## `ftpquota`: tool for ProFTPD module `mod_quotatab`

This `ftpquota` program is used to create and manage quota tables, for the `mod_quotatab` module, of type "file".

The most current version of `ftpquota` is distributed with the ProFTPD source code, in the `contrib/` directory.

## Author

Please contact TJ Saunders <tj at castaglia.org> with any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding this program.

## Usage

The following describes the common usage of the `ftpquota` tool. The options supported are described in more detail later.

Creating Tables
To start using `mod_quotatab`, the two required tables are required. Tables of type "file" have identifying magic headers such that `ftpquota` is needed to initially create both tables. It is an error to attempt to create a table that already exists:

      # ftpquota --create-table --type=limit
      ftpquota: cannot create existing table

To create the initial limit table:

      ftpquota --create-table --type=limit

To create the initial tally table:

      ftpquota --create-table --type=tally

The population of a tally table file with the tally for `user`s, `group`s, `class`es, and `all` is done automatically by `mod_quotatab`.

For both of these operations, the `--table-path` can be used to create a table in a non-default location.

Updating Tables
Now that you have the initial tables created, but blank, you need to add records (to the limit table) for the users, groups, classes, etc on which you, as the administrator, wish to impose quotas.

To a basic limit record for a user `bob` using the default quotas (which are all "unlimited" by default):

      ftpquota --add-record --type=limit --name=bob --quota-type=user

Similarly for quotas of type `group` or `class.` Note that for quotas of type `all`, the `--name` option is not necessary; the `all` record applies to everyone, regardless of name or group or class membership. If no byte or file limits are specified, the default settings (unlimited numbers of bytes/files) are used.

It is an error to add a record that already exists. Note, however, that it is possible to have multiple records of the same name, but different quota types. The record to use for a given session is identified by the combination of name and quota type.

An example of creating a limit record with more complex quotas for a class named "browsers"

      ftpquota --add-record --type=limit --name=browsers --quota-type=class \
        --files-upload=0  --files-download=25 --table-path=/usr/local/etc/ftplimit.tab

or, another way:

      ftpquota --add-record --type=limit --name=browsers --quota-type=class \
        --bytes-upload=0 --bytes-download=2 --units=Gb --table-path=/usr/local/etc/ftplimit.tab

In general, it is a good idea to use either byte quotas or file quotas, but not both, unless you know what you are doing. In these examples, the `--table-path` option is used to add the record to a limit table in a non-default location.

Another option available when creating limit records is the `--per-session` option. By default, quotas are persistent, and apply to the user (or group, class, or everyone) across all sessions. Using this option means the limits will be enforced only for the duration of the client's session, and that the limits will apply only to that client. In other words, using this option for `group`, `class`, or `all` quotas is not a good idea.

Similarly, for removing records from the limit table (effectively removing quotas from affecting that `user/group/class/all`) or from the tally table (effectively resetting the quotas to zero for that `user/group/class/all`), there is the `--delete-record` option:

      ftpquota --delete-record --type=limit --name=browsers --quota-type=class

In addition to adding and removing records, an administrator may want to simply change the quotas in a given record, either in the limit or tally tables. In this case, use `--update-record`:

      ftpquota --update-record --type=tally --name=bob --quota-type=user \
        --bytes-download=100 --files-download=1

This example command manually sets user `bob`'s download tally to 100 bytes, 1 file. It is an error to update a record that does not exist.

There are some administrators who wish to impose quotas on a daily basis, that is, to have a per-day quota. At present, the easiest way to do this is to have a cron job that, once a day, does the following:

      ftpquota --update-record --type=tally --name=name --quota-type=quotatype

This command will "reset" the matching tally record. By default, if no byte or file quotas are set, the default values are used: unlimited if updating a limit record, zero if updating a tally record.

When editing the tables, `ftpquota` will obtain read or write locks as necessary. If those tables are being used by a running server, which also performs locking, the script will wait until it is able to obtain a lock. Changing of in-use table information is ideally done while the server is quiescent. This locking is to avoid data synchronization and corruption issues.

