Panix Help System: Disk Space

Disk Space on Panix - Quotas and Charges

You can check on your disk usage on the web at config.panix.com/shell

Most accounts have a disk space quota of 6 GB for the files you keep on Panix (incoming and saved mail, plus files in your shell and web directories).
You can buy additional disk space as needed; details are included below.

NOTE: You may be listed as the owner of files that aren't in your own home directory or web space. If you help maintain a web page owned by someone else, you may own some of the files there, and they will count towards your allotment. If you wish to transfer these files to the ownership of another Panix user, mail a request to staff@panix.com and we'll help you take care of it.

This page is a guide to your disk use: how much you get free of charge, how much you can expect to pay for additional space, and your billing options. For more information, please refer to the Panix Disk Usage FAQ.

Disk Charges for Single-User Accounts:

Disk Space Allocation:

The standard disk allocation for a single-user account is 6 GB. It is quotaed (that is, the limit is imposed by the system. Exceeding the limit results in data loss.)
The quota applies to files in your home directory, your web space, your mailbox, and, if you have any MySQL databases, the space on any MySQL servers. If you are viewing your quota in our webmail interface, it simply shows how much you've used out of your quota, summed across all types of usage. However, if you're viewing your quota in the shell (using the "quota" command), you will see both your total usage, and each service's usage broken out separately. As you would expect, your mail and web files are visible from your home directory, but they are not counted twice in your quota - they appear only in their respective categories and the total usage, not in the shell category as well.
Here is a sample output of the command 'quota' (based on an assumed allocation of 4 GB):



Disk quotas for user <username> (uid <UID>)
                 Space used (Megabytes)         
Area             Usage    Quota    Limit  Expires
--------------  ------   ------  -------  -------
Shell/Web/Mail    64.5   4096.0   4300.8
   Shell          39.7        -   4275.9
   Web            24.7        -   4261.0
   Mail            0.2        -   4236.4

Users who have a MySQL database will find that disk space accounted for on a separate line.

If you wish to see a verbose output, use 'quota -v'.

Usage is the amount currently used.

Quota is the amount of space you have purchased.

Limit is the hard quota, 5% more than the amount of space purchased.

Expires is the date on which the "Limit" is dropped to the level of Quota.

(All standard shell accounts come with four 1.5 GB disk blocks; additional 1.5 GB blocks are available for $5/month (discounted to ($50/year prepaid) each.)

Any time your disk usage rises from below your quota to above it you will get a warning message periodically unless in the meantime your usage has dropped below quota.

As soon as your usage goes below quota the clock is reset. You'll get another alert the next time you go over quota, and the cycle will repeat.

Limits are recalculated every minute. You may observe a brief discrepancy between the limit and the usage totals until the recalculation has been done.

As long as you are below quota, and for a while after you go above, you will continue to have a 5% margin of extra space. If your usage stays above quota for 7 days, however, the margin is eliminated, and the official quota takes effect. (You can tell how much time you have left by looking at the "Expires" column of your quota output.)

If you exceed your quota and you don't reply to the warning message within 1 week, your service will be disrupted until we hear from you. Call us and we'll let you into your account so you can increase your quota and/or delete some files.

Unless your usage tends to hover right around your quota, this is all you need to know. But if you tend to be right on the edge, or if you like knowing about these things, you might want to see how we're calculating it.

Buying Additional Disk Space:

If you need more disk space than the allocation that comes with your account, you can buy additional 1.5 GB blocks, which are billed on the same cycle as your other services (ie monthly, quarterly, or yearly). If your account has billing privileges, you can add or reduce disk space at config.panix.com/shell Alternatively, you can send email to accounting@panix.com, and we will adjust your disk quota as instructed.

Disk Block Prices:: $5/month; $15/quarter; ($50/year prepaid)
Please note: Like all Panix fees, prepaid disk allocation charges are non-refundable, but credit from unused disk space can be applied to other services.

Tracking Your Disk Usage:

You can see your current disk use, separated into home and web directories, by running the command:
quota
at the UNIX shell prompt.
For files that are not in your home or web space, you can use the command
diskuse -l

File Ownership and More Information:

For answers to specific questions about Panix disk billing, please see the Panix Disk Usage FAQ.

Charges will be applied based on file ownership. Unless you have made specific arrangements with us for use of a group ID, you can be sure that you own the files in your home directories and on your web pages. If you have a group ID, you'll receive additional information about how these charges apply to your group.