Nikita Chhatre

This technical talk presents a real-world case study of building a secure, scalable third-party application integration platform within Amazon's Seller Central marketplace. Launched in December 2024, this system enables external developers to embed their applications directly within Amazon's seller-facing interfaces while maintaining strict security boundaries and user experience standards.

The presentation explores three key technical challenges and their solutions: (1) reducing developer integration complexity from 3 months to 2 weeks through SDK design, (2) minimizing authentication friction that caused 30-47% user drop-off by consolidating OAuth flows, and (3) implementing iframe-based security sandboxing that balances isolation with functionality.

Students will learn about distributed systems architecture patterns including token-based authentication, API gateway design, and multi-tenant security models. The talk demonstrates how theoretical computer science concepts—such as OAuth 2.0, Content Security Policies, and microservices architecture—are applied to solve practical engineering problems at scale (564,800+ sellers reached).

Key technical topics include: iframe security architecture, JavaScript SDK design for developer experience, authentication flow optimization, data connector patterns for near-native integration, and metrics-driven product development. The presentation also addresses real-world engineering trade-offs between security and performance, developer flexibility and governance, and time-to-market versus feature completeness.

Target Audience: Students in Computer Science, particularly those studying distributed systems, software engineering, web security, or API design.

Prerequisites: Basic understanding of web technologies (HTTP, REST APIs), authentication concepts, and software architecture patterns.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand real-world application of OAuth 2.0 and token-based authentication
• Learn iframe security model and Content Security Policy implementation
• Explore SDK design principles for developer experience
• Analyze engineering trade-offs in large-scale platform development
• See how metrics drive iterative product improvement

Biography:

Meet Nikita Chhatre—a powerhouse technology leader transforming how millions of sellers connect with Amazon's marketplace. As a Senior Software Development Manager in Seattle, she orchestrates a global symphony of innovation that empowers Solution Providers and developers worldwide to unlock unprecedented growth for Amazon's Selling Partners.

Nikita stands at the epicenter of Amazon's Selling Partner API (SP-API) ecosystem, masterfully translating Amazon's intricate backend architecture into accessible, powerful tools for the global developer community. Her work catalyzes business transformation for third-party sellers across the globe.

Armed with a Computer Science degree from North Carolina State University and battle-tested experience from her early days as a Software Engineer at Datamatics Global Services, Nikita brings a formidable technical arsenal. Since joining Amazon in 2013, she's evolved from engineer to visionary leader, now commanding six diverse sub-charters across multiple job families and four global locations.

A sought-after speaker at the Selling Partner API Global Solution Provider Summit, Nikita captivates audiences with technical deep-dives into embedded app architectures and proactive security frameworks. As a passionate advocate for women in technology, she's reshaping the industry's future through developing the best while leading rapid innovation initiatives.

Beyond the code and conferences, Nikita is a devoted mom to her spirited 4-year-old daughter and her lovable 5-year-old golden doodle. Based in the Greater Seattle Area, she lives at the vibrant intersection of art, travel, and food—bringing the same curiosity and passion to exploring world cuisines as she does to solving complex technical challenges.

In Nikita's world, technology isn't just about systems and APIs—it's about creating connections, empowering communities, and building a more inclusive digital future, one integration at a time.

Rashmesh Radhakrishnan

The thundering herd is more than a textbook problem—it’s a silent predator in distributed systems. It waits until scale, timing, and architecture align, then strikes with sudden waves of synchronized demand that can cripple even robust designs.

This talk pulls back the curtain on how the thundering herd sneaks into microservices, operating systems, and especially IoT deployments where periodic patterns amplify its force. We’ll explore real-world behaviors that expose hidden fragilities, and why fixes that look obvious on paper often fail in practice.

Rather than a checklist of remedies, this session offers a way of thinking: how to spot herd dynamics before they stampede, and how to design systems that absorb pressure instead of collapsing under it.

Biography:

Rashmesh Radhakrishnan is a Senior Software Engineer specializing in large-scale secure platforms and device connectivity systems. His work focuses on security-critical onboarding and provisioning architectures that establish device identity, account association, and trust across distributed ecosystems. He has led core security components at Amazon and Apple that support device activation and recovery at global scale. Rashmesh is an inventor on multiple granted U.S. patents in secure device association and provisioning. Based in Seattle since 2015, he remains actively engaged in the region’s technology and research community through IEEE and related initiatives.