AWS Lambda Launches Provisioned Mode for SQS to Boost Event Processing Performance
Executive Summary
AWS has announced the general availability of "provisioned mode" for AWS Lambda with Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) Event Source Mapping (ESM). This new feature allows customers to configure dedicated polling resources, called "event pollers," to achieve faster scaling, higher concurrency, and lower latency for event-driven applications. It is designed for customers with mission-critical workloads, such as in finance and gaming, who require predictable, high-throughput performance, especially during traffic spikes.
Key Takeaways
* New Capability: "Provisioned mode" introduces dedicated "event pollers" that can be pre-configured to handle expected traffic, reducing scaling delays.
* Performance Gains: The feature provides 3x faster scaling and supports up to 20,000 concurrent requests, a 16x increase in capacity compared to the previous model.
* Enhanced Control: Users can set a minimum number of event pollers to maintain a baseline processing capacity and an optional maximum to prevent overloading downstream systems.
* High Throughput: Each event poller can handle up to 1 MB/sec of throughput. The system supports up to 2 GBps of aggregate traffic.
* Availability: Provisioned mode is now generally available in all commercial AWS Regions.
* Pricing Model: Billing is based on the number of "Event Poller Units (EPUs)" provisioned over time, with each EPU supporting up to 1 MB/sec of throughput.
Strategic Importance
This feature addresses a critical need for predictable, low-latency performance in serverless architectures, making AWS Lambda a more robust choice for high-stakes, real-time enterprise applications. It allows AWS to better compete for mission-critical workloads that were previously sensitive to the scaling behavior of standard event-driven triggers.