Per-user Resource Limits

Overview

Similarly to per-virtual host resource limits, it is possible to limit how many connections and channels a specific user can open.

These limits can be used as guard rails in environments where applications cannot be trusted and monitored in detail, for example, when RabbitMQ clusters are offered as a service.

The limits can be configured using CLI tools or the HTTP API.

Maximum Number of Connections

To limit how many connections a user can open, set the max-connections limit to a positive integer:

rabbitmqctl with bash

rabbitmqctl set_user_limits user1 '{"max-connections": 10}'

rabbitmqadmin with bash

rabbitmqadmin user_limits declare --user user1 --name max-connections --value 10

rabbitmqctl with PowerShell

rabbitmqctl.bat set_user_limits user1 "{""max-connections"": 10}"

rabbitmqadmin with PowerShell

rabbitmqadmin.exe user_limits declare --user user1 --name max-connections --value 10

HTTP API

Use the PUT /api/user-limits/{username}/{limit} endpoint with a request body like this:

{"value": 20}

Here is an example that uses curl:

curl -v -u guest:guest -X PUT http://localhost:15672/api/user-limits/user1/max-connections \
                       -H "content-type: application/json" \
                       -d @- <<EOF
{
  "value": 20
}
EOF

Maximum Number of Channels

To limit how many channels, in total, a user can open, set the max-channels limit to a positive integer:

rabbitmqctl with bash

rabbitmqctl set_user_limits guest '{"max-connections": 10, "max-channels": 20}'

rabbitmqadmin with bash

rabbitmqadmin user_limits declare --user guest --name max-channels --value 20

rabbitmqctl with PowerShell

rabbitmqctl.bat set_user_limits guest "{""max-connections"": 10, ""max-channels"": 20}"

rabbitmqadmin with PowerShell

rabbitmqadmin.exe user_limits declare --user guest --name max-channels --value 20

HTTP API

Use the PUT /api/user-limits/{username}/{limit} endpoint with a request body like this:

{"value": 20}

Here is an example that uses curl to set a limit for user user1:

curl -v -u guest:guest -X PUT http://localhost:15672/api/user-limits/user1/max-channels \
                       -H "content-type: application/json" \
                       -d @- <<EOF
{
  "value": 20
}
EOF

The limit is applied to the total number of channels across all connections opened by the user. Therefore, it must be equal to or greater than the aforementioned maximum connection limit.

Listing User Limits

To list limits for a specific user:

rabbitmqctl with bash

rabbitmqctl list_user_limits user1

rabbitmqadmin with bash

rabbitmqadmin user_limits list --user user1

rabbitmqctl with PowerShell

rabbitmqctl.bat list_user_limits user1

rabbitmqadmin with PowerShell

rabbitmqadmin.exe user_limits list --user user1

HTTP API

curl -u guest:guest -X GET http://localhost:15672/api/user-limits/user1

Clearing User Limits

To clear limits for a user, use CLI tools or the HTTP API.

rabbitmqctl with bash

# clears the maximum number of connections limit
rabbitmqctl clear_user_limits user1 'max-connections'

# clears the maximum number of channels limit
rabbitmqctl clear_user_limits user1 'max-channels'

# clears all limits in a single operation
rabbitmqctl clear_user_limits user1 all

rabbitmqadmin with bash

# clears the maximum number of connections limit
rabbitmqadmin user_limits delete --user user1 --name max-connections

# clears the maximum number of channels limit
rabbitmqadmin user_limits delete --user user1 --name max-channels

rabbitmqctl with PowerShell

# clears the maximum number of connections limit
rabbitmqctl.bat clear_user_limits user1 "max-connections"

# clears the maximum number of channels limit
rabbitmqctl.bat clear_user_limits user1 "max-channels"

# clears all limits in a single operation
rabbitmqctl.bat clear_user_limits user1 all

rabbitmqadmin with PowerShell

# clears the maximum number of connections limit
rabbitmqadmin.exe user_limits delete --user user1 --name max-connections

# clears the maximum number of channels limit
rabbitmqadmin.exe user_limits delete --user user1 --name max-channels

HTTP API

Use the DELETE /api/user-limits/{username}/{limit} endpoint without a request body.

Here is an example that uses curl to clear all limits of user user1:

curl -v -u guest:guest -X DELETE http://localhost:15672/api/user-limits/user1/max-channels

curl -v -u guest:guest -X DELETE http://localhost:15672/api/user-limits/user1/max-connections