Upload Size Limits in Adobe Connect

Problem: How big can my Presentations, Recordings and Uploaded Content be?

With reference to supported file size, Connect recordings max out at 2GB, but I would avoid letting them get that big. Uploaded content in the meeting file-share pod, by default is limited to 100MB; the Share pod is limited to 2GB. A PPTX file that pushes the 2GB upload limit will never remain 2GB in size as the conversion process with shrink it down substantially.

I just ran some quick tests and a combined PowerPoint and Wave file that is 134MB, when edited in Presenter and turned into a combined PowerPoint and PowerPoint Controller File (PPTX&PPCX) shrinks down to 22.3MB and when this same file set is Published to the server and converted to Flash, it is now 7.2MB. These numbers will vary depending on the nature of the content, but you get the idea – Flash is much more lightweight than the source files. Adobe does not sell Connect as a compression tool but  this is is a nice feature of file conversion. In the absence of Presenter, a direct PPTX upload to a meeting to to the content library will be converted and shrink down server-side. Captivate will also compress the output considerably as part of the publishing process.

One of the hazards with uploading large files is the with the many network variables commensurate with any slow upload (switches, hubs, cables, firewalls, filters, encryption, decryption, in general – the composite, vast slow-breathing World Wide Web with its dread abysses and unknown tides). And then, once uploaded to a Connect cluster, it must also replicate within the cluster or to the NAS. Breaking up your massive recordings into smaller ones (chapters instead of volumes) and using the pause feature during breaks etc. is always prudent. The same can be said for large PPTX files; the best-practice is to make them no longer than one session, with proper planning and preparation, you will start a new PPTX after every break.

The entry in the custom.ini file that adjudicates the default value for uploads to the content library is:

MAX_ASSET_SIZE=2GB

I would only consider lowering this from 2GB; raising it is not supported. This variable only affects the content library and not the Meeting room pods.

The upload and timeout entries required in the server.xml file follow:  /appserv/conf/server.xml

For server that are not running SSL, find the following section of the server.xml file

<Connector port=”80″ protocol=”HTTP/1.1″
executor=”httpThreadPool”
enableLookups=”false”
acceptCount=”250″
connectionTimeout=”20000″
redirectPort=”443″
URIEncoding=”utf-8″/>

Change it to include the items in bold:

<Connector port=”80″ protocol=”HTTP/1.1″
executor=”httpThreadPool”
enableLookups=”false”
acceptCount=”250″
connectionUploadTimeout=”36000000″
disableUploadTimeout=”false”
connectionTimeout=“60000”
redirectPort=”443″
URIEncoding=”utf-8″/>

For servers running SSL, find the following in /appserv/conf/server.xml:

<Connector port=”8443″ protocol=”HTTP/1.1″
executor=”httpsThreadPool”
enableLookups=”false”
acceptCount=”250″
connectionTimeout=”20000″
SSLEnabled=”false”
scheme=”https”
secure=”true”
proxyPort=”443″
URIEncoding=”utf-8″/>

Change it as follows:

<Connector port=”8443″ protocol=”HTTP/1.1″
executor=”httpsThreadPool”
enableLookups=”false”
acceptCount=”250″
connectionUploadTimeout=”36000000″
disableUploadTimeout=”false”
connectionTimeout=“60000”
SSLEnabled=”false”
scheme=”https”
secure=”true”
proxyPort=”443″
URIEncoding=”utf-8″/>

Note: Increasing the file size may cause degraded playback quality. Be sure to test the result after creating any recording over the supported 2GB limit.