Internet traffic with a number of sites (typically Australian universities and research institutions) does not incur a per-packet charge, as we have a flag-fall cost model with those sites. This is of most value to researchers.

Internet traffic to a large number of scholarly sites is not charged against your quota, as traffic to these sites is regarded as legitimate student research. We have forgotten to tell you about this, and to show you the list. We will remedy this.

That said, the current daily increment of 5 MB is hardly impressive in terms of 2005 technology. We will review this quota at a mid-year budget review.

The server "pebble" is close to the end of its effective life and we are not able to add further disc storage.

Instead, the Division of Information in the process of commissioning a modern storage framework called a Storage Area Network (SAN) system. This will let us expand our storage capacity in a flexible way, essentially by adding disc units as we need them. The user storage system in the Information Commons is a high-priority application.

Taken together, we expect to increase the quota on user storage space in the near future.

This will provide stable storage that is resilient against system failure. The architecture of the Information Commons means that we cannot provide short-term scratch space. Many users find it effective to purchase an inexpensive USB "memory stick" to complement this stable store.

You were too polite to note that Hotmail provides participants with 250 MB and that Google gmail provides users with 2200 MB.

Dr Brian Molinari, Director, Scholarly Technology Services

31 May 2005