Analyze and optimize content request spikes in Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service
This article explains how to analyze and optimize unexpected spikes in content request volume in Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service (AEM as a Cloud Service) environments. It provides guidance on identifying traffic patterns and optimizing requests that contribute to increased content request volume.
Description description
Environment
Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service (all versions)
Issue/Symptoms
Unexpected increases in content request volume can impact the performance and operational costs of Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service environments. These spikes are often driven by increased user activity on high-traffic pages, repeated requests to authentication workflows, or unnecessary requests for missing static assets. Available logs and reports can help identify traffic patterns and optimization opportunities.
- Noticeable increase in total content requests over a given period.
- High request counts to login or authentication pages.
- Increased traffic to user portal or account-related pages.
- Repeated 404errors for missing static assets, such as
favicon.icoand touch icons. - Concerns about platform performance or cost due to sustained traffic growth.
Cause
Common causes include increased legitimate user activity, repeated redirects to authentication pages, and missing static assets that result in repeated 404errors.
Resolution resolution
Follow these steps to resolve the issue:
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Analyze available traffic data:
- Review CDN logs and AEM Top URLs reports to identify which pages or endpoints are driving increased request volume.
- Focus on authentication workflows and high-traffic URLs, such as login pages and user account sections.
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Investigate and remediate 404 errors:
- Examine recent logs for recurring 404 errors, especially for static assets such as
favicon.icoand touch icons. - Remediate missing assets or update references to prevent unnecessary repeated requests.
- Deploy missing static assets, such as
favicon.icoand touch icons, or remove broken references from site templates. - Validate that all referenced resources exist and are accessible.
- Examine recent logs for recurring 404 errors, especially for static assets such as
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Optimize caching and dispatcher configuration:
- Ensure that static assets and public content are properly cached at the dispatcher and CDN layers to reduce origin hits.
- Review dispatcher rules to confirm that only necessary requests reach the publish tier.
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Review portal redirects and session handling:
- Audit portal workflows to ensure that redirects to authentication pages are only triggered when required.
- Minimize unnecessary redirects and session refreshes that could inflate request counts.
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Monitor and report on traffic patterns:
- Implement or enhance monitoring and reporting to track request growth, error rates, and traffic anomalies over time.
- Use available analytics tools to identify trends and potential causes of future spikes.
After implementing these steps, monitor request volume and error rates to confirm that unnecessary requests have been reduced and platform performance has improved.