21 Replies Latest reply: Jun 16, 2014 1:08 PM by SeanBugher RSS

    Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity

    Joseph Nicolia Community Member

      Hi,

       

      We are deploying the Creative Cloud applications to around 150 Mac OS users, and are having some very bad network issues when we attempt to update more than one person at a time.

       

      Basically, we have a 100M pipe, and we're seeing it MAX OUT COMPLETELY when we have 2 or 3 users connect to the CC App and download the equivalent of the old Design Standard Package (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat and Bridge).

       

       

      With 1 person downloading, it creates a significant load on the network. With more than one person, it maxes out. It even has a negative impact when running the minor application updates at this point.

       

       

      Very disturbing... Is anyone else seeing anything like this?

        • 1. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
          JSS1138 CommunityMVP

          I'm not seeing how downloading at best possible speeds is a problem.  You actually want it to take longer?

          • 2. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
            Joseph Nicolia Community Member

            If I was just one person, downloading once, of course downloading and installing as fast as possible would be great- in fact, personally, I've been singing the praises of CC because of this.

             

            But when I am responsible for 150 people, who represent less than 1/3rd of my company overall, and attempting to download ~3GB of data for 3 people at once literally kills transfer rates for nearly everyone else on our network... Then yes, if it must take longer, then I want it to take longer.

             

             

            Before I rant a little further, and provide some context, I'd like to admit that this may be our network. I don't know for sure.

             

            So if anyone else is seeing performance like this, it would be nice to get some general evidence showing where the problem may lie.

             

             

            RANT:

             

            I want the download process to be refined, and even graceful. I want Adobe to not ignore examples that exist in the real world from companies that understand this kind of download interaction. When I pull a game off of Steam, probably the very best cloud-based software distribution example available, I don't kick my roommates (or even my office mates) OFF of the internet almost entirely.

             

            Dollars to donuts, I could set up 5 iMacs in my office, install the Steam Client, and tell it to download Borderlands 2, which, if I recall correctly, is about a 2.5GB game. I'll bet that it will finish rather quickly- probably 20-30 minutes with our connection here- for EACH machine, RUNNING SIMULTANEOUSLY. Everyone else will be able to continue to utilize the network at their own pace, with no iterruption.

             

             

            Why is this not the case for the Creative Cloud?

             

            If it's not the fault of our network... I will only accept one answer: It's new, and Adobe is still learning how to handle this. I've already granted that for the few small bugs I've seen in the CC app, and the fact that the Files functionality is not available, nor are Fonts.

             

             

            END RANT.

            • 3. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
              JSS1138 CommunityMVP

              Why is this not the case for the Creative Cloud?

               

              My guess would be the Adobe servers are faster than Steam's.  Adobe is capable of using your full network bandwidth, and Steam isn't.

              • 4. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                joshweiland Community Member

                I'd say you have a problem with your network.  You should be able to prioritize traffic and insure you're not maxxed out.

                 

                Also, due to the number of computers you have, you should look into the Creative Cloud Packager.  Instead of having to download everything from Adobe on every computer, you create a package that is pushed out to the local computers.

                • 5. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                  Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                  I very much doubt that. Steam is just an example but they literally server many millions of users, and deploy thousands, if not more, applications (games, software, etc). It isn't 1:1, to be sure...

                   

                  But generally speaking, this is not an issue of overall speed, it's an issue of capacity and the protocols by which the data is transferred. Steam KNOWS that they should not max out anyone's network connection, be it for business or pleasure, and they throttle the data so that it doesn't flood a user or a network an knock it out.

                   

                   

                  It is not about how fast it's going- it's the fact that with *ONLY* THREE USERS, it is LITERALLY maxing out our connection. There should be a reasonable way to limit the download, provide good speed and not cause any technical problems.

                   

                  What if 10 people are pulling from Adobe's server? Does that diminish my speeds, because the other 9 people are maxing out their pipes already?

                   

                   

                  This doesn't make sense.

                  • 6. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                    Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                    I've looked at the packager, and it has some limitations, can take over 30m and it has caused crashes about 50% of the time on install (during previous testing). I can't afford to wait up to 30+ minutes for the packaged installer to run and then fail. The downloader works every time, and has had only two minor flaws during installation for around 40 people so far (aside, of course, from totally stalling our network once we tried installing for more than one person at a time simultaneously).

