Re: Best HTTP Status Code for a Redirect to a Service Suspension Page

Damien Bezborodow wrote:
> We use a Squid Web Proxy Cache to forward suspended customers (based on
> IP) to a service suspension page if they haven't paid their bill.
--cut--
> > 403: Forbidden. The server understands the request but is refusing to
> > fulfil it. Authorisation will not help and the request should not be
> > repeated.

I'd vote for 403 Forbidden.

The 300 series is to indicate a change although the content is valid.
400-series errors generally indicate that the returned content is not
what you were after in the first place.

Most proxy servers will return 403 if the user is not authenticated.
This is essentially the case here since permissions have been
suspended. The 403 error is often taken by clients to say that there
is a real problem that should be reported, rather than 302 etc. which
would mean that the service itself has changed but probably still
valid.

best regards,

Tom

Received on Wednesday, 28 March 2007 12:11:16 UTC