Senior IP Design Verification Engineer

Google

Given an array of integers, write a function to calculate the sum of all the numbers in the array. For example, if the input array is [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], your function should return 15 (which is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5). Can you write an efficient function to do this, and what is the time complexity of your solution? As a follow-up, consider how you would handle extremely large arrays or arrays containing very large numbers to prevent overflow. Can you provide an example implementation in your preferred language?

Google

Let's discuss Access Control Lists (ACLs). Imagine you're designing a system where you need to control access to various resources. How would you approach assigning ACLs to users and groups? Be specific. For example, consider a scenario with files, directories, and applications. How would you define permissions (read, write, execute, delete) and associate them with individual users (like 'john.doe') or groups (like 'developers' or 'administrators')? What different strategies would you evaluate for managing ACLs, and what are the tradeoffs between them in terms of security, performance, and ease of administration? For example, would you use an identity-based approach, a role-based approach, or a combination of both? Consider also how you would handle inheritance of ACLs in a hierarchical structure, such as a file system. How would you prevent privilege escalation and ensure that users only have the access they need? Finally, how would you audit ACL changes and monitor access attempts to detect potential security breaches?

Google

Describe a time you faced a tough technical problem. What made it so difficult, and how did you approach solving it? What resources did you consult, and what was the final outcome? What did you learn from this experience, and how has it shaped your problem-solving skills since then? For example, perhaps you were tasked with optimizing a slow-running query in a large database. The initial attempts to improve performance, such as adding indexes, didn't yield the desired results. You then had to dive deep into the query execution plan, identify bottlenecks, and rewrite the query using more efficient techniques, like leveraging window functions or temporary tables. You could also describe the challenges faced while integrating a new feature into a legacy system with poorly documented code. You might have had to reverse engineer parts of the system, deal with unexpected dependencies, and carefully test the integration to avoid breaking existing functionality. Elaborate on the specific tools and methodologies you employed during these challenges, such as debuggers, profilers, or version control systems. Also, explain how you collaborated with team members or sought assistance from external resources like online forums or documentation to overcome the obstacles.