Increase time-outs

Increase time-outs

If users are experiencing timeout errors when saving items, we can increase the total transaction lifetime timeout setting of the HCL WebSphere Portal server. The total transaction lifetime timeout setting is changed using the WAS console.
Servers | Server Types | WebSphere application servers | portal_server | Container Services | Transaction Service

The total transaction lifetime timeout setting should be changed to the same amount on all the servers in the web content system.

Alternatives to increasing server time-outs

Increasing the total transaction lifetime timeout setting may not always be the best solution to server time-outs as increasing this setting too much may cause a drop in performance. Timeout errors generated when saving items occur when the current transaction finishes before the item has been saved. If the item we are saving contains large amounts of data, it may be better to redesign the item rather than change the total transaction lifetime timeout setting:

Option Details
Authoring Templates If a large number of elements have been added to an authoring template, we may experience a timeout error when saving. Instead of using a single authoring template, create multiple authoring templates containing only those elements required for a specific task.
Presentation templates and components We may receive timeout errors when saving presentation templates or components containing large amounts of HTML or rich text in their designs. We should instead create multiple HTML or rich text components and then reference these in the presentation templates or component designs.
Site areas and content items
We may receive timeout errors when saving site areas and content items containing elements that use large amounts of HTML. We should instead create multiple HTML or rich text components and then reference these in element designs.
If a large number of elements have been added to a site area or content item, we may also experience a timeout error when saving. In this case, we should reduce the number of elements stored in the site area or content item.
Downloadable files Another alternative to creating web content containing large amounts of HTML or rich text is to provide information on the website in the form of downloadable files. These can be stored as file resource elements.

Parent Configure a web content authoring environment

Option	Details
Authoring Templates	If a large number of elements have been added to an authoring template, we may experience a timeout error when saving. Instead of using a single authoring template, create multiple authoring templates containing only those elements required for a specific task.
Presentation templates and components	We may receive timeout errors when saving presentation templates or components containing large amounts of HTML or rich text in their designs. We should instead create multiple HTML or rich text components and then reference these in the presentation templates or component designs.
Site areas and content items	We may receive timeout errors when saving site areas and content items containing elements that use large amounts of HTML. We should instead create multiple HTML or rich text components and then reference these in element designs. If a large number of elements have been added to a site area or content item, we may also experience a timeout error when saving. In this case, we should reduce the number of elements stored in the site area or content item.
Downloadable files	Another alternative to creating web content containing large amounts of HTML or rich text is to provide information on the website in the form of downloadable files. These can be stored as file resource elements.