---
title: Setting the file descriptor limit
description: PingAuthorize Server allows for an unlimited number of connections. The following steps describe how to manually increase the file descriptor limit on the operating system.
component: pingauthorize
version: 10.1
page_id: pingauthorize:installing_and_uninstalling_pingauthorize:paz_setting_file_descriptor_limit
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/10.1/installing_and_uninstalling_pingauthorize/paz_setting_file_descriptor_limit.html
revdate: January 26, 2023
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  next-steps: Next steps
---

# Setting the file descriptor limit

PingAuthorize Server allows for an unlimited number of connections. The following steps describe how to manually increase the file descriptor limit on the operating system.

## About this task

|   |                                                                                                                                                  |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
|   | If the operating system relies on `systemd`, see the Linux operating system documentation for instructions on setting the file descriptor limit. |

## Steps

1. Display the current `fs.file-max` limit of the system.

   ```
   sysctl fs.file-max
   ```

   The `fs.file-max` limit is the maximum server-wide file limit you can set without tuning the kernel parameters in the `proc` file system.

2. Edit the `/etc/sysctl.conf` file.

   If there is a line that sets the value of the `fs.file-max` property, make sure that its value is set to at least 1.5 times the per-process limit. If there is no line that sets a value for this property, add the following to the end of the file (100000 is just an example here; specify a value of at least 1.5 times the per-process limit).

   ```
   fs.file-max = 100000
   ```

3. Display the current hard limit of the system.

   ```
   ulimit -aH
   ```

   The `open files (-n)` value is the maximum number of open files per process limit.

   Verify that its value is set to at least 65535.

4. Edit the `/etc/security/limits.conf` file.

   If the file contains lines that set the soft and hard limits for the number of file descriptors, verify that the values are set to 65535. If the properties are absent, add the following lines to the end of the file, before `#End` of file, inserting a tab between the columns.

   ```
   *   soft   nofile   65535
   *   hard   nofile   65535
   ```

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
   | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | The number of open file descriptors is limited by the physical memory available to the host. You can determine this limit with the following command.```
   cat /proc/sys/fs/file-max
   ```If the `file-max` value is significantly higher than the 65535 limit, consider increasing the file descriptor limit to between 10% and 15% of the system-wide file descriptor limit. For example, if the `file-max` value is 810752, you could set the file descriptor limit to 100000. If the `file-max` value is lower than 65535, the host is likely not sized appropriately. |

5. Reboot the server.

6. Verify that the file descriptor limit is set to 65535.

   ```
   ulimit -n
   ```

7. For RedHat 7 or later, modify the `/etc/security/limits.d/20-nproc.conf` file to set limits for the `open files` and `max user` processes.

   Add or edit the following lines if they do not already exist.

   ```
   * soft nproc 65536
   * soft nofile 65536
   * hard nproc 65536
   * hard nofile 65536
   root soft nproc unlimited
   ```

## Next steps

After the operating system limit is set, use one of the following methods to configure the number of file descriptors that the server uses:

* Use a `NUM_FILE_DESCRIPTORS` environment variable.

* Create a `config/num-file-descriptors` file with a single line, such as `NUM_FILE_DESCRIPTORS=12345`.

If these values are not set, the default value of `65535` is used.

|   |                                                                                                           |
| - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | This optional step ensures that the server shuts down safely before it reaches the file descriptor limit. |