Question 637 of 1,005
TroubleshootinghardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

CKA ClusterIP Service not reachable Practice Question

This CKA practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 ClusterIP Service is not reachable from within the cluster. You verify that the Service has endpoints. Which of the following could be the cause? (Select three.)

Question 1hardmulti select
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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

kube-proxy is not running on the node.

Option A is correct because kube-proxy is the component responsible for implementing the ClusterIP Service networking rules (e.g., iptables or IPVS) on each node. If kube-proxy is not running, traffic destined for the Service's ClusterIP will not be forwarded to the endpoints, even if the Service has valid endpoints. This is a common cause of unreachable Services.

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.

  • The Service name is too long.

    Why it's wrong here

    Service name length does not affect connectivity.

Option-by-option analysis

Why each answer is right or wrong

Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The CKA exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.

kube-proxy is not running on the node.Correct answer
The Service name is too long.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Service name length does not affect connectivity.

Analysis generated from the official CKAblueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates might think a failing readiness probe only affects traffic from Services, but in fact, a failing readiness probe removes the pod from the Service's endpoints, so the Service would have no endpoints—contradicting the premise that endpoints exist.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

kube-proxy watches the Kubernetes API for Service and Endpoint changes and updates the node's iptables (or IPVS) rules accordingly. Without kube-proxy, no DNAT rules are created for the ClusterIP, so packets to that IP are dropped or rejected. A common real-world scenario is a node that boots but kube-proxy fails to start due to a misconfiguration, leaving Services unreachable on that node.

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this CKA question test?

Troubleshooting — This question tests Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: kube-proxy is not running on the node. — Option A is correct because kube-proxy is the component responsible for implementing the ClusterIP Service networking rules (e.g., iptables or IPVS) on each node. If kube-proxy is not running, traffic destined for the Service's ClusterIP will not be forwarded to the endpoints, even if the Service has valid endpoints. This is a common cause of unreachable Services.

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.

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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026

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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.