Question 1

What does the DynamoDB IAM policy need?

Accepted Answer

For reads: BatchGetItem, Describe*, List*, GetItem, Query, Scan and PartiQLSelect on the allowed table and index ARNs. For streams: GetRecords, GetShardIterator, DescribeStream and ListStreams, scoped to the table's stream ARN. Role based authentication also needs an sts:AssumeRole trust policy, ideally pinned with the External ID Polytomic generates for you.

Question 2

Can the policy stay strictly read only?

Accepted Answer

Only if you configure DynamoDB Streams yourself on every selected table. If you let Polytomic manage stream settings, it needs dynamodb:UpdateTable on the table ARN, and at that point the policy is no longer read only. That is a reasonable trade for not hand configuring streams across many tables, but it should be a conscious decision rather than a surprise in a security review.

Question 3

What does the Redshift Serverless side need?

Accepted Answer

IAM role authorization, a workgroup, database and region rather than host and port credentials, and the role bound to a Redshift database role that Redshift is permitted to assume. An S3 bucket in the same region is still required for staging, since Serverless removes the cluster and not the staging storage.

Question 4

How does the stream keep runs small?

Accepted Answer

The first ETL run reads the table, then Streams carry changes with sequence checkpoints. Retention is twenty four hours, so a long failure means a full resync rather than a catch up.

Question 5

Why does this pairing suit an event heavy table?

Accepted Answer

Because both ends are built for it. DynamoDB Streams give you changes without scanning the table, and Redshift Serverless absorbs bursts without anyone sizing a cluster for peak. The weak point is the twenty four hour retention window rather than throughput at either end.

Sync DynamoDB to Redshift Serverless

Sync DynamoDB to Redshift Serverless with Polytomic

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Stream ARN scoping

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Connect DynamoDB in Polytomic

Connect Redshift Serverless in Polytomic

Create a sync between DynamoDB and Redshift Serverless

Map fields and enable the sync

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