200-901 Application Deployment and Security Practice Question
A company deploys a microservice using Kubernetes. The service must be accessible externally via a stable IP address and load-balanced across pods. Which Service type should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is choosing NodePort because it also exposes externally — candidates miss the 'stable IP address' and 'load-balanced' requirements that only LoadBalancer satisfies natively.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
LoadBalancer
A LoadBalancer service type provisions an external load balancer through the cloud provider, assigning a stable public IP that distributes traffic across the backing pods. This directly satisfies both requirements: external accessibility via a stable IP and load balancing across pod replicas. NodePort exposes a static port on each node but does not provide a stable single IP or built-in load balancing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
NodePort
Why it's wrong here
NodePort exposes the service on each node's IP at a static port, so the address depends on the node rather than being a single stable external IP. It is tempting because it does provide external access, and would be correct for development or when no cloud load balancer exists.
- ✗
ClusterIP
Why it's wrong here
ClusterIP exposes the service only on an internal virtual IP reachable within the cluster, providing no external address. It is tempting because it is the default and load-balances across pods, and would be correct for internal service-to-service communication.
- ✓
LoadBalancer
Why this is correct
LoadBalancer provisions an external cloud load balancer with a stable, routable IP that distributes traffic across the backing pods. ClusterIP is internal-only and NodePort exposes a high port on each node, neither meeting the stable external IP requirement.
- ✗
ExternalName
Why it's wrong here
ExternalName maps the service to a DNS CNAME and creates no proxy or load balancing, so it cannot distribute traffic across pods. It is tempting because it references external endpoints by name, and would be correct for aliasing an external database or API.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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