> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arc.cdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connector Backoff

> How CData Arc's connector backoff mechanism works, what triggers it, how to identify it, and how to resolve it.

When a connector fails to send files repeatedly during automated processing, Arc enters a **backoff state** for that connector. In backoff, the automation service temporarily pauses send attempts for the affected connector, giving you time to correct the underlying issue while protecting system performance.

## What Triggers Backoff

Backoff is triggered when a connector fails to successfully send any files across three consecutive automation cycles. A single failed file in an otherwise successful cycle does not trigger backoff; all files in the cycle must fail.

## How the Delay Works

Once a connector enters backoff, the automation service skips it for an escalating delay period:

| Failure round | Delay before next attempt |
| - | - |
| First | 60 minutes |
| Second | 120 minutes |
| Each subsequent round | Increases further, up to a maximum of 12 hours |

The delay resets if the connector successfully exits backoff.

## Identifying Backoff

### UI Indicator

When a connector is in backoff, it displays a status indicator showing that it is in a backoff state and when the automation service is next scheduled to run. This indicator updates automatically when the backoff state changes, such as after a successful manual send or a settings save.

![A connector showing a backoff status indicator](https://mintcdn.com/cdata-arc/pXe_oAwLTI7MI6MK/26.4/images/connector-backoff.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pXe_oAwLTI7MI6MK\&q=85\&s=58fc40e223bb8e15a8de5bf5fb114609)

### Automation Status Card

The **Automation Status** card appears on the **Automation** tab for **Receive**, **Download**, and **Scheduled Send** automations. Other automation types, such as **Send**, do not display the card.

While the connector is in backoff, the card displays a **Status** of **Suspended**. The **Last Processed Result** keeps the outcome of the last run that actually executed (typically **Failed**), because the automation service skips the connector until backoff ends.

Click **View Details** next to **Suspended** to open the **Automation Suspend Details** dialog. It lists each instance that is in backoff, how many times it failed, and when the automation service resumes.

![The Automation Suspend Details dialog](https://mintcdn.com/cdata-arc/pXe_oAwLTI7MI6MK/26.4/images/automation-suspend-details.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pXe_oAwLTI7MI6MK\&q=85\&s=223eef9d59c96147e88a91c966a50c19)

### Dashboard

If you have the **Connectors in Backoff** widget displayed in the [Key Metrics](https://docs.arc.cdata.com/26.4/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/dashboard.md#key-metrics) section of your dashboard, connectors in backoff are displayed there.

### Application Log

Arc writes a warning to the [application log](https://docs.arc.cdata.com/26.4/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/activity.md#application-logs) when a connector enters backoff:

*This connector has failed \[# of times] and has entered a backoff state. The automation service will skip this connector until \[date/time]. The connector will remain in the backoff state until a message is successfully sent or received manually, the connector settings change, or all messages are sent successfully during an automated send attempt.*

### Unsent Files

If files are accumulating in a connector's **Transactions** tab with a status of Unsent while automation appears to be enabled, backoff is a likely cause. Check the application log for a backoff warning and review the transaction log for consecutive automation failures.

## Exiting Backoff

A connector exits backoff automatically when any of the following occurs:

* A file is sent or received successfully through a manual send or receive
* The connector's settings are saved
* All files are sent successfully during an automated send attempt

When the connector exits backoff, the **Status** on the Automation Status card changes from **Suspended** back to **Idle** (or **In Progress**, if a run is underway).

## Why Backoff Exists

Without backoff, a connector experiencing persistent failures (a misconfigured endpoint, an expired certificate, a network outage) would continuously retry, generating large numbers of failure log entries and database records. Over time, this degrades application performance. Backoff limits that impact while keeping the connector ready to recover as soon as the issue is resolved.


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