What is Sysiq and how is it different from reading static blogs?

Sysiq is an interactive system design platform where you don't just read about distributed systems — you actively build and test them. Solve real-world engineering challenges using a live diagram canvas, guided architectural labs, and real-time napkin math estimation tools.

Is Sysiq suitable for preparing for FAANG system design interviews?

Yes. Sysiq is tailored specifically for mid-level, senior, and staff engineering interviews (L4–L7). The problem bank covers actual interview scenarios: URL shorteners, distributed rate limiters, key-value stores, video streaming architectures, and real-time chat systems.

Can I use Sysiq for free?

Yes. Foundational modules, introductory interview problems, the Napkin Math calculator, and the global engineering leaderboard are all free with no time limit.

Do I need prior distributed systems experience to get started?

Not at all. The curriculum starts with fundamental building blocks — DNS, reverse proxies, database replication, and caching — and progressively walks you up to complex architectures like Raft consensus, vector clocks, and LSM-tree compaction.

What is SSL/TLS Termination at the Load Balancer?

SSL termination decrypts incoming HTTPS traffic at the load balancer, offloading heavy CPU cryptographic operations from downstream web servers.

Back to GuidesLoad Balancing

The Complete Guide to Load Balancing & Traffic Control

Layer 4 vs Layer 7 load balancing, health checks, consistent hashing, and high availability.

Launch Interactive Lab

Prerequisites & Foundational Topics

TCP/IP NetworkingDNS RoutingHTTP Protocol

Core Architectural Concepts

1. Layer 4 vs Layer 7 Balancing

Layer 4 operates at the transport layer (TCP/UDP); Layer 7 operates at the application layer (HTTP/HTTPS).

L4 is fast with zero packet inspection. L7 allows smart routing based on URL paths, cookies, and HTTP headers.

2. Load Distribution Algorithms

Round Robin, Weighted Round Robin, Least Connections, IP Hash, and Consistent Hashing.

Consistent Hashing minimizes key movement when servers join or leave the pool, making it essential for cache node clusters.

Interview Scenarios & Solutions

Top FAANG and tier-1 system design interview questions.

How do you prevent a Load Balancer from becoming a Single Point of Failure?

Deploy active-passive or active-active load balancer pairs using Virtual IP addresses (VIP) managed via VRRP (Keepalived) or DNS Anycast.

The Complete Guide to Load Balancing & Traffic Control

Prerequisites & Foundational Topics

Core Architectural Concepts

1. Layer 4 vs Layer 7 Balancing

2. Load Distribution Algorithms

Interview Scenarios & Solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Architectural Comparisons

Token Bucket vs Leaky Bucket: Rate Limiting Architecture

Monolithic Architecture vs Microservices

The Complete Guide to Load Balancing & Traffic Control

Prerequisites & Foundational Topics

Core Architectural Concepts

1. Layer 4 vs Layer 7 Balancing

2. Load Distribution Algorithms

Interview Scenarios & Solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Architectural Comparisons

Token Bucket vs Leaky Bucket: Rate Limiting Architecture

Monolithic Architecture vs Microservices