SNOW-CAD Platform Features and Integration Practice Question
A company has developed a custom Scripted REST API endpoint that processes incoming orders and then makes synchronous outbound REST calls to an external shipping system for validation. During testing with low concurrency, the endpoint works correctly. However, in production with high concurrency, the endpoint frequently times out and returns 504 errors to the caller. The performance team has confirmed that the external shipping system is responsive and the network latency is acceptable. Which course of action should the development team take to resolve the timeout issue?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Refactor the script to make asynchronous HTTP requests and process the shipping validation response using a separate queue or business rule.
The synchronous HTTP request blocks the script until the response is received. With high concurrency, this leads to thread starvation and timeouts. The best solution is to use asynchronous HTTP requests and handle the response via a queue or event mechanism, freeing the script to process other requests.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deploy additional MID Servers to distribute the outbound call load.
Why it's wrong here
MID Servers are not used for Scripted REST APIs; they are for inbound integrations and do not help with outbound HTTP calls from scripts.
- ✗
Implement a caching layer to store shipping validation results and avoid repeated calls to the external system.
Why it's wrong here
Caching may reduce calls but does not help when a call is made and the synchronous request blocks; the timeout still occurs.
- ✗
Increase the timeout value in the outbound REST Message record to accommodate peak loads.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing timeout may delay the failure but does not address the underlying thread starvation issue; it may make the problem worse.
- ✓
Refactor the script to make asynchronous HTTP requests and process the shipping validation response using a separate queue or business rule.
Why this is correct
Asynchronous requests free the script while waiting for the external response, allowing the instance to handle more concurrent requests without blocking.
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