---
title: "The EXM connection pool settings"
slug: "the-exm-connection-pool-settings"
abstract: "How to change the default EXM connection pool settings by modifying the EDS configuration files."
---
# The EXM connection pool settings

You use EXM connection pool settings to improve the performance of delivery output.

You specify the connection pool settings in the `Sitecore.EDS.Providers.Sparkpost.config` file under the `<eds><connectionPoolSettings>` section.

| Setting | Default value | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `maxPoolSize` | 10 | Specify the number of connections that can be created in the connection pool.<br><br>> [!note]<br>> The value must be the same or higher than the value specified for the `NumberThreads` setting in the `Sitecore.EmailExperience.ContentManagement.config` file. |
| `maxConnectionRetries ` | 3 | Specify the maximum number of retries allowed for obtaining a connection from the pool.<br><br>If a connection is not obtained within the specified number of retries, a connection timeout exception is logged in the log file. |
| `maxConnectionIdleTime ` | `00:10`:00:000 | Specify the time from the last connection usage after which a connection is removed from the pool. |
| `maxConnectionWaitTime ` | `00:00`:30:000 | Specify the maximum time that the connection pool should spend trying to obtain a specific connection if it failed the previous attempt.<br><br>If a connection pool exceeds the specified time, a connection timeout exception is logged in the log file. |
| `delayBetweenConnectionRetries ` | `00:00`:10:000 | Specify the time that the connection pool should delay between retrying to obtain a connection. |

The default values may not apply to your setup of EXM, so if you see any `ConnectionTimeoutExceptions` in the log file, you must adjust the `connectionPoolSettings`.

Use the following calculation method as a guide for specifying the values:

`delayBetweenConnectionRetries` \* `maxConnectionRetries` = `maxConnectionWaitTime`

For example, 10 seconds \* 3 = 30 seconds.