This CKA practice question tests your understanding of cluster architecture, installation and configuration. 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.
Which command is used to mark a node as unschedulable and evict its pods?
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.
kubectl delete node node-name
Why wrong: Deletes the node object, not safe eviction.
kubectl cordon node-name
Why wrong: Cordon only marks node unschedulable, does not evict pods.
kubectl drain node-name --ignore-daemonsets
Drain cordons and evicts all pods (except DaemonSets with flag).
kubectl taint node node-name key=value:NoSchedule
Why wrong: Taint prevents new pods but does not evict existing ones.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
kubectl drain node-name --ignore-daemonsets
Option C is correct because `kubectl drain` marks a node as unschedulable (similar to `cordon`) and then evicts all pods from the node, respecting PodDisruptionBudgets. The `--ignore-daemonsets` flag is required because DaemonSet pods cannot be evicted via drain (they are managed by the DaemonSet controller and would be immediately rescheduled on the same node), so the command would fail without this flag.
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.
kubectl delete node node-name
Why it's wrong here
Deletes the node object, not safe eviction.
kubectl cordon node-name
Why it's wrong here
Cordon only marks node unschedulable, does not evict pods.
kubectl drain node-name --ignore-daemonsets
Why this is correct
Drain cordons and evicts all pods (except DaemonSets with flag).
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.
kubectl taint node node-name key=value:NoSchedule
Why it's wrong here
Taint prevents new pods but does not evict existing ones.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between `cordon` (only prevents scheduling) and `drain` (prevents scheduling AND evicts pods), and candidates frequently pick `cordon` because they forget that eviction is required for the node to be truly empty for maintenance.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `kubectl drain` first cordons the node (sets `spec.unschedulable: true`), then evicts pods using the Eviction API (which respects PodDisruptionBudgets). If a pod is not managed by a ReplicaSet, Deployment, or similar controller, the drain will fail unless `--force` is used, because the pod would be permanently lost. In real-world scenarios, draining a node is a critical step before rebooting or decommissioning a node, and forgetting `--ignore-daemonsets` is a common cause of drain failures.
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: kubectl drain node-name --ignore-daemonsets — Option C is correct because `kubectl drain` marks a node as unschedulable (similar to `cordon`) and then evicts all pods from the node, respecting PodDisruptionBudgets. The `--ignore-daemonsets` flag is required because DaemonSet pods cannot be evicted via drain (they are managed by the DaemonSet controller and would be immediately rescheduled on the same node), so the command would fail without this flag.
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 30, 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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