Runbooks for Rapid Recovery: Aligning Logs, Proxy Metrics, and DynamoDB Performance

The log spikes hit at midnight. The access proxy stalled. DynamoDB queries backed up. Runbooks were the only thing standing between recovery and chaos.

When a system fails, speed matters more than theory. Logs and metrics need to be aligned with access proxy events. DynamoDB queries should be profiled against real-time load. A solid runbook turns raw data into action. It tells you what to check first, which commands to run, and how to confirm the fix.

Start with logs. Capture every request through the access proxy. Include timestamps, user identifiers, upstream response codes, and latency. Store them in a searchable format. This makes failure patterns visible.

Next, drill into DynamoDB query performance. Identify slow keys, hot partitions, or throttling. Use conditional writes and efficient indexes. Track query metrics against the same timeline as the proxy logs. Correlation reveals the true cause.

Runbooks must be tested often. Each entry should be executable without guesswork. Include exact commands for retrieving proxy logs, DynamoDB diagnostics, and application health checks. Document rollback steps. Version-runbooks alongside code so they evolve with the system.

The sequence is simple: detect anomalies in logs, verify with proxy metrics, isolate DynamoDB query issues, follow the runbook until stability returns. Every link in that chain must be fast, clear, and reproducible.

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