Throttling Limit Reached During Migration
Understanding and managing throttling during Google Workspace migration.
Automatic Throttling Cycle
Overview
Error Message
Throttling limit reached, stopping migration
When migrating mailboxes from Google Workspace using Cloudiway, you may encounter this error in user migration logs. This is expected behavior and the system handles it automatically.
Primary Causes
Google IMAP Limitations
Google enforces throttling restrictions on IMAP protocol usage. The platform typically allows between 2.5 and 3.5 GB of data per day before temporarily disabling the account for up to 24 hours.
Cloudiway Response: Pauses migration at the limit and automatically restarts 18 hours later.
Low Throughput Detection
The migration engine monitors data transfer rates. If fewer than 250 items migrate within an hour, the system interprets this as throttling.
Cloudiway Response: Automatically suspends migration for 4 hours before retrying.
Timeout-Based Throttling
When consecutive API calls timeout, the platform recognizes this as throttling from the source system.
Cloudiway Response: Halts and reschedules the migration automatically.
Resolution
✅ No Action Required
This represents expected system behavior. Pending migrations automatically restart according to the platform's throttling protocols without any user action needed.
What Happens Automatically
- ✓ Migration pauses when throttling is detected
- ✓ System waits for the appropriate cooldown period
- ✓ Migration automatically resumes from where it stopped
- ✓ Process repeats until mailbox is fully migrated
Monitor Progress
What to Expect
Migration Time Estimates
Small Mailboxes (< 2.5 GB)
Usually complete in a single day without throttling
Medium Mailboxes (2.5 - 10 GB)
May require 2-3 days due to daily throttling limits
Large Mailboxes (> 10 GB)
May require 3+ days for completion
Planning Tip
For large mailboxes, consider starting migration earlier using pre-staging. This migrates historical data before the cutover date, reducing final migration time.