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Transfer limits

reference · Reviewed 2026-07-31 GA

A hard transfer limit blocks user uploads and downloads. It does not affect running jobs: compute nodes keep moving data, and that traffic is not counted.

Soft limit​

Enforcement off. Email at each notification threshold; transfers continue.

Hard limit​

When the cap is exceeded, users can no longer upload to or download from Rescale cloud storage.

Running jobs are unaffected: compute nodes continue reading and writing normally, and that data doesn't count against the limit. A hard transfer limit stops people moving data, not jobs running.

What isn't counted​

Transfer limits measure user-initiated transfers against Rescale cloud storage. They exclude:

  • Traffic between a running job's compute nodes and Rescale cloud storage.
  • Internal cloud-provider traffic inside a job or workstation.
  • Data moved by the platform as part of job orchestration.

For caps specific to CFS or HPS storage devices, see those pages.

The 1-hour buffer​

The transfer total is calculated when an upload completes, with a one-hour buffer before the reported figure updates.

Enforcement can be bypassed by accident

During the buffer window you can exceed an enforced transfer limit, as long as the reported total was under the cap when the upload began.

How far over depends on how much you move during the window. If you exceed a billing tier this way, you're billed at the higher tier.

This is the same class of gap as the storage limit's hourly sweep: enforcement is periodic, not instantaneous.

Why a transfer was blocked​

Work through these in order:

  1. The limit itself. Check the configured cap and current usage before assuming a bug.
  2. The browser. Large transfers through a browser fail for reasons unrelated to limits. Upload issues · Download issues
  3. Your connection. Understanding internet speed for file transfers
  4. The tool. Use the Rescale CLI or the Transfer Manager for bulk moves: both resume after an interruption.