CKA Storage Practice Question
A StatefulSet named 'web' uses volumeClaimTemplates to dynamically provision PersistentVolumeClaims for each replica. The cluster runs on AWS with the EBS CSI driver. How many PersistentVolumeClaims will be created if the StatefulSet has 3 replicas and the volumeClaimTemplates specify a single template?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates think the number of PVCs depends on the storage class or that multiple templates multiply the count per replica, but the CKA exam tests that a single volumeClaimTemplate with N replicas yields exactly N PVCs.
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
✓
3
A StatefulSet with 3 replicas and a single volumeClaimTemplate creates one PersistentVolumeClaim per replica, resulting in exactly 3 PVCs. Each replica gets its own PVC based on the template, and the EBS CSI driver provisions a distinct EBS volume for each PVC, independent of the storage class configuration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
9
Why it's wrong here
This count incorrectly assumes that multiple volume claim templates are defined or that PVCs are multiplied exponentially per replica. In a standard StatefulSet configuration with three replicas and a single volume claim template, Kubernetes maps exactly one PVC to each Pod replica. Therefore, a total of nine PVCs would only occur if there were three distinct templates defined per replica, which is not the case here.
- ✗
1
Why it's wrong here
This option incorrectly treats the volume claim template like a shared volume in a Deployment, where multiple pods might mount a single pre-existing PVC. StatefulSets are designed for stateful workloads where each pod replica requires its own unique, isolated persistent storage. Consequently, the controller automatically provisions a dedicated PVC for each of the three replicas rather than sharing a single one.
- ✗
Depends on the storage class
Why it's wrong here
The StorageClass controls how the underlying physical volume is dynamically provisioned (such as the provisioner type, reclaim policy, or volume binding mode), but it has no influence over the quantity of PVC resources generated. The StatefulSet controller determines the number of PVCs solely based on the replicas field and the number of templates defined in volumeClaimTemplates. Thus, the storage class configuration is irrelevant to the total count of PVCs created.
- ✓
3
Why this is correct
Because the StatefulSet is configured with three replicas and a single volume claim template, the StatefulSet controller automatically generates exactly three distinct PVCs, one for each pod (named web-0, web-1, and web-2). Each PVC is uniquely bound to its corresponding pod replica to ensure stable, persistent storage across pod rescheduling and restarts. This one-to-one mapping guarantees that each stateful instance maintains its own independent data state.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Configuring Storage Classes and Dynamic Provisioning
Key term
Volumes
In Kubernetes, a volume is a storage resource that outlives the pod it belongs to, enabling data to persist across container restarts and be shared between containers in the same pod.
Key term
Persistent Volumes
A Persistent Volume is a piece of storage in a Kubernetes cluster that has been provisioned by an administrator and exists independently of any single pod that uses it.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.