System DesignMedium
Let's design a system for deleting all user data in a large-scale application. Consider the following requirements: Compliance: The system must adhere to data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) regarding the right to be forgotten. This means all personal data must be permanently and irrevocably deleted. Data Scope: User data is distributed across various databases (e.g., relational, NoSQL), object storage, and potentially third-party services. Examples include: User profiles in a relational database (name, email, address). User-generated content (photos, videos) in object storage. User activity logs in a NoSQL database. User data cached in a Redis cluster. User accounts on integrated third-party services (e.g., payment processors, social media platforms). Performance: The deletion process should be efficient and not significantly impact the performance of other system operations. Consider the impact on databases and other services during peak hours. Consistency: The system must ensure data consistency. For example, if a user has dependencies on other data (e.g., a user is an administrator of a group), these dependencies must be handled correctly (e.g., reassigning ownership, deleting dependent data). Auditability: All deletion requests and actions must be logged for auditing and compliance purposes. The logs should record who requested the deletion, when it was requested, what data was deleted, and the outcome of the deletion process. Error Handling: The system should gracefully handle errors and retries. If a deletion fails in one component, it should be retried or rolled back appropriately, and alerts should be generated. Scalability: The system must be able to handle a large number of deletion requests concurrently. Data Minimization: Before initiating the deletion process, verify if data minimization techniques can be applied instead of complete deletion, such as anonymization or pseudonymization, especially for datasets needed for analytical purposes. Given these requirements, how would you design a system to handle user data deletion requests? Discuss the architecture, components, data flow, and any trade-offs you would consider.