How to find out server disk space usage

December 23, 2022 / Servers, Hosting & Email

This guide explains how to check disk space usage on your server and identify which directories are consuming the most space. Disk space, also known as storage or web space, is essential for hosting content. When a server reaches its full capacity, users may experience errors when accessing websites or logging into cPanel.

  1. Checking Disk Space Usage
    To determine disk space usage on your server, run the following command:

    df -h

    Note: The df command displays the available and used disk space on your system.

    Sample Output:

    [root@server ~]# df -h
    Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
    /dev/vda1      160G  160G   20K  100% /
  2. Identifying Disk Usage by Directory
    To pinpoint which directories are consuming the most space, use the du command. This command provides a detailed breakdown of disk usage for each directory within the root filesystem:

    [root@server ~]# du -h --max-depth=1 / 2>/dev/null | sort -hr
    160G /
    100G /backup
    42G /home
    8.4G /usr
    6.8G /var
    2.7G /opt
  3. Checking Inode Usage
    If the inode limit is reached, users will be unable to create new files. To check inode usage, execute:

    df -i

    Sample Output:

    [root@server ~]# df -i
    Filesystem      Inodes  IUsed  IFree  IUse% Mounted on
    /dev/vda1      988264  985843   2421  100% /
    Alternatively, you can use the du command to analyze inode usage:
    [root@server ~]# du --inodes --max-depth=1 / | sort -hr
    985843 /
    579631 /home
    364933 /var
    163487 /usr
    17238 /opt
    11128 /var
    3010 /etc
    2429 /root

The df and du commands are essential tools for monitoring disk space usage and identifying storage issues on your server. If you encounter any issues while executing these commands, feel free to reach out to our support team. Also, don’t forget to check out our latest web hosting plans for optimized server performance!

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