How do I manage user sessions with fast retrieval using AWS DynamoDB?

In this example, we will create an AWS DynamoDB table for managing user sessions with fast retrieval. DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service that provides fast and predictable performance with seamless scalability. We will define a DynamoDB table with a primary key to store and retrieve user session data efficiently.

Key Points:

• We will create a DynamoDB table with a primary key for fast retrieval.
• The table will have attributes to store session data.
• We will use Pulumi to define and deploy the infrastructure.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";

// Define the DynamoDB table
const userSessionsTable = new aws.dynamodb.Table("userSessions", {
    attributes: [
        { name: "userId", type: "S" }, // Primary key attribute
        { name: "sessionId", type: "S" } // Sort key attribute
    ],
    hashKey: "userId",
    rangeKey: "sessionId",
    billingMode: "PAY_PER_REQUEST", // On-demand billing mode
    streamEnabled: true,
    streamViewType: "NEW_AND_OLD_IMAGES",
    ttl: {
        attributeName: "ttl",
        enabled: true,
    },
    tags: {
        Environment: "production",
        Application: "user-session-management"
    }
});

// Export the table name
export const tableName = userSessionsTable.name;

Explanation:

1. Define the DynamoDB table:

   • The table is named userSessions.
   • It has two attributes: userId (the primary key) and sessionId (the sort key).
   • The hashKey is set to userId and the rangeKey is set to sessionId for efficient querying.
   • The billing mode is set to PAY_PER_REQUEST to automatically scale with usage.
   • Streams are enabled to capture changes to the table, with the NEW_AND_OLD_IMAGES view type.
   • Time-to-live (TTL) is enabled to automatically delete expired session data.

2. Export the table name:

   • The table name is exported as a stack output for reference in other parts of the application.

Summary:

We created a DynamoDB table using Pulumi to manage user sessions with fast retrieval. The table is configured with a primary key and sort key for efficient querying, on-demand billing for scalability, and TTL to automatically remove expired sessions. This setup ensures fast and reliable session management for your application.