Practice Test Geeks(CSI) Certified System Integrator Practice Test
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System Design & Architecture Flashcards

7 cards from real CSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 System Design & Architecture flashcards as text

  1. In a distributed system, which consistency model allows reads to return stale data but guarantees that all replicas eventually converge to the same value?

    Answer: Eventual consistency

    Eventual consistency guarantees that all replicas will converge to the same value over time, but reads may temporarily return stale data.

  2. Which architectural pattern separates the data modification (command) path from the data retrieval (query) path into distinct models?

    Answer: CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)

    CQRS segregates commands (writes) and queries (reads) into separate models, optimizing each independently.

  3. A system integrator needs to connect a legacy COBOL mainframe to a modern REST API. Which integration approach is most appropriate?

    Answer: API Gateway with adapter layer

    An API Gateway with an adapter layer translates between legacy protocols and modern REST, enabling integration without full replacement.

  4. In microservices architecture, which pattern prevents cascading failures by stopping requests to a failing service after a threshold is exceeded?

    Answer: Circuit Breaker Pattern

    The Circuit Breaker pattern monitors failures and opens the circuit to stop requests to a failing service, preventing cascading failures.

  5. Which load balancing algorithm routes each new request to the server with the fewest active connections?

    Answer: Least Connections

    Least Connections routing directs traffic to the server currently handling the fewest active connections, balancing load dynamically.

  6. What is the primary purpose of a service mesh in a microservices architecture?

    Answer: Managing inter-service communication, observability, and security

    A service mesh handles service-to-service communication concerns like load balancing, mTLS, retries, and observability via sidecar proxies.

  7. In the context of system integration, what does 'idempotency' mean for an API endpoint?

    Answer: Multiple identical requests produce the same result as a single request

    An idempotent endpoint produces the same result regardless of how many times the same request is made, enabling safe retries.