Interview with Evgeny Arhipov, Head of Managed Databases

Turn key database solutions and a coding-focused environment?- Discover how Eugene Arhipov and his team at Nebius are approaching managed databases development.

What does your team work on?

So, our team focuses on managed databases, but it's more than just that. You see, every program needs to store data somewhere, whether it's a file or, in most cases, a database, especially for business applications. Now, databases can be complex, but that's where we come in to save the day. We offer a convenient solution that allows you to store as much data as you want with just a few clicks. It's like a turnkey service.

From a developer’s perspective, what is the team setup like?

We have a pretty standard setup. We have a user-facing API, and we work with languages like Golang and Python. Our job is to take care of the infrastructure. So, when you click a button, we deploy a highly available cluster with all the necessary configurations. Of course, there can be occasional hiccups, and that's when we step in to figure out what went wrong. We don't provide direct support, but we assist our support team in resolving any bugs on the platform.

How would you say that your team adds value to Nebius?

When it comes to adding value to Nebius, our team has a pretty significant impact. By offering our managed database service, we contribute directly to the financial success of Nebius. Recent industry reports show that the value share among different cloud companies, and it's interesting to note that up to a fifth of a cloud provider's revenue streams usually come from managed databases. So, in simple terms, we bring in the money!

What would you say is the team culture?

Our team is quite diverse. We understand that no one can be an expert in everything, so we bring together individuals with various strengths and skills. We have talented individuals who excel at ensuring smooth operations, coding wizards who write clean and efficient code, and skilled organizers who keep things structured. With team members from different backgrounds, nationalities, and personality types, we appreciate our unique differences. Some of us are talkative, while others prefer quiet concentration. Despite all these differences, we manage to come together and do some amazing work as a team.

Where is your team based?

My team is based in both Belgrade and Amsterdam. Although I currently live in Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to live in Serbia and I loved it. I travel there and visit the team from time to time.

So how would a typical day in your team look?

This is a question about how many meetings we have, right? Well, here's the thing: we believe that our primary focus should be on coding, period. So, we only have one meeting.

Everything we do revolves around our coding tasks. If a meeting doesn't directly contribute to writing code, we skip it altogether.

How is the interview process different to other companies?

Imagine this: You have the incredible opportunity not just to have a brief chat with your potential team members during a regular interview, but to actually experience what it's like to work alongside them for several weeks. You know, it's important to get a real sense of the team dynamics because sometimes people tend to exaggerate or showcase only their best during the final stages of the interview process. That's where our bootcamp comes into play.

Can you tell me more about the bootcamp?

Our bootcamp involves different teams with different speciality areas such as databases, networks, kernel virtualization, and more. We're on the lookout for individuals who can adapt and excel across all these domains. We focus on validating the core essence of programming, not just by checking algorithmic problems, but by assessing the underlying tasks and challenges. This type of interview process aligns perfectly with our bootcamp hiring mode and ensures we find the right fit for our team.