This CKA practice question tests your understanding of cluster architecture, installation & 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.
Which TWO of the following are valid commands to upgrade a kubeadm cluster from version 1.22.x to 1.23.x on the control plane node? Assume the node is already drained.
kubeadm upgrade apply v1.23.0
This applies the upgrade to the specified version.
kubeadm upgrade node
Why wrong: This is used for upgrading worker nodes, not control plane.
kubeadm upgrade plan v1.23.0
Why wrong: 'plan' does not take a version argument; it shows available upgrades.
kubeadm upgrade plan
This shows the available versions and upgrade steps.
kubeadm upgrade diff
Why wrong: This command does not exist.
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 apply v1.23.0
Option A is correct because `kubeadm upgrade apply v1.23.0` is the explicit command to upgrade the control plane to a specific version (v1.23.0) in a kubeadm cluster. It validates the upgrade path, uploads the new configuration, and applies the upgrade to the control plane components. The node is already drained, so this command proceeds directly with the upgrade.
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 v1.23.0
Why this is correct
This applies the upgrade to the specified version.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubeadm upgrade node
Why it's wrong here
This is used for upgrading worker nodes, not control plane.
kubeadm upgrade plan v1.23.0
Why it's wrong here
'plan' does not take a version argument; it shows available upgrades.
kubeadm upgrade plan
Why this is correct
This shows the available versions and upgrade steps.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
kubeadm upgrade diff
Why it's wrong here
This command does not exist.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse `kubeadm upgrade plan` (which only shows available upgrades) with an actual upgrade command, or they incorrectly add a version argument to `kubeadm upgrade plan`, which is syntactically invalid.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
'plan' does not take a version argument; it shows available upgrades.
Detailed technical explanation
The `kubeadm upgrade apply` command performs a phased upgrade: it first checks the cluster's current state, then upgrades the kube-apiserver, kube-controller-manager, and kube-scheduler to the specified version, and finally updates the kubeadm configuration stored in the cluster. The `kubeadm upgrade plan` command (without a version) queries the Kubernetes release API to list available patch versions and the upgrade path, but it never modifies the cluster. A common real-world scenario is that administrators run `kubeadm upgrade plan` first to verify the upgrade path, then drain the node, and finally run `kubeadm upgrade apply v1.23.0` to perform the upgrade.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration — This question tests Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubeadm upgrade apply v1.23.0 — Option A is correct because `kubeadm upgrade apply v1.23.0` is the explicit command to upgrade the control plane to a specific version (v1.23.0) in a kubeadm cluster. It validates the upgrade path, uploads the new configuration, and applies the upgrade to the control plane components. The node is already drained, so this command proceeds directly with the upgrade.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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