Accelerate DynamoDB reads with DAX using an AWS SDK

The following code example shows how to:

Create and write data to a table with both the DAX and SDK clients.
Get, query, and scan the table with both clients and compare their performance.

For more information, see Developing with the DynamoDB Accelerator Client.

Python

SDK for Python (Boto3)

Note

There's more on GitHub. Find the complete example and learn how to set up and run in the AWS Code Examples Repository.

Create a table with either the DAX or Boto3 client.


import boto3


def create_dax_table(dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Creates a DynamoDB table.

    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    :return: The newly created table.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table_name = "TryDaxTable"
    params = {
        "TableName": table_name,
        "KeySchema": [
            {"AttributeName": "partition_key", "KeyType": "HASH"},
            {"AttributeName": "sort_key", "KeyType": "RANGE"},
        ],
        "AttributeDefinitions": [
            {"AttributeName": "partition_key", "AttributeType": "N"},
            {"AttributeName": "sort_key", "AttributeType": "N"},
        ],
        "ProvisionedThroughput": {"ReadCapacityUnits": 10, "WriteCapacityUnits": 10},
    }
    table = dyn_resource.create_table(**params)
    print(f"Creating {table_name}...")
    table.wait_until_exists()
    return table


if __name__ == "__main__":
    dax_table = create_dax_table()
    print(f"Created table.")

Write test data to the table.


import boto3


def write_data_to_dax_table(key_count, item_size, dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Writes test data to the demonstration table.

    :param key_count: The number of partition and sort keys to use to populate the
                      table. The total number of items is key_count * key_count.
    :param item_size: The size of non-key data for each test item.
    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table = dyn_resource.Table("TryDaxTable")
    some_data = "X" * item_size

    for partition_key in range(1, key_count + 1):
        for sort_key in range(1, key_count + 1):
            table.put_item(
                Item={
                    "partition_key": partition_key,
                    "sort_key": sort_key,
                    "some_data": some_data,
                }
            )
            print(f"Put item ({partition_key}, {sort_key}) succeeded.")


if __name__ == "__main__":
    write_key_count = 10
    write_item_size = 1000
    print(
        f"Writing {write_key_count*write_key_count} items to the table. "
        f"Each item is {write_item_size} characters."
    )
    write_data_to_dax_table(write_key_count, write_item_size)

Get items for a number of iterations for both the DAX client and the Boto3 client and report the time spent for each.


import argparse
import sys
import time
import amazondax
import boto3


def get_item_test(key_count, iterations, dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Gets items from the table a specified number of times. The time before the
    first iteration and the time after the last iteration are both captured
    and reported.

    :param key_count: The number of items to get from the table in each iteration.
    :param iterations: The number of iterations to run.
    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    :return: The start and end times of the test.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table = dyn_resource.Table("TryDaxTable")
    start = time.perf_counter()
    for _ in range(iterations):
        for partition_key in range(1, key_count + 1):
            for sort_key in range(1, key_count + 1):
                table.get_item(
                    Key={"partition_key": partition_key, "sort_key": sort_key}
                )
                print(".", end="")
                sys.stdout.flush()
    print()
    end = time.perf_counter()
    return start, end


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
    parser.add_argument(
        "endpoint_url",
        nargs="?",
        help="When specified, the DAX cluster endpoint. Otherwise, DAX is not used.",
    )
    args = parser.parse_args()

    test_key_count = 10
    test_iterations = 50
    if args.endpoint_url:
        print(
            f"Getting each item from the table {test_iterations} times, "
            f"using the DAX client."
        )
        # Use a with statement so the DAX client closes the cluster after completion.
        with amazondax.AmazonDaxClient.resource(endpoint_url=args.endpoint_url) as dax:
            test_start, test_end = get_item_test(
                test_key_count, test_iterations, dyn_resource=dax
            )
    else:
        print(
            f"Getting each item from the table {test_iterations} times, "
            f"using the Boto3 client."
        )
        test_start, test_end = get_item_test(test_key_count, test_iterations)
    print(
        f"Total time: {test_end - test_start:.4f} sec. Average time: "
        f"{(test_end - test_start)/ test_iterations}."
    )

Query the table for a number of iterations for both the DAX client and the Boto3 client and report the time spent for each.


import argparse
import time
import sys
import amazondax
import boto3
from boto3.dynamodb.conditions import Key


def query_test(partition_key, sort_keys, iterations, dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Queries the table a specified number of times. The time before the
    first iteration and the time after the last iteration are both captured
    and reported.