                     

                     

                    And like I said, I'm willing to look into the network issue on our end, but so far, there's no good reason to investigate my own network.

                     

                    It is my understanding that the CC app will just pull and pull and pull, and it shouldn't do that by default. It can run in a reasonable way that is both fast and efficient, without forcing administrators or end users to make major adjustments.

                     

                    Also- since it spikes on downloading updates as well, that's additional cause for concern. Regardless of the use of the packager or any other installation method, what happens when an update is available? Any number of users over 2 pulling down the updates would just choke the network completely...

                     

                     

                    Another hypothetical: What if I were an administrator in a hospital, and I wanted to download the apps to several computers or build a packaged install? It just seems irresponsible to have this thing turn on like a firehose.

                    • 7. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                      JSS1138 CommunityMVP
                      This doesn't make sense.

                       

                       

                      It does to me.  I want things downloaded as fast as possible.  My meager 15 Mb/s FiOS gets maxed out all the time, so long as the server can serve fast enough.  If I add additional downloads at the same time, then both get slowed. 

                       

                      That's the way things should work, to my mind. I don't want Adobe serving me at 10 just to leave room for other downloads.

                      • 8. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                        Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                        Again, for a single individual on a network where performance for OTHER people is not an issue, I can see why this would be ok.

                         

                        But that is not the situation that I am in, and I would grant that OTHER PEOPLE might also be in the same situation as I am...

                         

                         

                        So, if other people are experiencing this issue, and it is negatively impacting them, I would be eager to learn more about it.

                        • 9. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                          JSS1138 CommunityMVP

                          Well then my question to you is, why would you expect Adobe to do something to help your situation?  If you want to restrict network activity in any way, wouldn't that responsibility fall to you?

                          • 10. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                            Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                            Because I am paying them. And they are now offering a full-time, always-on service, not just a (mostly) static set of applications.

                             

                            Using this new software in a standard method in a standard environment should not cause this sort of problem. Or any noticeable problem. I'm using CC to do business and its normal operation should not cause a disruption to my business.

                            • 11. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                              joshweiland Community Member

                              Okay guys, can we stop the bickering? You both have valid points.

                               

                              I use both Steam and Creative Cloud on my home computers, with a 15Mbps connection. Steam's servers seem much faster than Adobe's. Now there's no way to know for sure, since CC does not display the download speed like Steam does, but downloading comparably-sized files...Steam downloads much more quickly.  So Jim, the idea that Adobe's servers are more optimized than Steam's isn't accurate IMO.  I'd say it's the opposite, which makes sense, considering Steam's userbase and how long it's been in operation.

                               

                              Joseph, have you tried downloading something from Steam onto multiple computers simultaneously, on the same network that CC is maxing out?  Have you legitimately tried it, or is that a hypothetical?  Or did you do so on another network...which would not be a valid comparison.

                               

                              What we're talking about here is Quality of Service (aka QoS).  No single (or group) of users should be maxing out the bandwidth, and QoS should throttle back high-demand users.  QoS is typically implemented in network hardware...most consumer routers have it built-in.  I don't know much about enterprise IT, but QoS should be implemented in a router, switch, or perhaps a dedicated unit.

                               

                              I agree with Jim that the main issue is with your network configuration.  You (or your IT department) should look into QoS.  Adobe could add a "max download speed" option to CC, but the cost to do so versus the number of folks it would benefit might not justfiy doing so.

                              • 12. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                                Yeah, I'm not here to bicker- and discussing it is fine, but I would ultimately like to see if other users are having similar issues, so that we can investigate something specific, rather than treat it as a broad problem.

                                 

                                 

                                Admittedly, the Steam thing is a hypothetical, which is why I started with "dollars to donuts". The last time we had multiple users download from Steam on our network (that I know of), it was well over 9 months ago, and the configuration has changed. But, three users (same number as our experience with CC, by coincidence) downloading a large game (it was L4D2) did not cripple the network at that time, and I can see no reason why it ever, ever would. My choice to use Steam as an example is that it is a close analog, but also a product from a long term veteran of this type of service/delivery platform. I realize Adobe is a relative newbie at dishing software this way, and that is OK, to an extent.

