Procedure for applying for an Internet quota system credit

The University makes limited Internet access available to staff and students to facilitate their work, research and studies. Each user of the University's network is provided with an Internet quota for this purpose.

Given the constraints the University operates under, this quota is intended to be sufficient for most work-related uses of the Internet; Users are generally expected to live within the University's limited means. We recognise, however, that it may occasionally be necessary for certain staff and postgraduate students to exceed their allocated quota. This procedure provides a way for such individuals to do this when required.

Retroactive Applications

Most people first go over quota, and then apply for retroactive quota credit(s) in order to re-gain access to the Internet. If you're in that situation, follow this procedure:

1. Send e-mail to support@ru.ac.za requesting a quota credit. Make sure you include:

   • The technical details from the ERR_QUOTABLOCK and/or ERR_IDBLOCK error message (or, at the very least, the your username and IP address);
   • Identification of the extraordinary use of the Internet that's caused you to go over quota^‡. (If you do not know why you're over quota, we might be able to provide a summary of your recent Internet use); and
   • Any other information that's relevant (see Evaluation of Requests below).

   Note that your e-mail constitutes implicit consent for us to examine log files detailing your Internet use, and to release them to your department/division if necessary.

2. You should then approach your supervisor (postgrads), head of department (academic staff), or line manager (service & support staff), explain why you're over quota, and ask that your department/division supports your application.

   Note that if your request relates to an electronic resource that's recognised by the Library (such as EBSCOhost), you may skip steps 2 and 3 as we'll assume that your department would support the request.

3. If they can confirm that the there is a legitimate work-related reason for your being over quota, your supervisor, head of department, or line manager should indicate that by e-mailing support@ru.ac.za. They should include:

   • The original ticket number that you obtained in response to the first step;
   • Indication of the department/division's support for your application; and
   • Most importantly, an explanation of how the Internet use you've identified relates to the work of the department/division.
4. The IT Division will then evaluate your request, clarifying specific information with either you or your department/division if necessary. Note that logs of your Internet use may be sent to whomever supported your application if we're unsure of how to interpret what we're seeing.
5. If your application is successful, you'll be granted quota credit(s) towards your per-user and/or per-host Internet quotas. Alternatively we'll let you know why your application was unsuccessful.

‡ Note that applications for retroactive quota credits look solely at the reasons you are currently over quota (it's what you've already done that's relevant, not what you still need to do).

Preemptive Applications

Occasionally people need to transfer more data that the quota system will allow. Whilst it is significantly easier (and thus preferable) for us to process retroactive applications for quota credits, we'll consider preemptive requests when there's no alternative. If you're in that situation, follow this procedure:

1. Send e-mail to support@ru.ac.za requesting a preemptive quota credit. Make sure you include:

   • Your Rhodes username;
   • The IP address (or hostname, MAC address or asset number) of the computer you intend using (check here if necessary);
   • An explanation of what you intend to do that will require a quota credit (the more detail that you can supply, the better);
   • The amount of data you need to transfer. If you don't know this, then let us have as much technical information as you can (protocols, bitrates, web sites, links to documentation, etc) so that we can try and estimate this for you;
   • The approximate date(s) and time(s) you intend to perform the transfer(s); and
   • Any other information that's relevant (see Evaluation of Requests below).

   Note that your e-mail constitutes implicit consent for us to examine log files detailing your Internet use, and to release them to your department/division if necessary.

2. You should then approach your supervisor (postgrads), head of department (academic staff), or line manager (service & support staff), explain why you're over quota, and ask that your department/division supports your application.

   Note that if your request relates to an electronic resource that's recognised by the Library (such as EBSCOhost), you may skip steps 2 and 3 as we'll assume that your department would support the request.

3. If they can confirm that the there is a legitimate work-related reason for your being over quota, your supervisor, head of department, or line manager should indicate that by e-mailing support@ru.ac.za. They should include:

   • The original ticket number that you obtained in response to the first step;
   • Indication of the department/division's support for your application; and
   • Most importantly, an explanation of how the Internet use you've identified relates to the work of the department/division.
4. The IT Division will then evaluate your request, clarifying specific information with either you or your department/division if necessary. Note that logs of your Internet use may be sent to whomever supported your application if we're unsure of how to interpret what we're seeing.
5. If your application is successful, you'll be granted quota credit(s) towards your per-user and/or per-host Internet quotas. Alternatively we'll let you know why your application was unsuccessful.
6. Once the transfer has occurred, you should e-mail support@ru.ac.za again (citing your original ticket number) and let us know that your transfer has finished. We will then finalise any preliminary credit(s) we granted previously. This step is important, and if you leave it out, you may find yourself cut off from the Internet at a later stage.

Evaluation of Requests

When evaluating applications for quota credits we take the following into consideration:

• First and foremost, whether there is a properly motivated, legitimate work-related reason for your transfer.

• Whether you've made a reasonable attempt to be responsible in your use of the University's Internet access, including:-

  • The proportion of personal/recreational to work-related use;
  • Your past history of Internet use;
  • Whether you attempted to source a copy of the data locally (from, for instance, your peers, local mirrors, or the IT Division);
  • Whether you considered taking advantage of the demand-side management system; and
  • Whether the transfer can be considered reasonable in terms of the acceptable use policy.
• In the case of large preemptive requests, the current University-wide demand for Internet access.
• The potential impact on the your productivity.

In most circumstances the above means that if you've got a properly motivated work- or study- related request that's supported by your department, we'll defer to their judgement. The checks we do are largely to inform this process and to reduce the potential for abuse.

Limitations

This procedure does not apply in all circumstances. In particular, the following situations are explicitly excluded:

• In the case of retrospective credits, where the usage cannot be adequately identified.  The reason for this is that if you have not identified what's caused you to go over quota, you'll likely go over quota again.  This wastes Internet bandwidth unnecessarily, and might mean that we have to deny other people's pre-emptive requests.
• Where the total sum of the credit(s) you're applying for amounts to less than the difference between the "quota warning" and the "web access denied" quota categories (the quota system already provides enough grace for you to exceed your quota by this amount before denying you access to the Internet);
• You have applied for, and been granted, quota credit(s) in terms of this procedure at some point during the preceeding four weeks and/or on more than three occasions in the current semester;
• You are an undergraduate student, unless you can demonstrate that you've taken on responsibilities beyond a normal undergraduate curriculum;
• You are, or will be, over quota because of significant personal and/or recreational use of the Internet. Whilst the University's acceptable use policy allows for limited recreational use of the Internet, you should ensure that this never interferes with your work requirements (cf §3.2);
• You are over the unauthenticated requests quota; or
• You're applying for credit(s) towards the per-host quota of your privately owned computer (particularly if it's on the Student Network). In these circumstances, only the per-user component will be considered.