Creating a waiting room

To create a new priority, click the Create Priority button and follow the two-step configuration process.

• Go to Priority Protect > Priorities

Step 1: Type

1. Activation Mode

Choose how to activate your priority :

2. Visitor Types

Select which types of visitors should be allowed to join your priority :

• Humans: Allow human visitors to join your priority (Can't be removed)
• AI Agents : Allow AI agents to access your priority

Step 2: Settings

Configure the core parameters of your waiting room :

Matching Condition

Define which visitors will be directed to the waiting room using DataDome's Lucene query syntax :

domain:www.example.org AND url:/product/548701156

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Matching Syntax You can use domain, URL, query parameters, or combine multiple conditions. See the traffic queries syntax user guide for detailed syntax guidelines.

Direct Access

The Direct Access section lets you choose which types of traffic are allowed to completely bypass the waiting room and reach your site immediately.

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These settings only apply to traffic that has already been allowed by your DataDome Bot Protect configuration. Traffic that bypasses the waiting room will not appear in Priority Protect metrics or analytics (it does not count toward capacity, admission rate, or waiting room reports).

Activation Period (Scheduled Priority Only)

For Time-Based priorities, configure when your priority should be active:

• Priority start date : When the priority becomes active
• Priority end date : When the priority deactivates

Pre-Admission Settings

Configure when visitors can begin joining the priority before the priority officially starts:

• Duration (minutes) : How many minutes before the priority start time visitors can join the pre-admission (Default : 30 minutes)

This feature is useful for managing early arrivals and building an orderly priority before high-demand events.

Activating and Deactivating Priorities

You can enable or disable any priority at any time without deleting it. This is useful for:

• Testing priority configurations before going live
• Temporarily pausing a priority during maintenance
• Quickly reactivating a priority for unexpected traffic surges
• Keeping priority configurations for recurring events

To activate a deactivated priority:

1. Navigate to Priority Protect > Priorities

2. Find the priority you want to activate (shown with "Deactivated" status)

3. Click the Actions menu (⋮)

4. Select Activate

   

The priority status will change to `Activated`` immediately and the priority will begin processing traffic according to its configuration.

How to Deactivate a Priority

1. Navigate to Priority Protect > Priorities

2. Find the priority you want to deactivate (shown with "Activated" status)

3. Click the Actions menu (⋮)

4. Select Deactivate

   

The priority status will change to "Deactivated" immediately and the priority will stop processing traffic.

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Impact of Deactivation

When you deactivate a priority:

• All visitors currently in the priority will be immediately admitted to your site.
• The priority configuration is preserved and can be reactivated at any time.

Use caution when deactivating priorities during high-traffic events, as this will cause a sudden traffic surge.

Deleting a Priority

1. Navigate to Priority Protect > Priorities

2. Find the priority you want to remove

3. Click ...> Delete

4. Confirm the deletion. All visitors in priority will be redirected instantly to your site.

   

FAQ

Can I have multiple priorities active at the same time?

Yes! You can have multiple priorities active simultaneously. The rank determines which priority is applied when a visitor matches multiple conditions.

What happens if I change capacity settings during an active event?

Changes take effect immediately. If you increase capacity, more visitors will be admitted from the priority. If you decrease capacity, admission rate will slow but visitors already on your site will not be removed.

What's the difference between admission rate and maximum concurrent visitors?

Maximum concurrent visitors is the total capacity on your site at any moment. Admission rate controls how fast new visitors are let in from the priority (per minute). Think of capacity as "room size" and admission rate as "door size."

How long does a visitor's session last once admitted to the website?

Once a visitor is admitted through the waiting room, their session is valid for 15 minutes. If the visitor leaves the website and returns within this window, they will not be placed back in the waiting room. After 15 minutes, they may be required to go through the waiting room again if it is still active.