Usage Limits

Overview

The Usage Limits module provides administrators with powerful tools to control, monitor, and manage resource consumption across the platform. This feature allows for precise allocation of AI resources, cost management, and usage tracking at multiple organizational levels. By implementing appropriate usage limits, organizations can ensure predictable spending, fair resource distribution, and optimized system performance.

Accessing Usage Limits

1. Navigate to the main navigation bar
2. Click on Configuration
3. Select Usage Limit from the three available options
4. You will be redirected to the Usage Limits management page

Core Concepts

Usage Limit Types

The system supports two primary types of usage limits:

Budget Amount:

• Limits based on financial cost
• Measured in currency units (e.g., dollars)
• Tracks actual cost of API calls and processing
• Useful for direct cost control and financial planning

Number of Requests:

• Limits based on operation count
• Measured in total number of requests/operations
• Tracks raw usage volume regardless of complexity
• Useful for controlling operational load and ensuring fair access

Limit Levels

Limits can be applied at three distinct organizational levels:

User Level:

• Applied to individual users
• Controls usage on a per-user basis
• Useful for specialized roles with varying resource needs
• Provides the most granular control

Group Level:

• Applied to user groups
• Controls usage for all users within a specified group
• Useful for departmental or team-based resource allocation
• Balances control and administrative complexity

Application Level:

• Applied to entire applications
• Controls usage across an entire application component
• Affects all users of the specified application
• Useful for system-wide governance and cost management

Target Applications

Limits can be applied to specific application components:

ACE:

• Enterprise-grade RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) AI Chat platform
• Integrates with knowledge management systems and Web search capabilities
• Features "Ask AI" functionality for natural language inquiries
• Includes ACE Search with advanced knowledge management
• Connects to all enterprise data sources and file systems
• Delivers instant answers and automates complex workflows
• Understands your organization's unique context
• Adheres to all organizational security requirements

Reset Frequencies

Usage limits can be configured to reset at different intervals:

Daily:

• Limits reset at the end of each day
• Provides tightest control over usage spikes
• Useful for highly active environments

Weekly:

• Limits reset at the end of each week
• Balances flexibility and control
• Accommodates normal usage fluctuations

Monthly:

• Limits reset at the end of each month
• Aligns with typical billing cycles
• Provides maximum flexibility for users

Configuring Usage Limits

Adding a New Usage Limit

To configure a new usage limit:

1. Navigate to the Usage Limits page
2. Look for the "Add Usage Limit" button or option
3. In the popup dialog, configure the following settings:

Select Limit Level

Choose the organizational level to which the limit applies:

• User
• Group
• Application

Select Target Application

Choose which component the limit will affect:

• ACE

Select Limit Type

Choose the type of limit to implement:

• Budget Amount

  • Enter the maximum budget in currency units
  • Consider monthly operating costs when setting this value

• Number of Requests

  • Enter the maximum number of allowed requests
  • Consider typical user patterns when setting this value

Set Reset Frequency

Choose when the limit will reset:

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly

Best Practice: Align reset frequencies with your organization's operational patterns. Daily resets work well for high-volume, critical systems; monthly resets are better for occasional-use tools.

Finalize Configuration

After configuring all required fields:

1. Review your settings for accuracy
2. Click the Add button to create the new limit
3. Verify the limit appears in the Usage Limits list

Detailed Configuration Options

Budget Amount Considerations

When configuring budget-based limits:

• Currency: All budget amounts are in your organization's default currency
• Minimum Value: The smallest budget amount that can be set is 0.01 units
• Precision: Budget amounts can be specified to two decimal places
• Calculation Method: Budget consumption is calculated based on actual API and processing costs

Important: Budget limits do not prevent essential system operations. Critical security and maintenance functions will continue even if a budget limit is reached.

Number of Requests Considerations

When configuring request-based limits:

• Request Definition: A "request" is defined as any API call to the AI system
• Complexity Factor: Request limits do not account for query complexity
• Minimum Value: The smallest request limit that can be set is 1
• Maximum Value: The system supports limits up to 1,000,000 requests

Note: Different operations consume different numbers of requests. For example, a complex document analysis might count as multiple requests.

Managing Existing Usage Limits

The Usage Limits page displays all configured limits with management options.

Viewing Limit Details

To view detailed information about a limit:

1. Locate the limit in the list
2. Click the View button associated with the limit
3. A detailed panel will display:
   • Limit Type: Budget or request-based
   • Current Usage: Amount consumed in the current period
   • Remaining Amount: Available resources before limit is reached
   • Reset Date: When the limit will next reset
   • Usage History: Consumption patterns over time (if available)

Usage Metrics

When viewing limit details, you'll see:

• Limit Used: Current consumption as a value and percentage
• Cost Type: Categorization of usage (e.g., Embedding, Completion, etc.)
• Number of Requests: Total operations performed

Refreshing Usage Data

To get the most current usage information:

1. Within the limit details view, locate the Refresh button
2. Click Refresh to update all metrics with the latest data
3. Note the last refresh timestamp to ensure data currency

Editing Existing Limits

To modify a previously configured limit:

1. Locate the limit in the list
2. Click the Edit button associated with the limit
3. In the edit dialog, you can modify:
   • Target Application: Change which application the limit affects
   • Budget Type/Number of Requests: Adjust the limit amount
   • Reset Frequency: Change how often the limit resets

Note: Some properties cannot be modified after creation, such as the limit level (User/Group/Application). To change these properties, you must delete the existing limit and create a new one.

