System requirements
Functional:
- users can upload the files
- users can get the files synced from cloud to local
- users can download the file
Non-Functional:
- highly available
- consistent application wide
- minimal latency
- high throughput
Capacity estimation
- users: DAU: 1M
- reads: 80%
- writes: 20%
- average file size: 1GB
Calculations:
- total uploads: 200k * 1GB = 200000 = 200 TB
- Average API hits : 3 => 3M API calls/day => 30 RPS
API design
POST /uploads
Header: multipart/formdata as content-type
Authorization Bearer JWT
{
binary
}
GET /upload/:id/status
Authorization Bearer JWT
Database design
Defining the system data model early on will clarify how data will flow among different components of the system. Also you could draw an ER diagram using the diagramming tool to enhance your design...
High-level design
You should identify enough components that are needed to solve the actual problem from end to end. Also remember to draw a block diagram using the diagramming tool to augment your design. If you are unfamiliar with the tool, you can simply describe your design to the chat bot and ask it to generate a starter diagram for you to modify...
Request flows
Explain how the request flows from end to end in your high level design. Also you could draw a sequence diagram using the diagramming tool to enhance your explanation...
Detailed component design
Dig deeper into 2-3 components and explain in detail how they work. For example, how well does each component scale? Any relevant algorithm or data structure you like to use for a component? Also you could draw a diagram using the diagramming tool to enhance your design...
Trade offs/Tech choices
Explain any trade offs you have made and why you made certain tech choices...
Failure scenarios/bottlenecks
Try to discuss as many failure scenarios/bottlenecks as possible.
Future improvements
What are some future improvements you would make? How would you mitigate the failure scenario(s) you described above?