Buffered Uploads is an upload optimization for Remote Servers that ingest data more slowly than users can upload it. It gives users predictable upload performance when the destination is slow or inconsistent.

Buffered Uploads applies only to uploads routed to that Remote Server. It does not affect uploads to Files.com storage.

When enabled, Files.com marks an upload as complete as soon as Files.com receives the full file. Files.com then forwards the file to the Remote Server in the background. Background delivery can take longer than the user upload. The file may appear on the Remote Server minutes later depending on destination speed and rate limits.

This data transmission method is also referred to as store-and-forward.

Buffered Uploads is configured per Remote Server, so you can set the behavior independently for each integration.

Configuring Buffered Uploads

You can enable Buffered Uploads when configuring or editing a Remote Server. The setting takes effect immediately for new uploads routed to that Remote Server.

The setting supports the following options:

Automatic - Let Files.com decide whether to enable or disable upload buffering for this remote server.
Always - Uploads are always stored on Files.com prior to being forwarded.
Never - Uploads are never stored on Files.com while being forwarded.

Automatic Option Details

With Automatic, Files.com enables Buffered Uploads for Box, Dropbox, Azure Files, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, and WebDAV destinations. Files.com does not enable it automatically for other destination types.

When Buffered Uploads Makes Sense

Use Buffered Uploads when the destination rate-limits uploads, pauses frequently, or receives data more slowly than your users send it. Users finish uploading to Files.com without waiting for onward delivery. The tradeoff is that upload completion no longer confirms that the file is available on the Remote Server.

We recommend Buffered Uploads for Box, Dropbox, Azure Files, OneDrive, and WebDAV destinations.

How Buffered Uploads Works

Files.com writes the upload to an internal staging location and transfers it at the rate the destination supports. It can retry failed delivery and handle reconnects and rate limits in the background.

Check External Logs and the Outbound Connections log for onward delivery status. Notifications trigger when Files.com finishes receiving the file into the buffer, before delivery to the Remote Server.

Compliance and Data Handling Considerations

Buffered Uploads uses Files.com Native Storage as a temporary staging area before delivering files to a Remote Server. During this staging period, the file is stored within Files.com infrastructure and is subject to Files.com's standard data handling, encryption, and access controls.

What Gets Stored and When

The complete uploaded file is staged when buffering is enabled for the destination. Buffering applies only to uploads routed to that Remote Server.

Location and Visibility of the Buffered Copy

The buffered file resides in a dedicated internal staging location within Files.com Native Storage. This location is not addressable by any Files.com path and is not exposed through the web application, API, SDKs, or mount interfaces.

The staged file cannot be accessed, browsed, shared, or modified by users, administrators, or Files.com personnel. It exists solely as an operational artifact required to complete delivery to the Remote Server.

Access Model During Buffering

While staged, the file does not appear in the Remote Mount path and is not present on the Remote Server. Files.com permissions, sharing rules, and Remote Server access controls do not apply because the staged copy is not user-accessible.

Access becomes available only after Files.com completes delivery to the Remote Server.

Deletion and Retention of Buffered Copies

Buffered copies are treated as ephemeral operational data. Files.com retains the staged file only while delivery to the Remote Server is pending. After successful delivery, Files.com deletes the buffered copy.

If delivery to the Remote Server fails, Files.com retries delivery 3 times. Retaining the staged copy during this period allows retries without requiring the user to re-upload the file. The buffered copy is deleted if all retries fail.

If your compliance program prohibits transient third-party storage under any circumstances, set Buffered Uploads to Never for that Remote Server. Some destination types and upload protocols require buffering to function reliably. Disabling buffering reduces compatibility with Box, Dropbox, Azure Files, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, and WebDAV destinations. Do not enable GPG on Remote Server Mounts as it enables Buffered Uploads to that folder.

1GB Limitation with Box and OneDrive

The Never option, which specifies that uploads are never stored on Files.com while being forwarded, cannot circumvent the limitations of a Remote Server. Uploads to Box and Microsoft OneDrive will fail for files that are larger than 1GB when the upload protocol does not provide the exact file size prior to uploading. For example, the FTP and SFTP protocols do not require the upload client to provide a file size prior to uploading.

Switch to the Automatic or Always option when files greater than 1GB in size need to be delivered to Box or OneDrive.