Follow-up · depth 7
Design a small subsystem that relies on L4 vs L7 Load Balancing
Design a small subsystem that relies on L4 vs L7 Load Balancing
Answers use simple, clear English.
Quick interview answer
Sketch components, data flow, failure modes, and metrics around L4 vs L7 Load Balancing. Example shape: ALB routes /api → API target group, /static → S3; NLB for gRPC TCP passthrough.
Detailed answer
Mini design using L4 vs L7 Load Balancing: • Components: API edge, worker/queue, store, and observability. • Data flow: request → L4 vs L7 Load Balancing-related path → response/async side effects. • Failure modes: timeouts, overload, partial dependency loss. • Metrics: latency, errors, saturation for the L4 vs L7 Load Balancing path. Guardrails: Health check app endpoint not TCP only; cross-zone LB. Parent context: Use L4 vs L7 Load Balancing as the core idea. Example shape: ALB routes /api → API target group, /static → S3; NLB for gRPC TCP passthrough..
Full explanation
Interviewers want a crisp architecture story anchored on L4 vs L7 Load Balancing, not a buzzword list. L4 (TCP) routes by IP/port fast. L7 (HTTP) routes by path/header/cookie — enables sticky sessions, TLS, WAF integration.
Follow-up questions
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Parent context — L4 vs L7 Load Balancing
Use L4 vs L7 Load Balancing as the core idea. Example shape: ALB routes /api → API target group, /static → S3; NLB for gRPC TCP passthrough..
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