Imagine a platform that supports hundreds of thousands of users every day while ensuring fluidity, security and reliability. Single Sign-On (SSO) is a technology that makes it easy for users to access services, but implementing it in a high-traffic environment requires a sophisticated technological approach. In this article, I will show how to design an SSO service using AWS that meets such challenges, optimising costs, increasing efficiency and providing the highest level of security.

Diagnosing the problem: scalability and security as foundations ​

I recently worked with a Mediatech company that was faced with the problem of handling a high volume of user traffic while keeping things running smoothly. The challenge was to create a service that would allow hundreds of thousands of users to log in at the same time, minimising delays, congestion and the risk of failure. A key aspect was also to ensure the security of user data in compliance with legal regulations.

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Strategy design: key AWS components for SSO ​

Designing a scalable and secure SSO service is a challenge that requires advanced tools and a thoughtful strategy. AWS provides a comprehensive set of services to support companies in achieving this, from load balancing to performance monitoring. For Mediatech companies that manage massive amounts of data and need to meet high user demands, implementing an AWS-based SSO is not only a technological solution, but also a strategic investment in growth and competitive advantage. If your company is facing the challenge of designing an SSO, AWS offers all the tools to succeed.

Load balancing: eliminating bottlenecks ​

Any system handling heavy user traffic must avoid overloads that can lead to performance degradation or a complete stoppage of operations. With Application Load Balancer (ALB), requests are evenly distributed across multiple EC2 instances, minimising the risk of overload. ALB supports advanced routing features, such as content-based routing, which further improves the efficiency of traffic handling.

From a business perspective, load balancing allows:

• Avoiding downtime that can affect user experience and financial losses.
• Handling traffic peaks, such as new content launches at Mediatech, without having to manually scale resources.

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Automatic scaling: flexibility on demand ​

Whether the system handles sudden spikes in traffic or periods of lower load, Auto Scaling Groups enable the number of EC2 instances to be dynamically adjusted to meet current demand. Scaling up during peaks and down during quieter periods optimises resource utilisation and reduces costs.

Business benefits include:

• Cost optimisation, by only paying for resources actually used.
• Increased reliability, as the system automatically responds to changing conditions.

Cache: accelerating the handling of requests ​

Redis or Memcached act as a cache layer, storing frequently used data such as user sessions or login metadata. This reduces the number of queries to the database and application server, significantly reducing response times.

From a business perspective, cache integration:

• Improves system performance, resulting in a better user experience.
• Reduces the burden on the infrastructure, which helps to optimise costs.

Database sharding: managing large data sets ​

With a large number of users, the database can quickly become a bottleneck. Implementing sharding in Amazon RDS allows data to be split into smaller parts stored on different servers. This ensures that the system maintains high performance even under heavy load.

Business benefits:

• Increased scalability to support millions of users.
• Minimising the risk of downtime, thanks to a distributed data architecture.

Queuing system: efficient management of requests ​

Amazon SQS acts as a buffer for authentication requests, ensuring a smooth user experience and minimising the risk of system overload. Queuing requests allows them to be processed in order, preventing data loss or delays.

Business benefits:

• Seamless handling of large volumes of traffic, increasing user satisfaction.
• Prevention of overloading, which affects the stability and reliability of the system.

Security measures: protection of sensitive data ​

User data is one of the most valuable assets, especially in the Mediatech industry. The implementation of TLS encryption, AWS IAM for access management and activity logging in CloudTrail ensures the highest level of security and compliance with regulations such as GDPR.

From a business perspective:

• It builds trust with users, who can be confident that their data is protected.
• It meets regulatory requirements, which minimises the risk of penalties and image damage.

Monitoring and logging: continuous monitoring of performance ​

With tools such as CloudWatch and Prometheus, key performance indicators such as response times and throughput are monitored in real time. This allows problems to be detected quickly and optimisations to be implemented.

Business benefits:

• Proactive infrastructure management, which minimises the risk of failure.
• Increase operational efficiency by quickly identifying and eliminating problems.

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Implementation effects: Scalability and security in practice ​

• Real-time scalability: dynamic scaling has made it possible to handle sudden increases in traffic without a drop in performance.
• Reduced response time: the integration of Redis as a cache has significantly reduced the waiting time for server responses.
• Data security: the system met all requirements for protecting user data, which increased customer confidence.
• Cost optimisation: through automatic scaling and payment for actual resource use, we have reduced operating costs.

Reflections and conclusions ​

Designing an SSO service to cope with heavy traffic is a challenge that requires a thoughtful approach. AWS offers a wide range of tools to create a scalable, secure and efficient infrastructure. My experience shows that the appropriate use of solutions such as ALB, Auto Scaling, Redis and SQS not only solves technical problems, but also delivers real business benefits, from cost optimisation to increased customer satisfaction.

Let’s talk business.

Summary: AWS as the foundation for scalable SSO services ​

For Mediatech companies that manage massive amounts of data and need reliable authentication systems, AWS offers comprehensive solutions to support business growth. By implementing such technologies, you can not only optimise your processes, but also gain a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing market. If your business is facing the challenge of designing SSO, AWS is the tool to succeed.