Question #644
A company is introducing a new feature in their mobile app's backend API hosted on Amazon API Gateway. The development team needs to deploy this feature to a small percentage of users initially to gather feedback before a full rollout. What is the MOST straightforward method to implement this gradual deployment using API Gateway?
Set up a new API stage in API Gateway and use Amazon Route 53 to route a fraction of the traffic to the new stage.
Deploy the new feature to the existing API during off-peak hours and monitor for issues manually.
Configure an Amazon CloudWatch alarm to revert the deployment if error rates increase beyond a certain level.
Utilize canary deployments in API Gateway to split traffic between the current and new feature versions.
Explanation
Answer D is correct because API Gateway's canary deployment feature natively supports splitting traffic between the existing production version and a new version. This allows the team to test the new feature with a small percentage of users (e.g., 10%) while keeping the majority on the stable version. If issues arise, they can roll back easily. If successful, they can gradually increase traffic to the new version.
Why other options are incorrect:
- A: While Route 53 can route traffic via weighted records, it requires managing separate API stages and DNS configurations, adding complexity.
- B: Deploying during off-peak hours does not enable gradual rollout; it risks exposing all users to potential issues.
- C: CloudWatch alarms help monitor deployments but do not inherently split traffic or enable gradual rollouts.
Key Points:
- Canary deployments are built into API Gateway for traffic splitting.
- No additional services (e.g., Route 53) are required.
- Provides immediate control over traffic distribution and rollback capabilities.
Answer
The correct answer is: D