I hit the VT Upload Cap!

Virginia Tech has an upload cap of 650MB per day.  If you exceed the limit, you get slower internet for a day.  I’m posting the email, because it is the most-informative source of information about VT’s network policy that I have found.  (Bits that I find particularly useful to know will be in bold, and information that I don’t want publicized will be replaced with something in brackets.)

The following notice is addressed to

[my name, my roommate's name, our dorm, and room number]

A computer in your room using IP address 198.82.96.147 and connected to the Ethernet outlet identified as [our room number]TP02B has sent more than 650MB of information into the network during the past 24 hours. As a result, the network capacity available to this computer has been restricted. To determine if this is your IP address, connect to http://www.software.ais.vt.edu/yourip/yourip.php while connected to the outlet in your room.

Outbound traffic from your (or your roommate’s) computer must remain below 650MB for a 24-hour period for these limits to be reduced or removed.

This action has been taken since network services are a shared resource, critical to the university’s mission. In instances where individuals consume an excessive amount of network resources, they are in conflict with Virginia Tech’s Acceptable Use Guidelines. More information is available at: http://www.cns.vt.edu/html/data/bandwidth.html.

The most common reason for this occurrence is computers serving peer-to-peer (p2p) or file-sharing applications, such as Morpheus, KaZaA, Gnutella or Limewire. In addition to generating a large volume of network traffic, these programs potentially put you in the position of illegally distributing copyrighted music, movies or software. For instructions on deleting a program of this type, please read Virginia Tech 4Help Knowledge Base article http://www.answers.vt.edu/ask4help/thirdparty/vtkb1386.htm

The second most common reason is your computer has been infected with a virus or trojan. Follow all 4 steps under the "CLEAN IT UP" section at http://antivirus.vt.edu to clean up your computer.

The next most common reasons are on-line game playing and video/audio chatting.

You may engage in any legal activity but your connection speed will be limited if more than 650MB of information a day is uploaded.

REMEMBER, unauthorized sharing of copyrighted files MUST BE immediately eliminated.

If you require technical assistance with removing the file-sharing client or removing a virus, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you contact the Virginia Tech Computing Consultants at 4Help (540/231-4357 or http://4help.vt.edu/).

It is still unclear to me if the upload limit is per port (and thus per person), or per room.  The evidence suggests that the limit is per room.

General
Internet, Tech, Virginia Tech
24 August 2008 comments [2] TrackBack-URI

1. Ben posted on December 27, 2008:

   It’s per port. CNS posts a copy of this email on their site. It’s also worth noting that only the “offending” port will be throttled. On the other hand, if CNS gets a copyright nastygram from somebody, both people in the room get JRs and have to go through the hearing process… which is a huge pain in the you-know-what.

2. Mavtak posted on December 27, 2008:

   That’s for the update, Ben.

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