

Exceeding your account's disk quota limit

    Why did my account exceed its disk quota limit?

    The files in your UDelNet account take up more disk space than has been alloted to your account.

    What happens if my acccount exceeds its disk quota limit?

    If your account exceeds its disk quota limit, you may be unable to access your account. For example, you may be unable do the following:

    • Log in to your UDelNet account
    • Access files for class assignments or work-related projects
    • Compile programs such as C++ or Fortran
    • Create or save work in applications such as Matlab, Maple, or Mathematica
    • Log in to a SunRay terminal

    What types of files are counted toward my account's disk quota limit?

    All files you save in your UDelNet account are counted toward your disk quota limit, including the following:

    • All files you save in your personal directory (i.e., the directory you see when you first log in to your UDelNet account)
    • All files you save in folders or directories you create within your UDelNet account (except files saved in the /www directory)
    • All files you save in your public_html directory (if you've created a personal web site).

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How to check your account's overall disk space use

  1. To check how much disk space your account is using overall, log in to your UDelNet account through the Secure Shell (SSH) application.

    (If you do not have a copy of this application on your computer, you can download a free copy for a Windows computer or you can use the Terminal application that is built in to a Macintosh computer.)

  2. At the copland.udel.edu (%) prompt, type
    		quota -v
  3. Press ENTER.
     
  4. Find the values listed under usage and quota. Compare the size of these values.

    The usage value must be less than the quota value. If the usage value is larger than (or almost equal to) the quota value, then you are exceeding your disk quota limit (or will soon be doing so).
     
  5. If your account is above or close to its disk quota limit, you will need to remove (delete) files until your account is below its disk quota limit.  

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How to identify files & folders that use the most disk space

  1. To identify the files & folders that use the most disk space, log in to your UDelNet account through the Secure Shell (SSH) application.

    (If you do not have a copy of this application on your computer, you can download a free copy for a Windows computer or you can use the Terminal application that is built in to a Macintosh computer.)

  2. At the copland.udel.edu (%) prompt, type
    		du -ak | sort -n
    NOTE
    The | character is usually located on the key above the ENTER key. You will also need to press the SHIFT key to use the | character.

  3. Press ENTER. You will see a list that looks similar to the following:
    		copland[3]% du -ak | sort -n
    
    16 ./public_html/dwclass3/Templates
    24 ./public_html/dwclass3/stopwatch2.jpg
    244 ./public_html/dwclass2
    6520 ./public_html
    49400 .

    • The number in the left-most column indicates the size (amount of disk space used in Kilobytes [KB], which is roughly 1/1,000 of a Megabyte [MB]) of the file or folder. The files or folders are listed from smallest to largest: Those at the bottom of the list are the largest.
    • The name of the file or folder appears on the right. Write down the names of the last 4 or 5 folders so you know which folders to focus on when you want to remove (delete) files.
    • The last number in the list (in front of the ".") is the total amount of disk space being used. This value should be close to the value you receive if you use the quota -v command.
    • After you identify folders that use a significant amount of disk space, you will need to remove (delete) files until your account is below its disk quota limit (e.g., the ./pictures folder in the list above).
    • After you remove (delete) files, recheck your overall disk space.
    • Continue to remove (delete) files until your account is below its disk quota limit.
    • Exit the SSH program when you are done.

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How to reduce disk space use if you work with web pages

    Where to save web pages on the central system

    If you create and maintain web pages, you can save them in the following two places on the central system:

    1. Within your public_html directory
    2. Within the /www directory

    The public_html directory is within your personal directory. Therefore, all files saved in this directory are counted toward your account's disk quota limit. The public_html directory should be used only for personal web pages.

    The /www directory is a shared directory that is not within your personal directory. Therefore, all files saved in this directory are not counted toward your account's disk quota limit. Web pages that you create for a UD organization, department, unit, etc. should be saved in the /www directory.

    How to check disk space used by the public_html directory

    1. To check how much disk space is being used by the public_html directory in your account, log in to your UDelNet account through the Secure Shell (SSH) application.

      (If you do not have a copy of this application on your computer, you can download a free copy for a Windows computer, or you can use the terminal application that is built in to a Macintosh computer.)
       
    2. At the copland.udel.edu (%) prompt, type
      		du -ak | sort -n
      NOTE
      The | character is usually located on the key above the ENTER key. You will also need to press the SHIFT key to use the | character.

    3. Press ENTER. You will see a list that looks similar to the following:
      		copland[3]% du -ak | sort -n
      
      16 ./public_html/dwclass3/Templates
      24 ./public_html/dwclass3/stopwatch2.jpg
      244 ./public_html/dwclass2
      6520 ./public_html
      49400 .
      • The number in the left-most column indicates the size (amount of disk space used) of the file or folder. The files or folders are listed from smallest to largest: Those at the bottom of the list are the largest.
      • The name of the file or folder appears on the right.
      • The last number in the list (in front of the ".") is the total amount of disk space being used. This value should be close to the value you see if you use the quota -v command.
      • If you discover that the public_html folder is near the bottom of the list (therefore one of the biggest folders), you will need to remove (delete) files you no longer need in this directory.
      • After you remove (delete) files, recheck your overall disk space.
      • Continue to remove (delete) files until your account is below its disk quota limit.
      • Exit the SSH program when you are done..

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