4. After making changes, click the Save button to apply your modifications

Deleting Usage Limits

To remove a limit that is no longer needed:

1. Locate the limit in the list
2. Click the Delete button associated with the limit
3. Confirm the deletion when prompted
4. Verify the limit is removed from the list

Warning: Deleting a limit immediately removes all restrictions. Users or applications previously constrained by this limit will have unrestricted access until new limits are configured.

Usage Monitoring and Reporting

Real-time Monitoring

The Usage Limits interface provides real-time information about resource consumption:

• Current Period Usage: Consumption during the active reset period
• Approaching Limits: Visual indicators for limits nearing exhaustion
• Exceeded Limits: Clear identification of limits that have been surpassed

Usage Analytics

For more comprehensive analysis, the system offers usage analytics capabilities:

• Usage Patterns: Visualization of consumption over time
• Peak Usage Periods: Identification of high-demand timeframes
• User/Group Comparisons: Relative resource consumption across the organization

Best Practice: Regularly review usage analytics to optimize limit configurations. Adjust limits based on actual consumption patterns rather than theoretical estimates.

Limit Enforcement Behavior

Understanding how limits are enforced helps in planning appropriate configurations.

When Limits Are Reached

When a usage limit is reached, the system behavior depends on the limit type and configuration:

Budget-Based Limits

• Standard Behavior: New requests are rejected with an appropriate message
• Grace Period: Configurable allowance for slight overages before enforcement
• Notification: Administrators receive alerts about limit breaches

Request-Based Limits

• Standard Behavior: New requests are rejected after the limit is reached
• Queue Option: Critical operations can be queued for processing when capacity becomes available
• Priority Settings: Certain operation types can be exempted from limits

User Experience

When a user encounters a limit:

• Error Message: Clear notification explaining the limit has been reached
• Timing Information: Details about when the limit will reset
• Alternative Options: Guidance on possible next steps
• Support Contact: Information for requesting limit adjustments if needed

Best Practices

Setting Appropriate Limits

Consider these factors when determining limit values:

• User Role Requirements: Different roles may have varying resource needs
• Application Criticality: More important applications may warrant higher limits
• Budget Constraints: Align limits with departmental or organizational budgets
• Usage Patterns: Account for typical and peak usage scenarios
• Growth Planning: Build in capacity for expected usage increases

Implementation Strategy

For optimal limit implementation:

• Start Conservative: Begin with slightly restrictive limits
• Monitor Closely: Watch for limit breaches during initial implementation
• Gather Feedback: Collect user input about limit impacts
• Iterate Gradually: Make incremental adjustments based on data and feedback
• Document Rationale: Maintain clear records of limit-setting decisions

Hierarchical Limit Structure

For complex organizations, consider a hierarchical approach:

• Organizational Limit: Broad constraint for the entire system
• Departmental Limits: Allocations for major organizational units
• Team Limits: Further subdivision for specific groups
• Individual Limits: Fine-grained control for key users or roles

This approach ensures fair resource distribution while maintaining overall budget control.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Causes	Resolution
Limit not enforced	Incorrect application target	Verify limit is applied to the correct application
	Higher-level override	Check for conflicting limits at different levels
	System exemption	Confirm operation is not exempt from limitations
Unexpected limit breach	Asynchronous operations	Some operations may complete after limit check
	Reporting delay	Usage data may have slight reporting latency
	Concurrent requests	Multiple simultaneous requests may exceed limits
Limits reset incorrectly	Time zone confusion	Verify system time zone settings
	Manual reset	Check for administrator interventions
	System maintenance	Review system maintenance logs

Advanced Configuration Scenarios

Temporary Limit Adjustments

For special circumstances requiring temporary changes:

1. Edit the existing limit to a new value
2. Note in the system calendar when to revert the change
3. Return to regular limits after the special circumstance ends

Emergency Override Procedures

In critical situations requiring immediate limit removal:

1. Access the Usage Limits configuration
2. Identify the limiting constraint
3. Either delete the limit or set it to a very high value
4. Document the emergency override with justification
5. Restore appropriate limits once the emergency is resolved

Graduated Limit Implementation

For new system rollouts:

1. Begin with generous limits to encourage adoption
2. Communicate future limit plans to set expectations
3. Gradually reduce limits to optimal levels over time
4. Provide usage recommendations to help users adapt

Integration with Other System Components

Usage Limits interact with other system features:

Notifications System

• Automated alerts when limits approach or exceed thresholds
• Scheduled usage reports for administrators
• User notifications about remaining capacity

Authentication and Access Control

• Limit configurations tied to user identity and permissions
• Group-based limits aligned with organizational structure
• Application access potentially restricted based on limit status

Billing and Accounting

• Usage data available for chargeback or cost allocation
• Limit settings reflected in cost forecasting
• Budget limit enforcement aligned with financial systems

Security and Compliance Considerations

Secure Limit Management

Protect limit configuration with appropriate controls:

• Permission Restrictions: Limit management access to authorized administrators
• Change Logging: Maintain detailed logs of all limit modifications
• Review Process: Implement periodic review of limit configurations
• Segregation of Duties: Separate limit-setting from limit-override privileges

Compliance Requirements

Align limit management with regulatory needs:

• Resource Governance: Document resource allocation decisions
• Cost Controls: Demonstrate appropriate financial management
• Usage Auditing: Maintain comprehensive usage records
• Fair Access Policies: Ensure equitable resource distribution

Conclusion

The Usage Limits feature provides essential tools for controlling resource consumption, managing costs, and ensuring fair system access across your organization. By implementing thoughtful limit strategies and regularly reviewing usage patterns, administrators can optimize the balance between accessibility and cost control.

For additional assistance with Usage Limits, contact your system administrator or refer to the complete platform documentation.