Running BigBlueButton in production requires more than just installing the software. Here are 10 best practices we've learned from helping organizations manage their BBB deployments.
1. Use Scalelite for Load Balancing
If you have more than one BBB server, Scalelite is essential. It distributes meetings across servers, handles failover, and presents a single endpoint to your users.
2. Monitor Server Health Continuously
Don't wait for users to complain. Set up monitoring that alerts you before problems impact meetings. Track CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics on every server.
3. Set Appropriate Server Capacity Limits
Each BBB server has a maximum capacity based on its hardware. Configure Scalelite's load balancing to respect these limits. A general guideline: 1GB RAM per concurrent participant.
4. Implement Proper Recording Storage
Recordings can consume massive amounts of disk space. Plan for:
- Automated cleanup of old recordings
- Off-server storage (NFS or S3)
- Monitoring of disk usage trends
5. Keep Software Updated
BigBlueButton releases frequent updates with bug fixes and security patches. Stay current, but always test updates in a staging environment first.
6. Configure Quality Settings Appropriately
Higher quality means more bandwidth and server resources. Configure default camera and audio settings based on your typical use case and infrastructure capacity.
7. Use TURN Servers for Reliability
Users behind restrictive firewalls may have trouble connecting. TURN servers provide fallback connectivity. Coturn is the most common choice for BBB deployments.
8. Implement Proper SSL/TLS
All BBB connections should use HTTPS. Use Let's Encrypt for free, auto-renewing certificates. Monitor certificate expiry to avoid unexpected outages.
9. Plan for Peak Usage
Know when your peak usage occurs and ensure you have capacity. Many educational institutions see massive spikes at semester start. Consider auto-scaling solutions for cloud deployments.
10. Have a Disaster Recovery Plan
What happens if a server fails during a critical meeting? Plan for:
- Automatic failover with Scalelite
- Regular backups of configuration
- Documented recovery procedures
- Regular disaster recovery testing
Putting It All Together
Following these best practices will significantly improve the reliability and performance of your BigBlueButton deployment. Need help implementing them? Get in touch - our team has experience with deployments of all sizes.