How do I debug random Timeout::Error: execution expired

Question

We are using Rails 2.3.5 and have been experiencing seemingly random Timeout::Error: execution expired errors. The errors reported by Hoptoad are not consistently in any particular controller and show up everywhere from user sessions to account settings to some of our core functionality controllers.

The vast majority of requests do not Timeout but there are enough to cause concern.

Is this normal? If so, what are some things to look at to decrease the occurance? If not, has anyone run into this and what are some common problems that can trigger an error like this.

Answer 1

It is normal for requests to timeout, if your server is running under a heavy load. You should look to see if the timeouts are coincident with long-running SQL requests or some other activity that takes a lot of time. Often, you can decrease your timeouts by upgrading your hardware, or by optimizing your code in general. If you can't upgrade your hardware, try optimizing your longest running and most frequently accessed actions.