IntermediateSystem-Design
30 min
Design an Email Delivery System
Advertisement
Interview Question
Design an email system that supports bulk sending, deliverability, spam compliance, tracking, and feedback loops.
Key Points to Cover
- SMTP relays, DKIM/SPF/DMARC for deliverability
- Bulk send queues, retries, and throughput control
- Bounce handling, feedback loops, unsubscribe mgmt
- Tracking: opens, clicks, conversions, audits
- Reputation mgmt: IP warm-up, domain pools
Evaluation Rubric
Strong deliverability setup25% weight
Bulk queue & retry handling25% weight
CAN-SPAM/GDPR compliance25% weight
Robust tracking & reputation25% weight
Hints
- 💡Warm up IPs gradually to avoid blacklisting.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Neglecting IP warming for new sending IPs, leading to immediate throttling or blocking.
- ⚠️Failing to implement proper bounce categorization and automated suppression of hard bounces.
- ⚠️Ignoring or not properly processing ISP feedback loops and complaint notifications.
- ⚠️Lack of granular control over sending throughput, leading to sudden drops in deliverability.
- ⚠️Inadequate email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) configuration or management.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓How do you manage dedicated vs shared IPs?
- ❓How to handle engagement-based throttling?
Advertisement
Related Questions
Questions that share similar topics with this one
Design a Multi-Channel Notification Service
Intermediate🏗️ System Design•30 min•System-Design
Cloud Shared Responsibility Model
Intermediate📞 Phone Screen•2 min•Phone
Scaling Message Queues
Advanced🔬 Technical Deep Dive•5 min•Technical
Exactly-Once Effects with the Outbox Pattern
Advanced🔬 Technical Deep Dive•5 min•Technical
Design a Real-Time Chat System
Advanced🏗️ System Design•45 min•System-Design