Nutanix

Role: Software Development Engineer (SDE)

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: 2024-09-14

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Offered

Difficulty: Challenging but enjoyable

Rounds: 5 rounds (Online Assessment, Phone Screen, 3 On-site Technical Rounds)

Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms (LRU Cache, Longest Palindromic Substring, Serialize/Deserialize Binary Tree, Detect Cycle in Linked List), System Design (Distributed Systems, Distributed Storage, Virtualization), Behavioral Questions, Projects

Experience:

The candidate, with three years of experience at a mid-sized tech company, applied for an SDE position at Nutanix, attracted by their work in cloud computing and hyperconverged infrastructure.

Preparation: The candidate spent three weeks brushing up on data structures and algorithms (especially distributed systems related), studying Nutanix's products and tech stack, reviewing system design concepts (distributed storage, virtualization), practicing explaining projects using STAR format, and researching company culture.

Online Assessment: This round involved solving three algorithmic problems in 90 minutes: designing an LRU cache, implementing a function for the longest palindromic substring, and serializing/deserializing a binary tree. All three problems were solved within the time limit.

Phone Screen: A 45-minute phone screen with a Nutanix engineer involved discussing the candidate's background and experience, a coding problem (implementing a function to detect a cycle in a linked list), and basic system design concepts related to distributed systems. The interviewer was friendly and provided helpful hints.

On-site Interviews (3 Technical Rounds):

• Round 1 (DSA): Focused on advanced data structures and algorithms, including a complex graph traversal problem and a problem involving optimizing database queries. The candidate was asked to write optimized, production-ready code.
• Round 2 (System Design): Involved designing a scalable, fault-tolerant distributed storage system. Discussions covered architecture, data consistency, replication, and handling failures.
• Round 3 (Behavioral and Cultural Fit): Focused on past experiences, teamwork, and problem-solving. Questions included describing difficult technical decisions, staying updated with technology, and handling challenging team dynamics.

The overall interview process was challenging but enjoyable, with knowledgeable interviewers genuinely interested in the candidate's thought process. A few days after the on-site interviews, an offer was received.