SQS message retention exceeded.

Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) has a default message retention period of 4 days, meaning that messages will be retained for up to 4 days from the time they are sent to a queue. If a message's retention period exceeds this limit, it will be automatically deleted from the queue. However, if you have a specific use case that requires longer retention periods, you can configure the retention period for individual queues up to a maximum of 14 days.

If you encounter a situation where the message retention period has been exceeded, consider the following steps:

1. Check the Queue's Retention Period:
   • Ensure that the queue has been configured with an appropriate retention period. The maximum allowed retention period is 14 days.
2. Reprocess or Resend the Message:
   • If the message is still needed, the sender should reprocess or resend it to the queue with the correct retention period.
3. Monitor Queue Length and Visibility Timeout:
   • Keep an eye on the queue length and adjust the visibility timeout if necessary to ensure that messages are processed in a timely manner.
4. Use Dead Letter Queues (DLQs):
   • Implement a Dead Letter Queue to capture messages that have not been successfully processed after a certain number of attempts. This can help identify and address processing issues.
5. Message Deduplication:
   • If duplicates of the same message are being sent to the queue, consider implementing message deduplication to prevent redundant processing.
6. Review Consumer Application:
   • Inspect the consumer application for any issues that may be causing delays in processing messages.
7. Consider Reducing the Retention Period:
   • If the maximum retention period is not necessary for your use case, consider reducing it to a shorter duration to avoid potential delays in message processing.
8. Implement Monitoring and Alarming:
   • Set up CloudWatch alarms to monitor queue metrics, such as message age or queue depth, and receive notifications if certain thresholds are exceeded.
9. Regularly Review and Purge Old Messages:
   • Periodically review the contents of your queue and remove any messages that are no longer needed.
10. Implement S3 for Longer-Term Storage:
    • If you need to retain messages for longer periods, consider using Amazon S3 to store messages that need to be retained for extended durations.

Remember that adjusting the retention period will only affect messages sent after the change. Messages already in the queue will retain their original retention period.

By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively manage message retention in your SQS queues and ensure that messages are processed in a timely and reliable manner.