If you've worked with AWS Lambda, you're probably familiar with the 15-minute execution limit. It can be quite a constraint when dealing with longer tasks, right? Let me share a reliable pattern I've been using that elegantly handles this limitation by combining Lambdas with EventBridge and SQS.
The Building Blocks
The Building Blocks
- AWS Lambda: Our serverless compute engine
- Amazon EventBridge: For reliable scheduled triggering
- Amazon SQS: Our message queue service
- SQS FIFO queues: For sequential processing (when needed)
The Architecture Breakdown
- Initial Trigger
EventBridge serves as our scheduler, triggering the Lambda function at configured intervals. When Lambda receives this trigger, it knows it's time to plan out the work ahead. - Planning Phase
The Lambda function then:- Analyses the total workload
- Divides it into manageable chunks (under 15 minutes each)
- Creates task messages
- Pushes them to SQS
- Processing Phase
The same Lambda function (via a different SQS trigger):- Receives messages from SQS
- Processes each chunk
- Automatically advances to the next task
- Maintaining Order
When sequential processing is crucial:- Utilize SQS FIFO queues
- Maintain consistent MessageGroupId for job-related messages
- Ensure strict processing order
Key Benefits
- Scalability: Handles varying workloads efficiently
- Cost-Effective: Pay only for actual processing time
- Reliable: Built-in retry mechanisms
- Manageable: Complex tasks become digestible chunks
- Flexible: Supports both parallel and sequential processing
This pattern provides a robust solution for handling long-running tasks within AWS Lambda's constraints. Whether you're processing large datasets or handling complex workflows, this architecture can help you build more efficient and maintainable systems. Give it a try on your next project!