Timer-based message handling for executing stateful services in a stateless environment

A method of managing messages and providing a service via a state-aware service system, the method comprising:

• receiving, via an available instance of a plurality of instances, a message for the service,
• determining whether a processing of the message is consistent with a current state of the system,
• when the processing of the message is consistent with the current state of the system, processing the message via one of the plurality of instances,
• when the processing of the message is not consistent with the current state of the system, transmitting the message to a first queue of a message broker,
• determining, from a timer of the message, a time-to-live of the message, and
• transferring the message to a second queue of one of the plurality of instances in response to the time-to-live expiring.

A device configured to manage messages and provide a service, the device comprising:

• a plurality of instances of the service;
• a message broker;
• a memory;
• and
• an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to
• receive, via an available instance of the plurality of instances, a message for the service,
• determine whether a processing of the message is consistent with a current state of the system,
• when the processing of the message is consistent with the current state of the system, process the message via one of the plurality of instances,
• when the processing of the message is not consistent with the current state of the system, transmit the message to a first queue of the message broker,
• determine, from a timer of the message, a time-to-live of the message, and
• transfer the message to a second queue of one of the plurality of instances in response to the time-to-live expiring.