Screen Recording API 429s when simulating high-concurrency call loads

What is the reason the screen recording endpoints are hitting rate limits so aggressively during our load tests? We are running a simulation of 500 concurrent agents using JMeter to stress-test the Genesys Cloud platform APIs. The goal is to measure API throughput and WebSocket stability under heavy concurrent call volumes.

The issue arises when we trigger the screen recording start/stop commands via the REST API (POST /api/v2/analytics/screenrecordings/{recordingId}/start). Almost immediately after ramping up to 100 threads, we start seeing 429 Too Many Requests errors. The response headers indicate a retry-after value, but even staggering the requests doesn’t fully resolve the bottleneck. This is unexpected because the documentation suggests the platform should handle higher burst rates for administrative actions.

Here is what we have tried so far:

• Token Refresh Logic: We implemented a custom JMeter JSR223 pre-processor to refresh OAuth tokens every 45 minutes. We verified that the 429 errors are not due to expired tokens or 401/403 auth failures. The token refresh cycle is functioning correctly, and new tokens are being issued without error.
• Request Throttling: We added a constant throughput timer in JMeter to limit the request rate to 50 requests per minute per thread group. Despite this significant reduction in load, the 429 errors still occur, suggesting the limit might be stricter than documented or applied at a different scope (e.g., per tenant vs. per user).

The environment is a Genesys Cloud production tenant in the US-East region. We are using the latest version of the JMeter Genesys Cloud plugin. The error response body contains a standard rate limit exceeded message.

We need to understand the actual rate limits for screen recording APIs during high-concurrency scenarios. Is there a hidden cap on the number of recording sessions that can be initiated per minute? Or is this a known limitation when scaling to hundreds of concurrent agents? Any insights or workarounds would be appreciated.

It depends, but generally… the Screen Recording API is not designed to handle high-frequency concurrent start/stop commands triggered by automated load testing tools like JMeter. The rate limits (429 errors) are a protective measure to prevent abuse and ensure system stability for genuine user interactions. From a Performance Dashboard perspective, these API calls do not translate into meaningful business metrics such as Agent Talk Time or Queue Wait Time. Instead, they create noise in the system logs and can potentially impact the availability of legitimate recording services for actual agents. The documentation clearly states that screen recording endpoints are intended for user-initiated actions within the Genesys Cloud interface, not for programmatic bulk operations.

For accurate stress testing of Genesys Cloud APIs, it is recommended to focus on endpoints that reflect real-world usage patterns, such as Queue Management or Conversation Routing. These endpoints are optimized for higher throughput and provide more relevant data for assessing system performance under load. If screen recording functionality must be tested, consider using a smaller subset of simulated agents and spacing out the API calls to mimic natural user behavior. Additionally, monitor the Performance Dashboard for any anomalies in Agent Performance or Queue Activity during these tests to ensure that the load testing does not inadvertently degrade the experience for live users. The goal should be to validate system resilience without triggering unnecessary rate limits that obscure true performance bottlenecks.