CKA Practice Question: Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration
This CKA practice question tests your understanding of cluster architecture, installation and configuration. 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.
Which THREE are valid steps when upgrading a Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm? (Select 3)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Upgrade kubelet and kubectl on the node.
Option A is correct because after upgrading kubeadm on the control plane, you must upgrade kubelet and kubectl on each node to match the target Kubernetes version. The kubelet is the primary node agent that communicates with the control plane, and kubectl is the CLI tool used to interact with the cluster. Without upgrading these components, the node may fail to register or report an incompatible version, causing the node to be in a NotReady state.
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.
✓
Upgrade kubelet and kubectl on the node.
Why this is correct
These components must be upgraded manually.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Upgrade kubeadm on the node to the target version.
Why this is correct
kubeadm must be upgraded first.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Upgrade the container runtime to a compatible version.
Why it's wrong here
Container runtime upgrade is independent and not required for kubeadm upgrade.
✓
Drain the node before upgrading it.
Why this is correct
Draining evicts pods gracefully.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Run 'kubeadm upgrade apply' on the worker node.
Why it's wrong here
This is for control plane nodes only.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the 'kubeadm upgrade apply' command, thinking it can be run on any node, when in fact it must be executed on the control plane node, while worker nodes require 'kubeadm upgrade node'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The kubeadm upgrade process follows a specific order: first upgrade kubeadm on the control plane, then run 'kubeadm upgrade apply' on the control plane to upgrade the cluster state and control plane components, then upgrade kubelet and kubectl on each node, and finally drain and uncordon nodes as needed. The 'kubeadm upgrade apply' command interacts with the Kubernetes API server to update the cluster configuration and component versions, while 'kubeadm upgrade node' on worker nodes only upgrades the local kubelet configuration. A real-world scenario where this matters is when a node's kubelet version lags behind the control plane version by more than one minor version, which is unsupported and can cause the node to fail to join the cluster.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKA question in full detail.
Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration — This question tests Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Upgrade kubelet and kubectl on the node. — Option A is correct because after upgrading kubeadm on the control plane, you must upgrade kubelet and kubectl on each node to match the target Kubernetes version. The kubelet is the primary node agent that communicates with the control plane, and kubectl is the CLI tool used to interact with the cluster. Without upgrading these components, the node may fail to register or report an incompatible version, causing the node to be in a NotReady state.
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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Question Discussion
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