Understanding "quota" output

My host's backup server gives me my usage information in the following format:

Disk quotas for user vps**** (uid 1234):
     Filesystem  blocks   quota   limit   grace   files   quota   limit   grace
/dev/mapper/backup3-backup3
                6094452  2147483648 2147483648          365672       0       0

I've searched, including in man pages, but I can't figure out how to read the output. What do each of these columns mean? IIRC, my quota should be 10 GB.


Block is normally of size 1 kilobytes nowadays, but it might be also 512 bytes - check this yourself.

  • 6094452 is how many blocks of disk space you currently use,
  • the first 2147483648 is the maximum you are expected to normally use (again in blocks, note it translates to 2 TB, not to 10 GB); you can grow beyond, but only temporarily;
  • the second 2147483648 is how much you are allowed to use,
  • the empty place that comes next is the "grace period"; it is used only when you exceed "quota", i.e. when you are between "quota" and "limit",
  • 365672 is how many files you currently have (inodes, to be more exact),
  • the remaining columns have the same meaning, but in regard to the "files" field; but they are 0, which means you have no quota on number of files

quota -s <user> will provide you human readable format output as follows

Disk quotas for user rashah (uid 524295):
Filesystem                              blocks     quota      limit         grace   files   quota   limit   grace
/dev/mapper/work3                 19502M  48829M  58594M                70086       0       0