# Downtime limitations **URL:** \ **Category:** FAQ\ **Tags:** downtime, disqualification\ **Created:** [July 20, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222 "2020-07-20T17:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![max19](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/max19/32/1128_2.png) [@max19](https://forum.storj.io/u/max19)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/1 "2020-07-20T17:09:25Z")
Apologies if this question was already answered, and I have yet to find it: Are there penalties imposed if a node goes offline for more than 5 hours a month BUT does a graceful exit each time, so no damage is done and/or cost inflicted upon the network as a whole? (I’m testing the waters with a setup that doesn’t maintain constant uptime) ---
**Author:** ![stuberman](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/stuberman/32/1124_2.png) [@stuberman](https://forum.storj.io/u/stuberman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/2 "2020-07-20T17:13:47Z")
Hi, @max19 - welcome to the forum! Right now there is no penalty, so let’s see how the new guidelines/rules come out. You should not do a _Graceful Exit_ as that is meant to leave the ecosystem and cash out - not meant for short time absences. You should only be able to activate GE after 15 months, but they have talked about changing that and starting at 6 months until they eventually go to a minimum of 15 months before you can use it. > If the Storage Node Operator uses the Graceful Exit function when leaving one or more satellites, the funds corresponding to the satellite(s) they exited will be returned in full after the exit is complete. If the Storage Node Operator exits the network abruptly without completing the Graceful Exit, the held back funds for all the satellites their node was operating on at the time of abrupt exit will be forfeited to offset the cost of data repair. > **[How does held back amount work? - Storj Docs](https://docs.storj.io/node/faq/held-back-amount)** > > Make the world your data center > [@Activating gracefulexit](https://forum.storj.io/t/activating-gracefulexit/2943/10): > > why there is 15 month for gracefull exit? even if someone has 2-3 month data it much cheaper for Storj to give people gracefull exit than repair all data. ---
**Author:** ![max19](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/max19/32/1128_2.png) [@max19](https://forum.storj.io/u/max19)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/3 "2020-07-20T17:21:35Z")
@stuberman thanks for the clarification, I’ll certainly keep that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![max19](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/max19/32/1128_2.png) [@max19](https://forum.storj.io/u/max19)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/4 "2020-07-20T17:40:02Z")
@stuberman one last question: if a node is in use and I need to go offline, what steps if any should be taken to make sure nothing bad happens and I can come back online (when possible) without a hitch? ---
**Author:** ![stuberman](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/stuberman/32/1124_2.png) [@stuberman](https://forum.storj.io/u/stuberman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/5 "2020-07-20T17:45:36Z")
You should always stop the nodes with a docker command and then restart them when ready to bring them online: Stop (assuming you have three nodes labelled this way) 300 gives them up to 300 seconds to gracefully terminate > docker stop -t 300 storagenode storagenode2 storagenode3 Restart > docker start storagenode storagenode2 storagenode3 > **[How do I shutdown my node for system maintenance? - Storj Docs](https://docs.storj.io/node/faq/system-maintenance)** > > Make the world your data center ---
**Author:** ![max19](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/max19/32/1128_2.png) [@max19](https://forum.storj.io/u/max19)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/6 "2020-07-20T18:00:02Z")
Got it, thank you. Will refer more to docs ---
**Author:** ![IgRost](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/igrost/32/1124_2.png) [@IgRost](https://forum.storj.io/u/IgRost)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/7 "2020-07-20T19:41:01Z")
> [@stuberman](#): > > 300 gives them up to 300 seconds to gracefully terminate So you need to wait 300 seconds, or you have only 300 seconds to maintain node? ---
**Author:** ![stuberman](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/stuberman/32/1124_2.png) [@stuberman](https://forum.storj.io/u/stuberman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/downtime-limitations/8222/8 "2020-07-20T19:45:46Z")
It can take as long as 300 seconds for the docker containers to terminate. On my machine it usually takes 5 seconds.