This CKA practice question tests your understanding of storage. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 statements about PersistentVolume (PV) reclaim policies are correct?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Delete policy: both the PV and the underlying storage are deleted.
Option A is correct because the Delete reclaim policy removes both the PersistentVolume object from the cluster and the associated underlying storage asset (e.g., an EBS volume or GCE PD). This is the default behavior for dynamically provisioned PVs, ensuring no orphaned storage resources remain after the PV is released.
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.
✓
Delete policy: both the PV and the underlying storage are deleted.
Why this is correct
Delete removes both the cluster resource and external storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Recycle policy: the PV is deleted and data is scrubbed.
Why it's wrong here
Recycle is deprecated and does not delete the PV.
✗
Delete policy: the PV remains but the underlying storage is deleted.
Why it's wrong here
Delete removes the PV as well.
✓
Retain policy: the PV remains in the cluster and the underlying storage is not deleted.
Why this is correct
Retain keeps the PV and data for manual reclamation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Retain policy: the PV is automatically deleted after 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Retain does not have automatic deletion.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing the Recycle policy with Delete or Retain, or assuming that Retain includes an automatic cleanup timer, when in fact Retain requires manual administrative action and never auto-deletes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the reclaim policy is set in the PV's `spec.persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy` field. For Retain, the PV's status changes to Released, and the underlying storage (e.g., an AWS EBS volume) is preserved but no longer bound to a claim. Administrators must manually back up data, delete the PV, and then re-create it or import the storage as a new PV. In contrast, Delete triggers a call to the cloud provider's API (via the in-tree or CSI driver) to remove the storage asset, which is critical for cost management in dynamic provisioning environments.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKA question in full detail.
Storage — This question tests Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Delete policy: both the PV and the underlying storage are deleted. — Option A is correct because the Delete reclaim policy removes both the PersistentVolume object from the cluster and the associated underlying storage asset (e.g., an EBS volume or GCE PD). This is the default behavior for dynamically provisioned PVs, ensuring no orphaned storage resources remain after the PV is released.
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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