                                 

                                 

                                I would love to lean towards my network- I'm not saying our organization or infrastructure is perfect. But again, I need some type of evidence of problems elsewhere, either with other services that we curerently use, or other users independently verifying this sort of thing in a large environment... And at this time, I have nothing else to go on. I also cannot find any specific documentation from Adobe that states this can/will/should happen- so, with that in mind, I need to treat it like it's a bug or a design problem with the CC app.

                                 

                                 

                                I just need the software to behave in a logical way, and interact well with a standard network configuration... Alternately, if there is some non-standard settings that need to be put in place, gaining access to that information would be very useful.

                                • 13. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                  joshweiland Community Member

                                  Very understandable!

                                   

                                  We're getting new computers at work, hopefully within the next couple of weeks, to use with our Creative Cloud for Teams account.  There's 4 of us, and I'll try downloading simultaneously to see what happens.  We have a 100meg pipe as well.

                                   

                                  I'll let you know what happens!

                                  • 14. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                    JSS1138 CommunityMVP

                                    Because I am paying them.

                                     

                                    You're paying them to deliver the product, not to manage your networks.  I'm still not seeing how it's Adobe responsibility to throttle their download speeds to accommodate your network.  I know that sounds argumentative, but I'm genuinely not understanding your point here.  To me, it seems pretty clear that this is something that needs handling on your end.  I don't understand why anyone wouldn't see it that way.

                                    • 15. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                      Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                                      I'm no longer paying them for JUST a product. It's now a dedicated service. Part of the product they're providing IS delivery. They have advertised this.

                                       

                                       

                                      If someone delivered a package to you via cannon, would you be ok with that because it was fast? Even if it damaged your front door?

                                       

                                      I get that you don't agree with me, but after discussing this issue with many people both inside and outside my organization, I believe my analysis is accurate, and the path I am taking is logical.

                                      • 16. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                        Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                                        Just got off the phone with Adobe, and they confirmed that this is a known issue.

                                        • 17. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                          joshweiland Community Member

                                          Well...that settles that!  Glad that there's an explanation.  Now about a fix........???

                                          • 18. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                            Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                                            Not sure of any sort of timeline for resolution.

                                             

                                            The bug with the CCP packages has also been repaired. The earlier version of the CC Packager created a broken installer- something about an XMP file that got corrupted and linked the wrong activation... Not 100% sure. I didn't follow the full technical details of that.

                                             

                                            BUT... It means that the CCP app is fixed and creates solid install packages.... And I've used that on about 10 more machines and had great results, so far.

                                             

                                             

                                            The beauty is, that despite these problems, I'm now through about 45 of the first 80-some users I'm updating, and even with those problems, this has been remarkably easy- still only two major install malfunctions, both of which were able to be repaired. CC is really shaping up to be a great set of tools... Once we get the downloader to stop filling my pipe completely, it'll be solid gold.

                                            • 19. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                              joshweiland Community Member

                                              Glad to hear you're making progress!  Thanks for the heads up regarding CCP.  That's probably the way I'll be installing our software.

                                              • 20. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                                Joseph Nicolia Community Member

                                                Be forewarned that the CCP still pulls hard on your network, the same way the downloader does. You mentioned you're only installing for four people, but if there are others in your org, you should probably pick an optimal time where the Adobe traffic won't disrupt other users.

                                                • 21. Re: Adobe CC Application Maxes out Network Capacity
                                                  SeanBugher

                                                  We just got CC for our small business.  15-20 users.  It also kills our network when a couple people try to update.

                                                   

                                                  We have servers that use the same network in house, and this is a problem.  If a few people update, access to many websites comes to a screeching halt and no one in our building can use the internet.

                                                   

                                                  Adobe needs to simply add a download rate you can set, similar to how a torrent client works.  I personally don't understand how they can force everyone to move to a cloud solution for these enterprise level/professional tools and not offer a simple feature like that in the CC application.  The onus should not be on a network admin to hack together something in the background to protect against this bandwidth choker.  Especially if you are paying $50 per user.