How to save Connect layout?

I am also concerned about this issue. Looking forward to sharing. Thanks!!!

I did reply to the issues you described, but I'll try again. 

Can you answer: Where is the option to SAVE the new layout? 

When you create a new layout it is 'Saved'. Connect meeting rooms are persistant, meaning they stay in the state you leave them, so there is no Save button per se. 

The chat contents are disappearing on their own.

Unless someone is clearing it or the setting is configured in the Admin section of Connect to auto clear it, I'm not aware of any way this could be happening. 

If you want it to be aknowleged as a bug or fixed by Adobe, I'd recommend you reach out to them. This is a user community forum, not Adobe Support. You can reach them at 800-945-9120 or here, https://helpx.adobe.com/adobe-connect/connect-support.html 

Maybe there is something else going on that I'm not understanding. Are you creating new rooms from a template each time? I know you said it was the same room, but that may explain the room clearing layouts and chat. 

This isn't expected behavior for Connect without Meeting Host interaction. The Layouts bar's options menu does have a Reset to Default option that will put it back to the original layout configuration when the room was created. So if you or someone else is selecting this then that could explain your layouts disappearing. Alternatively, if someone is clicking the X next to the layout thumbnail and deleting the layout, that could also explain the layouts disappearing. 

For Chat, it can be cleared from the pod options menu, but there is also an Admin setting where chat pods can be automatically cleared between sessions. That may be worth checking and can be found at Administration > Compliance and Control > Pods Management.