This CKA practice question tests your understanding of cluster architecture, installation and configuration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
After upgrading the control plane using kubeadm, you need to update the kubelet configuration on the node. Which command should you run on the node?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
kubeadm upgrade apply
Why wrong: Used on the first control plane node.
kubectl upgrade node
Why wrong: kubectl does not have an 'upgrade' command.
kubeadm upgrade node
Correct command to upgrade node configuration.
kubeadm upgrade plan
Why wrong: Shows upgrade plan, does not perform upgrade.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
kubeadm upgrade node
Option C is correct because `kubeadm upgrade node` is the command used on worker nodes (or secondary control-plane nodes) after the primary control plane has been upgraded. It upgrades the kubelet configuration and other node-specific components to match the new cluster version, ensuring the node can rejoin the upgraded cluster.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
kubeadm upgrade apply
Why it's wrong here
Used on the first control plane node.
kubectl upgrade node
Why it's wrong here
kubectl does not have an 'upgrade' command.
kubeadm upgrade node
Why this is correct
Correct command to upgrade node configuration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubeadm upgrade plan
Why it's wrong here
Shows upgrade plan, does not perform upgrade.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse `kubeadm upgrade apply` (for the first control-plane node) with `kubeadm upgrade node` (for worker nodes), or they invent a non-existent `kubectl upgrade node` command because they expect kubectl to manage node upgrades.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
kubectl does not have an 'upgrade' command.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `kubeadm upgrade node` reads the kubelet configuration from the kubeadm ConfigMap in the cluster and writes it to the node's kubelet config file (typically `/var/lib/kubelet/config.yaml`), then restarts the kubelet service. This ensures the kubelet uses the correct version-specific parameters, such as the `authentication` and `authorization` webhook settings, which change between Kubernetes minor versions. In a real-world scenario, failing to run this command on worker nodes after a control-plane upgrade can cause the kubelet to fail to authenticate with the API server, leading to `NodeNotReady` status.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration — This question tests Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubeadm upgrade node — Option C is correct because `kubeadm upgrade node` is the command used on worker nodes (or secondary control-plane nodes) after the primary control plane has been upgraded. It upgrades the kubelet configuration and other node-specific components to match the new cluster version, ensuring the node can rejoin the upgraded cluster.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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