Showing Tables
Having tables in binary format makes it difficult to easily see what the current records are, to double-check limits or simply to view the current tally. `ftpquota` thus supports the dumping out of table contents in human-legible form via the `--show-records` option:

      ftpquota --show-records --type=limit

or, for a tally table not in the location where the scripts expects it to be:

      ftpquota --show-records --type=tally --table-path=/usr/local/etc/ftpd/quota-tally.tab

When viewing tables this way, the `--units` option can be used to display byte quotas in other units (e.g. Kb, Mb, etc).

## Options

The following is the output from running `ftpquota --help`:

    usage: ftpquota [options]

     The following options describe the type of operation to be performed:

      --add-record         Create a new record with the specified limits.  Any
                           limits left unspecified with have their default
                           values.  This option requires the --name and
                           --quota-type options.

      --create-table       Create the table if not present.  Used to initialize
                           a table.  The default limit table path is
                           "./ftpquota.limittab".  The default tally table path is
                           "./ftpquota.tallytab".

      --delete-record      Deletes a quota record from the table.  This option
                           requires the --name and --quote-type options.

      --show-records       Prints out all of the quota records in the table in
                           a legible format.

      --update-record      Updates a quota record with the specified limits.  Any
                           limits left unspecified will be updated with their
                           default value.  This option requires the --name and
                           --quota-type options.

     The following option describes the type of table on which to operate:

      --type               Specifies a table type to use.  The allowable options
                           are: "limit" or "tally".  This is required.

     The following options are used to specify specific quota limits:

      --Bu                 Specifies the limit of the number of bytes that may be
      --bytes-upload       uploaded.  Defaults to -1 (unlimited).

      --Bd                 Specifies the limit of the number of bytes that may be
      --bytes-download     downloaded.  Defaults to -1 (unlimited).

      --Bx                 Specifies the limit of the number of bytes that may be
      --bytes-xfer         transferred.  Note that this total includes uploads,
                           downloads, AND directory listings.  Defaults to
                           -1 (unlimited).

      --Fu                 Specifies the limit of the number of files that may be
      --files-upload       uploaded.  Defaults to -1 (unlimited).

      --Fd                 Specifies the limit of the number of files that may be
      --files-download     downloaded.  Defaults to -1 (unlimited).

      --Fx                 Specifies the limit of the number of files that may be
      --files-xfer         transferred, including uploads and downloads.  Defaults
                           to -1 (unlimited).

      -L                   Specifies the type of limit, "hard" or "soft", of
      --limit-type         the bytes limits.  If "hard", any uploaded files that
                           push the bytes used counter past the limit will be
                           automatically deleted; if "soft", those extra bytes
                           will be allowed, but future uploads will be denied.
                           This option only makes sense if --type is "limit".

      -N                   Specifies a name for the quota record.  This name
      --name               will be the user/login name, group name, or class
                           name, depending on the quota type.  This option
                           is ignored if the quota type specified is "all".

      -P
      --per-session        Specifies that the quota limit is to be applied only
                           to each session, rather than persisting across
                           sessions.  By default, quotas are persistent.

      -Q                   Specifies a "quota type" for this record, where
      --quota-type         the type means to which category of FTP users this
                           quota will apply.  The quota type must be one of:
                           "user", "group", "class", or "all".

     The following options are miscellaneous:

      --help               Displays this message.

      --table-path         Specifies the path to a quota table file to use.

      --units              Specifies whether to treats bytes as is, in kilobytes,
                           megabytes, or gigabytes.  Allowable options are:
                           "B" or "byte", "Kb" or "kilo", "Mb" or "mega",
                           and "Gb" or "giga".  Defaults to "byte".

      --verbose            Toggles more verbose information about the doings of
                           the tool as it works.

Author: $Author: castaglia $
Last Updated: $Date: 2011/03/03 22:17:29 $

© Copyright 2000-2011 TJ Saunders
All Rights Reserved