Email forward fails with "Message size exceeds fixed limit"

[JnJ]

I get this error when the email has a 23 MB attachment. A small plaint text message is forwarded without error.
Are there limits on the size of forwarded email?

Diagnostic information for administrators:
Generating server: mail1.magna.com
John@mydomain.com
[23.27.50.10]
Remote Server returned '<[23.27.50.10] #5.0.0 smtp; 5.1.0 - Unknown address error 552-'5.3.4 Message size exceeds fixed limit' (delivery attempts: 0)>'
Original message headers:
X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.44,339,1505779200";
d="jpg'145?scan'145,208,145";a="557713058"
From: "Collins, John" <john.collins@company.com>
To: "John@mydomain.com" <John@mydomain.com>
Subject: FW: Photo
Thread-Topic: Photo
Thread-Index: AdNUtJe3Zql1gWS4TZmYcldvfufd8AABdSCQ
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 15:45:38 +0000
Message-ID: <48713d856a114e9b99ff73c3e7333316@exServer15.company.com>
References: <962d783d0be44b47a5a22ffbb2434dfc@exServer11.company.com>
In-Reply-To: <962d783d0be44b47a5a22ffbb2434dfc@exServer11.company.com>
Accept-Language: en-US, en-CA
X-MS-Has-Attach: yes
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator:
x-ms-exchange-transport-fromentityheader: Hosted
x-originating-ip: [xx.xx.xx.xx]
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-MIMETrack: Itemize by SMTP Server on HUB(Release 8.5.3FP6|November
21, 2013) at 11/03/2017 08:46:28 AM,
Serialize by Router on HUB(Release 8.5.3FP6|November
21, 2013) at 11/03/2017 08:46:28 AM
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Language: en-US

 

[sandy]

yes there is a 25mb max.. so an 23mb email along with message headers could easily surpass the 25mb limit

thanks
sandy

 

[JnJ]

Thanks for the quick response Sandy.

A couple of follow up questions:
1. Is this a new rule or has it always been there and I've just encountered it for the first time?
2. Why would there be a need for a size limit? Aren't the messages forwarded then deleted?

 

[sandy]

this rule has always been on place...

for file sizes that large its best to use FTP or a file sharing service designed to handle larger file sizes...

many email accounts are set to hold mail on the server so that does take up space quickly

thanks