Handling the load, finding the bottleneck, deciding on a cache
When a page slows down at peak usage, the reflex to add servers or a cache gets expensive if it aims at the wrong target. The lesson shows how a PM estimates load from their own product numbers, gets the bottleneck located before any fix is chosen, and takes part in the caching decision.
Lesson objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to estimate the load of a peak from a few product figures, get the bottleneck of a journey identified before any solution, tell vertical and horizontal scaling apart, and decide with the team whether a cache is relevant and with what freshness.
Topics covered
- scalability
- performance bottleneck
- horizontal scaling
- caching
- load estimation
In the glossary
Where it fits
Data, load and dependencies
Where does the data live, what will give way first under load, and what happens when a vendor goes down?
Lessons in this module
- Where does the data live, and when is it up to date?
- Handling the load, finding the bottleneck, deciding on a cache (this lesson)
- Third-party services, composite availability, build or buy
What you will learn in this module
This lesson is part of the course Read and challenge a technical architecture
- Assess data choices (source of truth, transactions, replicas, consistency), scaling and caching, and spot the bottleneck of a user journey.
- Assess dependencies on third-party services (composite availability, degraded mode, vendor lock-in) and a build or buy decision.
Related courses
- Product ManagementAdvancedRegular practice: you already use the tools or work on this topic.
Git for PMs: ship as a team without putting production at risk
3 hr 30 min
- Tech for PMsAll levelsNo prerequisites: accessible to everyone.
Explain how a web product works, from browser to server
2 hr 30 min
- Tech for PMsJuniorSome basics are useful: introductory knowledge of the topic.
Design and test an API integration as a PM
3 hr