How does Nira accelerate uploads?

1. Files are checked in real time using checksum hashes to intelligently avoid uploading duplicates. If a file has already been uploaded, or exists multiple times across different folders, it will be skipped from uploading again and become available almost immediately.  The hashing step appears as “Checking files”.  More details are provided below.
2. After hashing, any new or modified files you are uploading will be compressed in real time during upload, significantly improving upload speeds for certain formats like OBJ files. This compression is lossless, so your data stays completely intact while reducing the amount of data transmitted. For example, a 1 GB OBJ file might only require transmitting about 100 MB after the real time compression.
3. During uploads, Nira splits files into smaller chunks to maximize network upload bandwidth, ensuring efficient use of your internet connection. This can fully saturate your internet bandwidth, potentially slowing down other browser activity until the upload finishes. To maintain a smooth experience, it's best to avoid viewing assets on Nira while uploading.

More information about Checking files...

As you upload files, Nira generates a checksum for each one, indicated by the "Checking files" status message. The Nira server then recalculates these checksums upon receipt to ensure data integrity. If a file has been previously uploaded, Nira will recognize the matching checksum and skip re-uploading it to save time.

For large asset uploads, whether consisting of thousands of files or very large files, the "Checking files" step can take a significant amount of time, potentially lasting several hours. To optimize performance, we recommend uploading from your fastest storage device, such as an NVMe or SSD, rather than a network drive or traditional hard drive. If your files are stored on a slower device, consider temporarily copying them to a faster drive before uploading.

To confirm that Nira is still in the "Checking files" phase, you can monitor drive activity using Windows Task Manager or an equivalent tool on macOS, Linux, or Chromebook. During this phase, no data is uploaded, but you should see activity on the drive where your files are stored. The actual upload process only begins after all checksums have been calculated for every file. It's crucial not to move or modify any files during this step, as doing so will cause the upload to fail. Even with a slow internet connection, it’s still recommended to upload from your fastest storage device, since the upload can not begin until the checksum hashing has completed.

Does Nira throttle uploads?

No, consistent slow uploads should not happen. If you're experiencing this issue regularly, please reach out to us.  It's possible the processing servers are temporarily overloaded, but this should not happen frequently.