Cisco SDE-2 Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

Round duration - 60 minutes
Round difficulty - Medium

2 coding question both and 15 MCQ

Only C , Java , Python are allowed

Q1. 
Minimum Steps for a Knight to Reach Target
Given a square chessboard of size 'N x N', determine the minimum number of moves a Knight requires to reach a specified target position from its initial position...read more
Ans. 
Calculate the minimum number of moves a Knight requires to reach a specified target position on a chessboard.
• Use breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm to find the shortest path for the Knight.

• Consider all possible moves of the Knight on the chessboard.

• Keep track of visited positions to avoid revisiting them.

• Return the minimum number of moves required to reach the target position.
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Q2. 
Maximum Size Rectangle Sub-matrix with All 1's Problem Statement
You are provided with an N * M sized binary matrix 'MAT' where 'N' denotes the number of rows and 'M' denotes the number of columns. Your t...read more
Ans. 
Find the maximum area of a submatrix with all 1's in a binary matrix.
• Iterate over the matrix and calculate the maximum area of submatrices with all 1's.

• Use dynamic programming to efficiently solve the problem.

• Consider the current cell and its top, left, and top-left diagonal neighbors to calculate the area.
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Round duration - 45 minutes
Round difficulty - Easy

Around 6 am morning
2 interviewers

Q1. 
Reverse Linked List Problem Statement
Given a Singly Linked List of integers, your task is to reverse the Linked List by altering the links between the nodes.
Input:
The first line of input is an intege...read more
Ans. 
Reverse a singly linked list by altering the links between nodes.
• Iterate through the linked list and reverse the links between nodes

• Use three pointers to keep track of the previous, current, and next nodes

• Update the links between nodes to reverse the list

• Return the head of the reversed linked list
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Q2. Can you explain synchronization in operating systems in detail?
Ans. 
Synchronization in operating systems ensures proper coordination and communication between multiple processes or threads.
• Synchronization is necessary to prevent race conditions and ensure data consistency.

• Common synchronization mechanisms include mutexes, semaphores, and monitors.

• Mutexes allow only one thread to access a resource at a time, preventing concurrent access.

• Semaphores control access to a shared resource by ...read more
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Q3. Can you explain the OSI model and provide an example for each layer of data transfer?
Ans. 
The OSI model is a conceptual framework that standardizes the functions of a telecommunication or computing system into seven layers.
• Physical Layer: Transmits raw data bits over a physical medium (e.g. Ethernet cable)

• Data Link Layer: Provides error detection and correction (e.g. MAC addresses in Ethernet)

• Network Layer: Routes data packets between networks (e.g. IP addresses in Internet)

• Transport Layer: Ensures reliable...read more
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Q4. What is a NAT router?
Ans. 
A NAT router is a device that allows multiple devices on a local network to share a single public IP address for internet access.
• NAT stands for Network Address Translation, which allows private IP addresses to be translated to a public IP address for communication over the internet.

• NAT routers provide an added layer of security by hiding the internal IP addresses of devices on the network from external sources.

• NAT rout...read more
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Q5. How would you compete with Google if you wanted to create a search engine?
Ans. 
To compete with Google in search engine, focus on niche markets, improve user experience, and leverage AI technology.
• Focus on niche markets where Google may not have as strong of a presence

• Improve user experience by providing more relevant search results and faster load times

• Leverage AI technology to personalize search results and enhance user experience

• Invest in marketing and partnerships to increase visibility and us...read more
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Q6. What is the total amount of water on Earth?
Ans. 
The total amount of water on Earth is approximately 1.386 billion cubic kilometers.
• The majority of Earth's water is in the form of saltwater in the oceans, accounting for about 97.5% of the total water volume.

• Only about 2.5% of Earth's water is freshwater, with the majority of that being stored in glaciers and ice caps.

• The total amount of water on Earth is constantly cycling through the atmosphere, oceans, rivers, and
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Round duration - 30 minutes
Round difficulty - Easy

Manager Round

Q1. Can you describe the challenges you faced during your master's thesis?
Ans. 
I faced challenges in data collection, analysis, and time management during my master's thesis.
• Difficulty in finding relevant research papers and data sources

• Struggling with complex statistical analysis techniques

• Managing time effectively to meet deadlines

• Dealing with unexpected setbacks and technical issues

• Balancing thesis work with other academic and personal commitments
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Round duration - 10 Minutes
Round difficulty - Easy

Salary breakdown and Location preference

Q1. Are you satisfied with the salary breakup?
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