Recently we took a look at quotas in Server 2008, and I mentioned that there are two kinds: File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) quotas, and the older NTFS kind. The FSRM console seems to provide no way of setting a per-user quota, and sure enough, you have to do that with the command line tool, FSUTIL, which applies only to NTFS-style quotas. For example, to set a disk quota for a single user, you’d run the command FSUTIL QUOTA MODIFY followed by the volume path, threshold value, limit value, and user account. (Use the “?” parameter to get syntax hints.)
So, is there a command-line tool for the newer FSRM quotas? Yes, and it’s called DIRQUOTA.EXE. Don’t follow the dead link in the Server 2008 help system to learn about it though (this is the drawback to Web-based help!). You can use the command-line tool to create per-volume or per-folder quotas; set up an “autoquota” that will apply to all subsequently-created subfolders; and work with quota templates. Handy for scripting.
There are several gotchas with DIRQUOTA.EXE. You have to run it from an “elevated” command prompt, for example (right-click and choose “Run as administrator”). You also have to be a member of the administrators group on the system you’re using, as well as the system you’re setting quotas on if you’re managing quotas remotely (with the /REMOTE qualifier). Even so, it’s nice to be able to script your quota activities, whether you choose to use the old-style NTFS quotas or the new kind.
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