We are running into an issue with the sharp increase in our Zoom usage and need your help in resolving it.

The UA System provides limited Cloud storage for Zoom recordings. At our current rate, we will reach our limit well before the end of classes. We must lower the number of recordings we have in the Zoom Cloud, or we will quickly reach a point where no further recordings can be made and recordings will be deleted by the system administrator by date.

There are four (4) simple things we can all do to help with this issue.

1) If you are running Zoom sessions in your Canvas course, we need you to delete recordings in Zoom as soon as possible. Because you are recording Zoom sessions in Canvas, your Zoom recordings are automatically saved to Panopto within a sub-folder under your “My Folder” where we have unlimited Cloud storage.

Following the directions “Zoom Recordings in Panopto”, please go in today and delete all the recordings from the Zoom cloud. The directions also show you how to see your recordings in the Panopto folder. You will need to enable Panopto in your course to see this folder; click here for instructions on how to enable it.

Please make deleting the recording in Zoom a regular part of your Zoom protocol.

2) Change your Zoom settings such that students cannot record your Zoom session independently. Here are the instructions “Turn Local Recordings Off”.

3) When setting up a meeting, do NOT check the box that allows students to enter the meeting before you. Students are entering and hitting record. This stops when you, as the host, come in. However, we then have multiple short videos created in the Cloud. We are seeing many, many short videos in our storage. We do keep clearing these out but request your help in the management of this.

4) If you are using Zoom to record a lecture, consider using Panopto instead. If there is some reason you feel you cannot use Panopto (it doesn't do what you want it to), please check with ETL. We may be able to help. It is best practice in online courses and at this time to hold lectures asynchronously. First, it allows students to adjust for poor internet connectivity. Second, the bandwidth required for a live Zoom session is greater than for a recording. The recording gives the students more options for watching it. They can stream or download it.

We are grateful for your attention to this matter to make sure we can all continue to work through this challenging time. Please contact us at helpdesk@uah.edu if you have any questions.

To submit an announcement, contact omc@uah.edu.
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