Adding a queue to handle traffic spikes doesn't solve capacity problems — it defers them. With concrete numbers, this post shows how a 2x traffic spike for just one hour can create 3.6 million queued requests that never drain without adding capacity. Server-side latency metrics look healthy while clients wait hours, meaning
Table of contents
When Things Are Slow, Look for QueuesA Few NumbersPerceived Latency and Queue SizesQueuing and SurrealismAlternative Approaches to Queue ProcessingQueue Selection Approaches In The WildThe Road to RecoveryConclusionSort: