Getting a 504 Gateway Timeout Error

Problem

When running a long-task, the browser may eventually report a 504 Gateway Error. This usually happens if a browser-based task takes 1hr or more to complete.

Solution

Browsers are typically not designed to handle very long tasks synchronously. Generally, long tasks are managed either as asynchronous tasks or through the system’s application programming interfaces (e.g., web services or other).

If you encounter a 504 Gateway Timeout error, consider breaking down the task into smaller ones. For instance, if you need to send a message to all users in the system and you have more than 10,000 users, try sending emails to users in specific courses or departments instead.

For running custom reports on large datasets, such as 50,000 users across 500 courses, consider using Business Intelligence (BI) Systems premium solution, which is offered for an additional fee, rather than running the report in a browser.

If no alternatives are feasible, you may want to contact our Help Desk to inquire about other asynchronous methods to achieve the desired results.