OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

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Mike_k43
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:34 pm

OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by Mike_k43 » Sun Jan 07, 2018 12:24 pm

Dear OPS support,

While testing on this weekend I started to note that OPS frequently simply times out without any response (neither data nor error nor fault response). Since there is no error message received I do not know what the problem is. Is this a new feature in the Fair Use reinforcement of OPS? I never exceeded the quota nor throttling limits which I routinely check in my software.

mike_k43


EPO / OPS Support
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:32 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by EPO / OPS Support » Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:08 am

Hi,

Can you tell me when exatly that was?

Regards,
OPS support


Mike_k43
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by Mike_k43 » Mon Jan 08, 2018 1:07 pm

It happened on the mornings on Sat 6 and Sun 7, but not at a specific time. I then stopped testing. It also happened this morning Mon. 8. I suspect that this is some "requests per Minute" restriction which I may have exceeded but this is not documented in the Manual.

mike_k43


EPO / OPS Support
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:32 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by EPO / OPS Support » Mon Jan 08, 2018 1:43 pm

Hi,

If this was at 5 o'clock CET than that is normal. Our databases get updated at that time every day in the week.

Regards,
OPS support


Mike_k43
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by Mike_k43 » Mon Jan 08, 2018 2:35 pm

I will retry this evening at about 23 p.m.


Mike_k43
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by Mike_k43 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:00 pm

I retried yesterday 23 p.m and again had a timeout without any response from OPS (data or error or fault). When I tried this morning I suddenly had an even more curious behaviour: I received an apparently valid OAuth2 token, which however upon use was immediately rejected from the authentication server with "Bad Request 400" - invalid_access_token. If I should have been blocked for some time (which I do not know in view of the absence of corresponding error response) then I would prefer receiving a clear and unambiguous
HTTP 403 error message, instead of being told to request a new OAuth2 token.

Incidentaly this morning I noticed the following: Before one could enter in the Mozilla browser bar the words "ops.epo.org" which would redirect to the OPS forum. Now suddenly, when doing the same, one receives in the Mozilla browser the following (I have tried at home and here in the office, with different IP adresses):
<error><code>403</code><message>This request has been rejected due to the violation of Fair Use policy</message><moreInfo>http://www.epo.org/searching/free/espac ... fo></error>
How can I violate the Fair Use policy by trying to access the OPS forum?

mike_k43


EPO / OPS Support
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:32 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by EPO / OPS Support » Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:12 pm

No idea :-) I will try to find out what that could be

Regrads,
OPS support


EPO / OPS Support
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:32 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by EPO / OPS Support » Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:42 pm

Hi,

there were few maintenances on the website including the one in this Forum happening around the time when you had issue so we believe this could be connected to what you have experienced,

Regards,
OPS support


Mike_k43
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by Mike_k43 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:27 pm

I have tested just now. The problem with the immediately expirying OAuth2 tokens (HTTP 400 Bad Request invalid_access_token immediately received) persists. I had one application for downolading PDF documents which was working fine so far. As from about now 8/9 January 2018 it no longer works. The immediate expiry of the token causes the application to go into an endless loop for requesting new OAuth2 tokens. I will send a video file to support@epo.org demonstrating the new flaw in the application.

mike_k43


EPO / OPS Support
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:32 pm

Re: OPS timeouts on 6 and 7 January 2018

Post by EPO / OPS Support » Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:17 pm

Hi,

Yesterday someone reported a change in OPS authentication key that now apparently looks like this:

NEW:
"access_token": "
But there used to be an additional space there before see you see here:
OLD:
"access_token" : "
Could that be your problem too? We only got one user reporting it but could it be that you have same issue as he did?

Regards,
OPS support


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