- A
Add a toleration for the control-plane taint.
Why wrong: The taint is on the control-plane node, but the event says 3 nodes didn't match anti-affinity; the taint issue is only on one node, but the main problem is anti-affinity.
- B
Increase the number of replicas of the app to spread the pods.
Why wrong: More pods would make the anti-affinity harder to satisfy, not easier.
- C
Delete the existing pods of the same app to free up nodes.
Why wrong: That would reduce availability, not a good practice.
- D
Change the anti-affinity rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution.
Changing to preferred makes the rule a soft requirement, allowing the scheduler to place the pod even if the rule cannot be met.
CKA Workloads and Scheduling Practice Question
This CKA practice question tests your understanding of workloads and scheduling. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A pod with priorityClassName: high is pending. You describe the pod and see the event: '0/3 nodes are available: 3 node(s) didn't match pod affinity/anti-affinity, 1 node(s) had taint {node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane: }, that the pod didn't tolerate.' The pod has required anti-affinity to avoid co-location with pods from the same app. How can you get the pod scheduled?
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
Change the anti-affinity rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution.
The pod is pending because its required anti-affinity rule cannot be satisfied on any node: all 3 nodes either have a control-plane taint (which the pod doesn't tolerate) or already host pods from the same app, violating the anti-affinity. Changing the rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution makes the anti-affinity a soft constraint, allowing the scheduler to place the pod on a node even if it means co-locating with same-app pods, thus resolving the scheduling conflict.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add a toleration for the control-plane taint.
Why it's wrong here
The taint is on the control-plane node, but the event says 3 nodes didn't match anti-affinity; the taint issue is only on one node, but the main problem is anti-affinity.
- ✗
Increase the number of replicas of the app to spread the pods.
Why it's wrong here
More pods would make the anti-affinity harder to satisfy, not easier.
- ✗
Delete the existing pods of the same app to free up nodes.
Why it's wrong here
That would reduce availability, not a good practice.
- ✓
Change the anti-affinity rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution.
Why this is correct
Changing to preferred makes the rule a soft requirement, allowing the scheduler to place the pod even if the rule cannot be met.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates focus on the taint error (which is only one node) and mistakenly think adding a toleration will solve the problem, ignoring the more fundamental anti-affinity constraint that affects all three nodes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution anti-affinity is a hard constraint enforced at scheduling time: the scheduler will only place the pod on a node that satisfies the rule, and if no such node exists, the pod remains pending indefinitely. In contrast, preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution uses a scoring system (weighted 0–100) to rank nodes, allowing the scheduler to place the pod on a node that violates the preference if no better option exists. This distinction is critical in clusters with limited node diversity, where hard anti-affinity can lead to unschedulable pods even when the overall resource capacity is sufficient.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CKA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Workloads and Scheduling — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKA question test?
Workloads and Scheduling — This question tests Workloads and Scheduling — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the anti-affinity rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution. — The pod is pending because its required anti-affinity rule cannot be satisfied on any node: all 3 nodes either have a control-plane taint (which the pod doesn't tolerate) or already host pods from the same app, violating the anti-affinity. Changing the rule from requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution to preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution makes the anti-affinity a soft constraint, allowing the scheduler to place the pod on a node even if it means co-locating with same-app pods, thus resolving the scheduling conflict.
What should I do if I get this CKA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CKA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CKA exam.
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