    :param partition_key: The partition key value to use in the query. The query
                          returns items that have partition keys equal to this value.
    :param sort_keys: The range of sort key values for the query. The query returns
                      items that have sort key values between these two values.
    :param iterations: The number of iterations to run.
    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    :return: The start and end times of the test.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table = dyn_resource.Table("TryDaxTable")
    key_condition_expression = Key("partition_key").eq(partition_key) & Key(
        "sort_key"
    ).between(*sort_keys)

    start = time.perf_counter()
    for _ in range(iterations):
        table.query(KeyConditionExpression=key_condition_expression)
        print(".", end="")
        sys.stdout.flush()
    print()
    end = time.perf_counter()
    return start, end


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
    parser.add_argument(
        "endpoint_url",
        nargs="?",
        help="When specified, the DAX cluster endpoint. Otherwise, DAX is not used.",
    )
    args = parser.parse_args()

    test_partition_key = 5
    test_sort_keys = (2, 9)
    test_iterations = 100
    if args.endpoint_url:
        print(f"Querying the table {test_iterations} times, using the DAX client.")
        # Use a with statement so the DAX client closes the cluster after completion.
        with amazondax.AmazonDaxClient.resource(endpoint_url=args.endpoint_url) as dax:
            test_start, test_end = query_test(
                test_partition_key, test_sort_keys, test_iterations, dyn_resource=dax
            )
    else:
        print(f"Querying the table {test_iterations} times, using the Boto3 client.")
        test_start, test_end = query_test(
            test_partition_key, test_sort_keys, test_iterations
        )

    print(
        f"Total time: {test_end - test_start:.4f} sec. Average time: "
        f"{(test_end - test_start)/test_iterations}."
    )

Scan the table for a number of iterations for both the DAX client and the Boto3 client and report the time spent for each.


import argparse
import time
import sys
import amazondax
import boto3


def scan_test(iterations, dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Scans the table a specified number of times. The time before the
    first iteration and the time after the last iteration are both captured
    and reported.

    :param iterations: The number of iterations to run.
    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    :return: The start and end times of the test.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table = dyn_resource.Table("TryDaxTable")
    start = time.perf_counter()
    for _ in range(iterations):
        table.scan()
        print(".", end="")
        sys.stdout.flush()
    print()
    end = time.perf_counter()
    return start, end


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # pylint: disable=not-context-manager
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
    parser.add_argument(
        "endpoint_url",
        nargs="?",
        help="When specified, the DAX cluster endpoint. Otherwise, DAX is not used.",
    )
    args = parser.parse_args()

    test_iterations = 100
    if args.endpoint_url:
        print(f"Scanning the table {test_iterations} times, using the DAX client.")
        # Use a with statement so the DAX client closes the cluster after completion.
        with amazondax.AmazonDaxClient.resource(endpoint_url=args.endpoint_url) as dax:
            test_start, test_end = scan_test(test_iterations, dyn_resource=dax)
    else:
        print(f"Scanning the table {test_iterations} times, using the Boto3 client.")
        test_start, test_end = scan_test(test_iterations)
    print(
        f"Total time: {test_end - test_start:.4f} sec. Average time: "
        f"{(test_end - test_start)/test_iterations}."
    )

Delete the table.


import boto3


def delete_dax_table(dyn_resource=None):
    """
    Deletes the demonstration table.

    :param dyn_resource: Either a Boto3 or DAX resource.
    """
    if dyn_resource is None:
        dyn_resource = boto3.resource("dynamodb")

    table = dyn_resource.Table("TryDaxTable")
    table.delete()

    print(f"Deleting {table.name}...")
    table.wait_until_not_exists()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    delete_dax_table()
    print("Table deleted!")

For API details, see the following topics in AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) API Reference.

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