The move of IMS to DynamoDB delivered all the benefits the team hoped for—and more. Previously, in preparation for peak-load events such as Amazon Prime Day, the engineering team had to fine-tune and test database configurations, which could take up to two weeks. DynamoDB reduced the engineering time required to just a few hours.

DynamoDB supports a simplified architecture that uses global secondary indexes to improve reliability and availability. Additionally, Amazon simplified the persistence layer for the application by eliminating the need to maintain partition information and related logic to route data to the appropriate database.

The availability of IMS improved by a factor of 10, ensuring consistent performance and reducing the operational workload of keeping the database up and running. With DynamoDB, the team used the point-in-time recovery feature to simplify backup and restore operations. Amazon obtained these benefits at a lower overall cost compared to the previous system, thanks in part to auto scaling that dynamically adjusted the provisioned read/write capacity based on usage instead of having a fixed capacity based on peak loads.

Today, IMS can grow as large as Amazon requires without putting an undue burden on the engineering team. The reliable, consistent performance of DynamoDB and fewer limits on scalability mean Amazon customers can always enjoy the experience they have come to expect.