API Gateway Architecture for Handling Massive Traffic

The diagram shows a common API architecture pattern where an API Gateway uses rate limiting to handle traffic spikes and protect backend services.

Purpose of the Use Case

This use case focuses on handling traffic spikes. When many users send requests at the same time, the system needs a mechanism to:

1. Prevent server overload
2. Control how many requests each user can send
3. Ensure fair usage between different subscription tiers

An API Gateway with a Rate Limiter is used to achieve this.

Traffic spikes can happen during:

• Flash sales
• Viral content
• Bot traffic
• High user activity

Rate limiting prevents the system from being overwhelmed.

Rate Limiter

Inside the API Gateway there is a Rate Limiting mechanism. The rate limiter checks how many requests a client is sending within a certain time window (e.g., per second). If the request rate exceeds the allowed limit, the request will be blocked.

The key benefits are:
1. Traffic control
2. Backend protection
3. Fair usage enforcement
4. Support for subscription-based APIs