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Oracle documents 10 TB of outbound data transfer per month for Always Free resources. On a simple 30-day calculation, that is enough by volume for a nonstop 1080p H.264 stream at YouTube’s recommended bitrates. It does not guarantee a free VM can sustain the network throughput or encoding workload: transfer quota, instance capacity, and real streaming performance are separate issues.
What Oracle’s Always Free limits cover
Oracle’s Always Free Resources documentation lists a monthly 10 TB outbound data transfer allowance. That is a volume limit, not a published promise of a particular VM’s sustained bandwidth.
| Always Free resource | Published allowance | What it means for a livestream |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound data transfer | 10 TB per month | Monthly volume allowance; it does not establish sustained throughput. |
| A1 compute | 1,500 OCPU hours and 9,000 GB hours per month, described as equivalent to 2 OCPUs and 12 GB memory | Shared aggregate allowance across A1 instances, provisioned in the tenancy’s home region. |
| AMD micro compute | Up to two VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro instances, each 1/8 OCPU and 1 GB memory | Much smaller shapes; available capacity depends on account and region. |
Oracle notes that Always Free shapes can encounter temporary out-of-host-capacity errors. Check the current values for your tenancy under Limits, Quotas and Usage; Oracle’s service-limits documentation explains that limits are scoped and that tenancy values should be consulted.
How much data does a 24/7 stream use?
YouTube’s current live encoder settings recommend H.264 bitrate ranges of 5–14 Mbps for 1080p30 and 6–17 Mbps for 1080p60. Using decimal Mbps and 30 days (2,592,000 seconds), the raw transfer estimate is:
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| 1080p H.264 setting | Bitrate | Estimated raw transfer over 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| 30 fps, lower end | 5 Mbps | About 1.62 TB |
| 30 fps, upper end | 14 Mbps | About 4.54 TB |
| 60 fps, lower end | 6 Mbps | About 1.94 TB |
| 60 fps, upper end | 17 Mbps | About 5.51 TB |
These are arithmetic estimates, not Oracle or YouTube performance measurements. They exclude protocol overhead, reconnects, other outbound traffic, backups, and any additional streams. The upper 1080p60 estimate leaves less headroom than the lower-bitrate examples, so monitor actual transfer rather than treating 10 TB as entirely available to video.
Does the free VM have enough performance?
The monthly transfer calculation answers only how much data leaves the cloud account. It does not show that a specific shape, in a specific region, can continuously deliver that data or process the video. Oracle’s published allowances are not benchmarks or guarantees of nonstop encoder performance.
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If the VM encodes the video
Encoding adds CPU workload. Whether a VM can reliably encode a particular resolution, codec, and frame rate depends on the software and workload; the published free-tier figures do not settle that question. Test the exact configuration with representative video and audio before relying on it.
If the VM only relays an already encoded stream
A relay workload may need less CPU than encoding, but sustained network throughput still must be validated on the actual tenancy and instance. Treat that as a practical test, not an Oracle guarantee.
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Region, account, and free-tier qualifications
- Oracle says Always Free compute resources must be provisioned in the tenancy’s home region.
- The A1 allowance is aggregate across A1 instances; splitting it among instances does not multiply the pool.
- Always Free resources are distinct from the $300 trial credits available for up to 30 days. Trial or paid resources should not be mistaken for perpetual free capacity; see Oracle’s Free Tier overview.
- Available shapes and host capacity depend on the account and region. An out-of-host-capacity error may be temporary.
Configure the stream to YouTube’s requirements
YouTube supports RTMP and RTMPS for live ingest and recommends RTMPS. Its current guidance lists H.264, H.265, and AV1, supports up to 60 fps, recommends constant bitrate encoding, and recommends a two-second keyframe interval (not exceeding four seconds). For H.264 1080p, use the appropriate bitrate range in the table above. YouTube cautions that “The total bitrate you’re streaming cannot exceed the amount of upload bandwidth available.” See its streaming tips for bandwidth, testing, and stream-health guidance.
- In YouTube Studio, create or schedule the live stream and copy its stream key. Keep the key private; anyone with it may be able to send video to your stream.
- Configure the encoder or relay for RTMPS where supported, and enter the stream key in its ingest settings.
- Set the output codec, resolution, frame rate, constant bitrate, and keyframe interval. For H.264 1080p30 or 1080p60, choose within YouTube’s respective recommended range rather than assuming the maximum will work on your VM.
- Run a representative test with the intended audio and motion. Check YouTube’s stream health and warnings, and verify the VM’s outbound transfer and resource use.
- Only depend on the configuration after it has demonstrated stable operation. Continue monitoring transfer, ingest health, and the account’s current quota usage.
How to validate before depending on it
- Confirm the instance is eligible in the home region and that the tenancy still shows the expected Always Free limits.
- Confirm the video workflow: local/cloud encoding and relaying have different compute demands.
- Estimate monthly transfer using bitrate × seconds streamed, then reserve headroom for overhead and non-video traffic.
- Test sustained output from the actual instance at the intended settings and inspect YouTube stream health during the test.
- Monitor usage and alerts so a change in configuration, extra stream, or other workload does not silently consume the allowance.
Troubleshooting common failures
| Symptom | Likely explanation | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| Instance creation reports out of host capacity | The shape is temporarily unavailable in the selected region or account. | Check the tenancy’s available capacity and try again later; do not assume the monthly allowance guarantees a host. |
| YouTube reports unstable or insufficient input | The instance’s sustained upload throughput may be below the stream’s total bitrate, or the network/ingest path may fluctuate. | Run a representative test, inspect stream health, and lower bitrate or frame rate if needed. |
| Stream drops while the transfer total remains below 10 TB | The transfer allowance does not guarantee compute, capacity, network, or ingest continuity. | Review VM resource pressure, instance availability, connectivity, encoder logs, and YouTube warnings; resume and test again. |
| Monthly usage approaches the allowance unexpectedly | Overhead, reconnects, multiple streams, backups, or other outbound traffic were not included in the raw estimate. | Inspect actual transfer usage and identify other outbound workloads; reduce bitrate or traffic and retain more headroom. |
| Encoder cannot sustain the chosen quality | The selected shape may be too constrained for the encoding workload. | Test a lower resolution, frame rate, or bitrate, or separate encoding from relaying; Oracle’s quota figures are not an encoder benchmark. |
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