## Summary Roll out [the feature](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/630161) currently behind the `virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles` feature flag. - DRI: @trizzi - Team Slack channel: `#g_container-registry` - Introduced by: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/257055 > [!note] > Process and guidance live in the docs — this issue is just the commands and a place to track the rollout. > "Rolling out" means incrementally enabling the flag on GitLab.com to validate stability — it is not the same as releasing the feature, which happens when the flag is removed. > [Feature flag controls](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/) · [Feature flag lifecycle](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) ## What could go wrong? - **Fewer limits apply**: When the flag is on, authenticated requests to virtual registry endpoints skip the per-user `throttle_authenticated_api` and `throttle_authenticated_web` throttles, including the tier-aware hourly plan caps. - **One limit is left**: Only the `virtual_registries_endpoints_api_limit` remains: 4,000 requests per 15 seconds, keyed on IP plus group. - **That limit is untested**: It has never fired in production, so we don't know its real headroom. - **CI traffic could spike**: A heavy CI fleet could send much more load to virtual registry endpoints, and to the upstreams behind them, than it does today. - **Needs infra sign-off first**: Get infrastructure sign-off before the first production step. - **What to watch**: 429 responses where `RateLimit-Name` names the virtual registry limit, request rate and latency for virtual registry endpoints, and upstream fetch errors. Dashboards: https://dashboards.gitlab.net. - **Rollback is instant**: Set the flag to false and the old per-user throttles come right back. ## Events - [Exceptions with virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.exception.feature_flag_states.keyword:%22virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles:1%22'),columns:!(json.exception.class,json.exception.message,json.extra.workflow_id,json.meta.caller_id),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Events with virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.feature_flag_states:%22virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles:1%22'),columns:!(json.meta.caller_id,json.feature_flag_states),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Error rate and other graphs by modifying the examples in the Visualization Library](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/visualize#/?_g=h@358d019&s=FF%20Observability) Feature Flag events are only logged by default for feature flags marked for the current or future milestones. To enable while the feature flag is active, see https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#logging ## Rollout - [ ] Infrastructure sign-off before any production step Run all production `/chatops` in [`#production`](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C101F3796) and cross-post the results to `#g_container-registry`. Background: [incremental rollout process](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#process), [feature actors](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#feature-actors). **Non-production** ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles 50 --actors --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref /chatops gitlab run feature set virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles true --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref ``` **Production** — percentage rollout (wait ≥15 min between steps, watch dashboards): ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles <percentage> --actors ``` Suggested sequence: 10, 25, 50, 100. Project, group, and user targeting won't work for this flag. Its actor is `Feature.current_request`, one request at a time, not a project, group, or user. Use the percentage-of-actors rollout above only. ## Before global rollout Confirm the relevant gotchas before going to 100% — see [enabling a feature for GitLab.com](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#enabling-a-feature-for-gitlabcom): - [Docs + version history](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/feature_flags/) updated - [Breaking changes](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/release_notes/#deprecations-removals-and-breaking-changes) announced, if any - [Change management issue](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/infrastructure-platforms/change-management/#feature-flags-and-the-change-management-process) opened, if required - [External API consumers](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#do-not-use-feature-flags-in-external-api-consumers) handled with a fail-open mechanism, if applicable - [ ] Docs updated to list the virtual registry rate limits: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/259398 (merge before 100%) ## Cleanup Remove the flag once [deemed stable](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) — see [cleaning up](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#cleaning-up). Track it here, or open a follow-up [Feature Flag Cleanup issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/new?description_template=Feature%20Flag%20Cleanup). Remove the flag and its YAML definition from the codebase, then: ``` /chatops gitlab run release check <merge-request-url> <milestone> /chatops gitlab run feature delete virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production ``` ## Rollback ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles false # production /chatops gitlab run feature set virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles false --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref # non-production /chatops gitlab run feature delete virtual_registries_skip_authenticated_throttles --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production # remove entirely ```