Creating plans in form view

Create a plan by defining access limits, pricing, and support options to manage and reuse across API products.

About this task

Configure key details such as rate limits and quotas to manage usage. You can then associate the plan with multiple products to support scalable, tiered API services.

Procedure

  1. Open an API project that contains the APIs you want to group into a product.
  2. From the Quick start page, click Add a plan.
    The Add plan pop-up window appears.
  3. Provide the following details:
    • Plan name
    • Namespace
    • Version
    • Tags
  4. Click Create.
    A plan is created and you can define pricing, terms, and quality of service settings.
  5. Provide the Quota information.
    You can choose:
    • Limit quota. You can refer to an existing quota or create a new quota. Refer to Step 6 to create a new quota.
    • Unlimited. No quota is applied.

    Configure Extensions for any option you choose, based on the selected gateway type. Refer to Step 8 for the configuration steps.

  6. To create a new quota, click Create new quota and enter the required details.
    Field Description
    Alias name Specifies an alternative identifier for the quota.
    Maximum requests Specifies the maximum number of requests handled. The value that is provided must be an integer.
    Time interval Specifies the value for the interval for which the maximum request count is handled. The value that is provided must be an integer.
    Interval unit Specifies the unit of measurement of the time interval, such as minutes, hours.
    Extensions Use the Extensions section to configure additional data required by the gateways.

    DataPower Nano Gateway

    Use these fields to define how the gateway evaluates and applies an unlimited quota by using dynamic calculations.
    • Weight expression. Defines the expression that is used to calculate the weight of each request. The weight determines how much a request contributes to the quota. You can reference request headers, context variables, or other request attributes.
    • Exceed action. Specifies what happens when the calculated quota weight exceeds the allowed limit. The available options are:
      • continue. Processes the request even if it exceeds the quota.
      • return 429. Stops processing and returns an HTTP 429 response to indicate too many requests.
      • return 500. Stops processing and returns an HTTP 500 response to indicate a server error.
    • Interval offset. Defines a shift in the quota evaluation interval. Use this when you want quota windows to start at a custom offset rather than at standard time boundaries.
    • Dynamic value. Specifies a value that is used in dynamic quota calculations. This value can come from expressions, variables, or runtime attributes, allowing quotas to adapt based on request characteristics.

    DataPower API Gateway

    Configure On limit reach behavior. Specify how the gateway must respond when the usage limit that is defined in a plan is reached. Available options: Available options:
    • Allow. Requests continue even after the limit is exceeded. This option is typically used when you want to track usage but not enforce hard limits.
    • Block. Requests are denied after the limit is reached. This option is used to strictly enforce usage limits and prevent further access until the limit resets.

    webMethods API Gateway

    Configure On limit reach behavior. Specify how the gateway must respond when the usage limit that is defined in a plan is reached. Available options are:
    • Allow. Requests continue even after the limit is exceeded. This option is typically used when you want to track usage but not enforce hard limits.
    • Block. Requests are denied after the limit is reached. This option is used to strictly enforce usage limits and prevent further access until the limit resets.
    Configure Alert configuration. Select how often alerts must be triggered when the limit is reached, and provide the alert message. Available options:
    • Only once. Triggers an alert only the first time one of the specified conditions is violated.
    • Always. Triggers an alert every time one of the specified conditions is violated.

    Alert message. Enter the message that must be included in the alert notification.

    Configure the Notification settings.

    • Enable notification. Enable the toggle button to receive notifications.
    • Trigger notification after (%). The percentage of quota consumption at which to notify. Provide a positive integer value. A notification is sent to the configured email IDs when the total request count reaches the % value as provided in the maximum quota value.
    • Notification message. The content of the mail that is sent to the configured email IDs when the quota request count reaches the limit that is specified.
    • Email. The recipient email IDs to which the notifications must be sent when the quota request count reaches the limit that is specified.
  7. Click Add.
    The quota is added.
  8. Configure Extensions based on the selected gateway. Extensions define gateway-specific behaviors such as notifications, alert handling, and enforcement of usage limits.
    The available gateway types are:
    • DataPower Nano Gateway
    • DataPower API Gateway
    • webMethods API Gateway

    Configure the following parameters for each gateway type:

    DataPower Nano Gateway
    • Approval required. Select the option if consumers need administrator approval for subscribing to the plan.
    • Plan APIs. Specifies the number of APIs included in a plan. You can choose one of the following options:
      • Include all APIs in the product. Includes every API available in the product within the plan.
      • Customized. Allows you to select specific APIs or individual operations within an API based on your requirements.
    • Override plan quota. Allows overriding quota values that are defined in an API plan.
    • Assembly count limit. Defines the maximum number of assembly actions allowed.
      Note: You can only select an existing count limit from this list. To define a count limit, use the Build assembly flow editor. For more information, see Adding policies to an API.
    • Properties. Provides additional key-value settings for quota behavior.
    • Telemetry. Controls how quota usage and operational data are reported.
    DataPower API Gateway
    • Approval required. Select the option if consumers need administrator approval for subscribing to the plan.
    • Rate limit. Sets the maximum allowed requests per time interval.
    • Plan APIs. Specifies the number of APIs included in a plan. You can choose one of the following options:
      • Include all APIs in the product. Includes every API available in the product within the plan.
      • Customized. Allows you to select specific APIs or individual operations within an API based on your requirements.
    • Override plan quota. Allows overriding quota values that are defined in an API plan.
    • Assembly count limit. Defines the maximum number of assembly actions allowed.
    • Assembly rate limit. Defines the rate at which assembly actions can be run.
    webMethods API Gateway
    • Cost. Specifies the cost that is applied to API usage.
    • Currency. Defines the currency for the assigned cost.
    • Rate limit. Sets the maximum allowed requests per time interval.
    The plan is created. The plan can be associated with APIs in the product to control and enforce usage policies, limits, and billing rules effectively.