Step Where the Error Happened

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 104 views

Introduction

In this article, we will review the schema changes that led to a 504 timeout error in a Kubernetes environment. The error occurred when requests to the /api/v1/web_backend/connections/get endpoint timed out, resulting in a 504 error. We will investigate the relevant information, logs, and configurations to identify the root cause of the issue.

Helm Chart Version

The Helm chart version used in this environment is 1.3.1.

Step Where the Error Happened

The error occurred when requests to the /api/v1/web_backend/connections/get endpoint timed out, resulting in a 504 error. However, there is no specific step where the error happened, as it is a continuous issue.

Relevant Information

The relevant information includes:

Requests to /api/v1/web_backend/connections/get timeout with a 504 error.
The logs show that the client disconnected, but the configuration to increase the timeout beyond 60 seconds is not effective.
The error code is 499, which indicates a timeout error.

Ingress Configuration

The ingress configuration is as follows:

apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Ingress
metadata:
  name: airbyte-ingress
  namespace: airbyte
  annotations:
    kubernetes.io/ingress.class: nginx
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target: /
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/ssl-redirect: "true"
    cert-manager.io/issuer: lets-encrypt
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/backend-protocol: "HTTP"
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-connect-timeout: "600"
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-send-timeout: "600"
    nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-read-timeout: "600"
spec:
  ingressClassName: nginx
...

The configuration includes extended timeouts for the proxy, but the issue persists.

Load Balancer Configuration

The load balancer configuration is as follows:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  annotations:
    service.beta.kubernetes.io/do-loadbalancer-http-idle-timeout-seconds: "600"
...

The load balancer has also been configured with an extended timeout, but the issue persists.

Airbyte Configuration

The Airbyte configuration includes extended timeouts, but it is unclear if these are required:

server:
  extraEnvs:
    - name: HTTP_IDLE_TIMEOUT
      value: 600s
    - name: READ_TIMEOUT
      value: 600s

Relevant Log Output

The relevant log output is as follows:

"POST /api/v1/web_backend/connections/get HTTP/1.1" 499

The log output shows that the client disconnected, but the configuration to increase the timeout beyond 60 seconds is not effective.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 504 timeout error in the Kubernetes environment is caused by a hard 60-second timeout that has not been reconfigured. The relevant information, logs, and configurations have been investigated, and the root cause of the issue has been identified. The solution to this issue is to reconfigure the timeout to a higher value, such as 600 seconds, to prevent the 504 error from occurring.

Recommendations

Based on the investigation, the following recommendations are made:

Reconfigure the timeout to a higher value, such as 600 seconds, to prevent the 504 error from occurring.
Review the ingress configuration to ensure that it is correctly configured to handle extended timeouts.
Review the load balancer configuration to ensure that it is correctly configured to handle extended timeouts.
Review the Airbyte configuration to ensure that it is correctly configured to handle extended timeouts.

Introduction

In our previous article, we reviewed the schema changes that led to a 504 timeout error in a Kubernetes environment. We investigated the relevant information, logs, and configurations to identify the root cause of the issue. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the 504 timeout error.

Q: What is a 504 timeout error?

A: A 504 timeout error is a type of HTTP error that occurs when a server does not respond within a certain time limit. In this case, the server is not responding within 60 seconds, resulting in a 504 error.

Q: What causes a 504 timeout error?

A: A 504 timeout error can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

Insufficient server resources (e.g., CPU, memory, or network bandwidth)
Network congestion or latency
Server configuration issues (e.g., incorrect timeout settings)
Application or service issues (e.g., slow or unresponsive application)

Q: How can I troubleshoot a 504 timeout error?

A: To troubleshoot a 504 timeout error, you can follow these steps:

Check the server logs for any error messages or warnings related to the timeout error.
Verify that the server has sufficient resources (e.g., CPU, memory, or network bandwidth) to handle the request.
Check the network configuration to ensure that there are no issues with connectivity or latency.
Review the server configuration to ensure that the timeout settings are correctly configured.
Test the application or service to ensure that it is responding correctly.

Q: How can I prevent a 504 timeout error?

A: To prevent a 504 timeout error, you can follow these best practices:

Ensure that the server has sufficient resources (e.g., CPU, memory, or network bandwidth) to handle the request.
Configure the server to use a higher timeout value (e.g., 600 seconds) to allow for more time to respond.
Optimize the application or service to respond more quickly.
Use load balancing or caching to distribute the load and reduce the response time.
Monitor the server and application performance to detect any issues before they become critical.

Q: What are some common causes of 504 timeout errors in Kubernetes?

A: Some common causes of 504 timeout errors in Kubernetes include:

Insufficient resources (e.g., CPU, memory, or network bandwidth) in the pod or node.
Network congestion or latency in the cluster or between the cluster and the load balancer.
Incorrect configuration of the ingress or service.
Slow or unresponsive application or service.
Issues with the load balancer or ingress controller.

Q: How can I configure the timeout value in Kubernetes?

A: To configure the timeout value in Kubernetes, you can use the following methods:

Use the nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-connect-timeout annotation to set the connect timeout value.
Use the nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-send-timeout annotation to set the send timeout value.
Use the nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/proxy-read-timeout annotation to set the read timeout value.
Use the service.beta.kubernetes.io/do-loadbalancer-http-idle-timeout-seconds annotation to set the idle timeout value.

By following these best practices and troubleshooting steps, you can prevent and resolve 504 timeout errors in your Kubernetes environment.