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Troubleshooting common timeout errors
Who is this article for?
Users who encounter timeout errors.
IT Administrator permissions are required to resolve the issue.
Ideagen Internal Audit • Aura is a multi-component system in which timeouts can occur at several layers: between the desktop client and the server, between the application service and SQL Server, and at the network level.
This article provides an overview of the most common timeout types, the typical Error messages associated with each, and initial steps for investigation. It is intended as a first-line reference for support engineers and administrators.
1. Timeout triggers
Aura components communicate over WCF (Windows Communication Foundation), with SQL Server as the backend data store. Timeouts can occur at any point in this chain: a desktop client waiting for a service response, a service waiting to open a connection, the network silently dropping a connection, or SQL Server taking too long to execute a query. Understanding where in the stack a timeout originates is the key first step in diagnosis.
2. WCF binding timeouts
The following timeout types all relate to WCF communication between Aura components.
2.1. Request Channel Timeout (SendTimeout)
| Error message | System.TimeoutException: The request channel timed out waiting for a reply after 00:01:00. Increase the timeout value passed to the call to Request or increase the SendTimeout value on the Binding. |
| Seen at | Desktop client Error message, Robot log, or WebService log. |
| Cause | A request was sent to the service but no reply arrived within one minute. Typically caused by a slow-running report or an overloaded server. |
| Next steps | Check server performance and reduce report complexity. In rare cases, consider increasing the binding SendTimeout. |
2.2. Open Channel Timeout (OpenTimeout)
| Error message | System.TimeoutException: Opening the channel to http://server.domain.com/PentanaPRD/Service/TngService.svc timed out after 00:01:00. Increase the open timeout value passed to the call to Open or increase the OpenTimeout value on the Binding. |
| Seen at | Desktop client Error message, Robot log, or WebService log. |
| Cause | The client could not establish a connection within one minute. Usually caused by a firewall silently dropping packets, or IIS being under heavy load during application pool startup. |
| Next steps | Check application server performance and verify the firewall is permitting connections to the application service. |
2.3. Socket Connection Aborted
| Error message | System.ServiceModel.CommunicationException: The socket connection was aborted. Local socket timeout was 00:09:59. System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host. |
| Seen at | Desktop application Error message. |
| Cause | An established connection was silently dropped by a firewall. |
| Next steps | Verify that the firewall is configured to allow sustained connections to the application service. |
2.4. Close Handshake Timeout
| Error message | System.TimeoutException: The channel did not receive a reply within the allotted timeout 00:01:00 while closing. |
| Seen at | Desktop client Error message, Robot log, or WebService log. |
| Cause | The service could not complete a graceful close handshake. Causes include a service recycle in progress, a network interruption, or the service being too busy to respond. |
| Next steps | Retry, as some causes are transient. If the issue persists, check application server load and performance. |
2.5. Throttling - Concurrent Call Queue Timeout
| Error message | System.TimeoutException: The request channel timed out waiting for a reply after 00:01:00. [Service trace]: Maximum concurrent calls reached (maxConcurrentCalls = 16). Calls are being queued. |
| Seen at | Desktop client Error message (service trace in service log). |
| Cause | The service has reached its maximum concurrent call limit. New requests queue and eventually time out. Often caused by inefficient function calls in reports that cause calls to pile up. |
| Next steps | Ensure all reports use only the latest supported functions, which avoid this situation. Increasing serviceThrottling limits (maxConcurrentCalls, maxConcurrentInstances, maxConcurrentSessions) may provide temporary relief but is not a substitute for correct report design. |
3. SQL server timeouts
The following timeout types relate to communication between the application services and SQL Server.
3.1. SQL Query Timeout
| Error message | System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding. The statement has been terminated. |
| Seen at | Service log file. |
| Cause | A database query exceeded SQL Server's 30-second execution timeout. This may be caused by an unusually busy server, a complex or poorly optimised query, or competing background processes such as a backup. |
| Next steps | Determine whether external factors affected the server at the time (e.g. backups, high activity). Assess whether the server is adequately sized. If the issue is within the application, consider query optimisation, filter usage, or index changes. |
3.2. SQL Server Connection Failure
| Error message | System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0) |
| Seen at | Service log file. |
| Cause | The application could not connect to SQL Server. The server may be offline or unreachable. |
| Next steps | Confirm the SQL Server is online and accessible. If it is, restart the application pool and try again. |