System Resource Quota Exhaustion - Troubleshooting Guide

System Resource Quota Exhaustion - Troubleshooting Guide

Users can't save files, processes failing, quota limits exceeded. This guide gives you immediate steps to diagnose and fix system resource quota exhaustion—now. No theory, just action.

For setting up monitoring to prevent this in the future, see System Resource Limits and Quotas Monitoring Guide after you've resolved the immediate crisis.

60-Second Triage

Run these commands in order:

# Step 1: Check quota usage (takes 5 seconds)
quota -u username

# Step 2: View exceeded quotas (takes 5 seconds)
repquota -a | grep -E "\*|exceeded"

# Step 3: Check disk usage (takes 5 seconds)
df -h

# Step 4: Identify quota violations (takes 5 seconds)
repquota -a | awk '$3 > 90 || $6 > 90'

Common Quota Issues and Quick Fixes

Symptoms of Quota Exhaustion

Quota exhaustion manifests in several ways:

• Can't save files: "Disk quota exceeded" errors
• Process failures: Processes fail due to resource limits
• Service failures: Services can't start due to limits
• System errors: System shows quota-related errors

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Step 1: Identify Quota Exhaustion

When quotas are exhausted:

1. Check Quota Usage:

   quota -u username
   repquota -a
   

2. Identify Exceeded Quotas:

   repquota -a | grep -E "\*|exceeded"
   

3. Check Resource Limits:

   ulimit -a
   

Step 2: Investigate Quota Issues

Once you identify quota exhaustion:

1. Check Disk Usage:

   du -sh /home/username
   df -h /home
   

2. View Process Limits:

   ps aux | awk '{proc[$1]++} END {for (u in proc) print u, proc[u]}'
   

3. Check File Descriptor Usage:

   lsof | wc -l
   

Step 3: Resolve Quota Exhaustion

When quota issues are identified:

1. Increase Disk Quota:

   sudo setquota -u username 10G 12G /home
   

2. Clean Up Disk Space:

   find /home/username -type f -size +100M -ls
   

3. Increase Process Limits:

   sudo vi /etc/security/limits.conf
   # Add: username soft nproc 4096
   

Step 4: Prevent Future Quota Exhaustion

To prevent quota exhaustion:

1. Monitor Quotas Continuously:

   • Use Zuzia.app to monitor quota usage
   • Set up alerts before quotas are exceeded
   • Track quota trends

2. Set Appropriate Quota Limits:

   • Configure quotas based on actual needs
   • Set soft limits as warnings
   • Set hard limits to prevent exhaustion

Automatic Detection with Zuzia.app

Zuzia.app automatically monitors quotas and detects exhaustion:

• Checks quota usage every few hours
• Detects quota exhaustion immediately
• Sends alerts when quotas are exceeded
• Tracks quota usage trends

Set up quota monitoring in Zuzia.app to prevent exhaustion:

1. Add scheduled task: repquota -a | grep -E "\*|exceeded" | wc -l
2. Configure alerts for quota exhaustion
3. Monitor quota usage continuously

Best Practices for Preventing Quota Exhaustion

1. Monitor Quotas Continuously

Don't wait for quota exhaustion:

• Use Zuzia.app for continuous quota monitoring
• Set up alerts before quotas are exceeded
• Review quota usage regularly

2. Set Appropriate Quota Limits

Configure quotas based on needs:

• Set soft limits as warnings
• Set hard limits to prevent exhaustion
• Review and adjust limits regularly

3. Respond Quickly to Quota Alerts

Have response procedures ready:

• Define escalation procedures for quota exhaustion
• Prepare quota increase procedures
• Test quota management regularly

FAQ: Common Questions About Quota Exhaustion

How do I know if quotas are exhausted?

Check quota usage: quota -u username. View exceeded quotas: repquota -a | grep "*". Check quota errors: Look for "Disk quota exceeded" messages.

What should I do immediately when quotas are exhausted?

Immediately check quota usage: quota -u username. Identify exceeded quotas: repquota -a | grep "*". Increase quotas if appropriate: sudo setquota -u username SOFT HARD /. Request users reduce usage.

Can quota exhaustion cause system failures?

Yes, if system quotas are exhausted, system processes can fail and services can become unavailable.

How can Zuzia.app help prevent quota exhaustion?

Zuzia.app monitors quota usage continuously, detects quota exhaustion immediately, sends alerts when quotas are exceeded, and tracks quota usage trends.

Related guides, recipes, and problems

• Related guides

  • System Resource Limits and Quotas Monitoring Guide
  • Server Resource Monitoring Complete Guide

• Related recipes

  • Check System Resource Quota Usage
  • Monitor System Resource Allocation

• Related problems

  • Disk Space Full Server
  • High CPU Usage Server