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HEIMWALL

Waiting Room

Console → WAF → [domain] → Waiting Room — A virtual queue that limits the number of concurrent active sessions. When capacity is exceeded, new visitors are placed in a FIFO queue; as slots open up, they are admitted at the rate you configure.

How it works

Section titled “How it works”
Visitor arrives
      │
      ▼
 HEIMWALL gate
      │
      ├─ Capacity not full ────► Passes through to origin  ✓
      │
      └─ Capacity full ────────► Waiting Room (FIFO queue)
                                        │
                                        │  When a slot opens
                                        │  up to admission rate
                                        ▼
                                   Passes through to origin  ✓

Each visitor in the queue sees a real-time estimated wait time and their queue position. A visitor who closes the page or loses their connection is dropped from the queue; the slot passes to the next person in line.

Configuration

Section titled “Configuration”

Console → WAF → [domain] → Waiting Room → New Room

FieldDescription
NameA descriptive identifier for this room
ScopeURL paths this room applies to (one prefix per line, e.g. /checkout)
CapacityMaximum number of concurrent active sessions allowed through to the origin
Admission rateHow many queued visitors are admitted per second
Session durationHow long a visitor counts as active (seconds); the slot is freed when it expires
Response codeHTTP code for the waiting page: 200, 429, or 503
Poll intervalHow often (in seconds) the visitor’s browser checks their queue position
Auto RPS thresholdThe room activates automatically when incoming RPS exceeds this value (0 = manual open/close)

How to size capacity

Section titled “How to size capacity”

Session duration and admission rate together create a balanced flow:

  • Capacity 100, session duration 30 s, admission rate 5/s
  • Up to ~150 new visitors can be admitted every 30 seconds
  • Sessions ending within those 30 seconds free up the slots

A scope can include multiple path prefixes; each is matched independently. Entering /checkout also covers /checkout/confirm.

Automatic vs. manual activation

Section titled “Automatic vs. manual activation”

Manual: Open/close via the toggle in the console. You respond to conditions as you see them.

Automatic: When an auto RPS threshold is set, the room opens by itself when incoming request rate exceeds the threshold and closes when traffic normalises. Ideal for predictable peaks like flash sales or scheduled events.

Custom waiting page

Section titled “Custom waiting page”

The default waiting page uses HEIMWALL branding. You can upload your own HTML/CSS. HEIMWALL automatically injects the following into your template:

  • The visitor’s queue position
  • Estimated wait time

Use it to show your own design, a campaign message, or a countdown timer.

When to use it

Section titled “When to use it”
ScenarioWhy it helps
Flash sale / ticket releaseHundreds of simultaneous users queue up without crashing the origin
Viral traffic spikeAuto RPS threshold kicks in for unexpected surges
Scheduled product launchOpen manually ahead of a predictable peak
High-traffic API endpointApply to a specific path using scope