Disk Quotas for a domain

[Fraggable]

I put this in Networking because it's a question that mostly networking people will be able to answer.

I have a Win 2003 server and about 500 users. 400 of them are students, 75 faculty and staff, about 25 are groups and admin accounts.

Each user has a folder on a shared drive on the server, mapped as H: when they log on. Users like to store 5GB worth of pics of their grandkids on there unless we force them to remove them. This really messes with my backup system which is limited to 35GB. So I decided to implement Disk Quotas. I assigned most students to 15MB and most fac + staff 100MB, some more according to need. That works great except for one thing. Apparently it measures the space a user is taking according to creator owner rights. I have users who have 280MB in their folder but the quota management sees it as 150MB because some folders weren't created by them.

Ideas on how to correct this? Maybe there's an application out there that can do a better job than disk quota management?

EDIT: I figured out why I'm getting the size discrepancies. The quota management applies to the entire drive, and there are 2 other folders on that drive that are shared and mapped for every logon. All files that someone stores on the drive go into their quota.

Can I set up quota management within a folder, not an entire drive?

 

[netsysadmin]

We use a product from NTP software called Quota and File Sentinel (QFS). Not only does it do the disk quotas it also allows you to block and files that you dont want stored on the servers such as MP3's..etc. The website looks a little weak, but the product works great. Look on the bottom of the website in the link below for more info.

http://www.ntpsoftware.com/products/qfs/

John

 

[RebateMonger]

The new Windows Server 2003 R2 has much better tools for controlling disk space and file types in User folders. You can, for instance, block .MP3 files completely. And you can have quotas by folder, instead of by volume.

"The enhanced capacity management functionality in R2 addresses the limitations in the NTFS quotas available since Windows 2000, which could only be applied on a per-user or per-volume basis. Quotas can now be applied to a specific directory, directory tree, or volume, and the quota applies to all users? files in that storage entity, regardless of file ownership."

Another option is to brute-force it. Continue making System backups and other critical (database, email, etc.) backups on your current (tape, I assume) system. Then buy a few 400GB SATA hard drives in removable trays and use THOSE for backing up User Folders. Hot-Swap the drives as needed, keeping one or more drives offsite. Those drives are only about $130 each, complete with fan-bearing trays.

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
The new Windows Server 2003 R2 has much better tools for controlling disk space and file types in User folders. You can, for instance, block .MP3 files completely. And you can have quotas by folder, instead of by volume.

is server 2003 r2 a like a upgrade to server 2003/sp1 or is it actually a service pack update just called r2?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
is server 2003 r2 a like a upgrade to server 2003/sp1 or is it actually a service pack update just called r2?

R2 is considered a "new version". Unfortunately, it's a "paid upgrade" from Server 2003 SP1, unless you meet certain requirements (Software Assurance or purchase of OEM Server 2003 during a special promotional period).

 

[Fraggable]

we are running SP1, not R2. I will have to check into pricing on an R2 upgrade, this isn't the first feature I've needed that is included in R2.

Are there any third-party tools out there that can do the same thing? I'd really like to avoid backing up users' folders to additional drives for 3 reasons:

1) Cost; a few extra drives and trays will be $500+ by the time it's all said and done
2) Convenience; right now we use an Iomega REV drive and my supervisor takes the Friday drive home as an offsite backup. Taking another 3.5: hard drive home would just be a pain
3) Our users need to quit leaving all their garbage in their folders, some of them have 300+MB powerpoint presentations from 3 years ago sitting there and they need to learn how to organize things. If I keep letting them store things without cleaning up their old stuff it's just going to keep accumulating.

 

[netsysadmin]

Check the software in my post above.

John

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
is server 2003 r2 a like a upgrade to server 2003/sp1 or is it actually a service pack update just called r2?

R2 is considered a "new version". Unfortunately, it's a "paid upgrade" from Server 2003 SP1, unless you meet certain requirements (Software Assurance or purchase of OEM Server 2003 during a special promotional period).

thanks for infio

 

[Fraggable]

Originally posted by: netsysadmin
Check the software in my post above.

John

It would be $2,300 for the RAID, Win 32 license we would need. There's no way we would want to pay that much for this functionality, though the software does look great.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
we are running SP1, not R2. I will have to check into pricing on an R2 upgrade, this isn't the first feature I've needed that is included in R2.

Hmmmm....I could be wrong about an R2 "upgrade". I can't find ANY listing of a SKU or price for a Server 2003 R2 upgrade. There may be none available.

Here's Microsoft's KB on upgrading Server 2003 SP1 to R2.

SBS 2003 definitely has a SKU and a price for the upgrade to R2, but I can't find the same for "plain" Server 2003.