- A
A NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with role=backend
The NetworkPolicy defines the allowed ingress to backend pods.
- B
A Service of type LoadBalancer to expose backend pods
Why wrong: LoadBalancer is for external load balancing, not internal policy.
- C
A pod anti-affinity rule to ensure frontend pods are not scheduled on the same nodes as backend pods
Why wrong: Anti-affinity affects scheduling, not network traffic.
- D
An ingress rule that allows from pods with role=frontend on port 8080
The ingress rule specifies the source and port.
- E
A CNI plugin that supports NetworkPolicy enforcement, such as Calico
Why wrong: While necessary for enforcement, the question asks for components to implement the rule, and the policy itself is the implementation.
CKAD Services and Networking Practice Question
This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of services and networking. 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.
A DevOps engineer is setting up network policies in a Kubernetes cluster. The goal is to allow traffic from pods with label 'role=frontend' to pods with label 'role=backend' on TCP port 8080, and deny all other ingress to backend pods. Which two components are necessary to implement this? (Choose two.)
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
A NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with role=backend
Option A is correct because a NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with label 'role=backend' defines the target pods for the policy. This is the foundational component that scopes the policy to backend pods, allowing you to then specify which sources (frontend pods) and ports (TCP 8080) are permitted.
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.
- ✓
A NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with role=backend
Why this is correct
The NetworkPolicy defines the allowed ingress to backend pods.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A Service of type LoadBalancer to expose backend pods
Why it's wrong here
LoadBalancer is for external load balancing, not internal policy.
- ✗
A pod anti-affinity rule to ensure frontend pods are not scheduled on the same nodes as backend pods
Why it's wrong here
Anti-affinity affects scheduling, not network traffic.
- ✓
An ingress rule that allows from pods with role=frontend on port 8080
Why this is correct
The ingress rule specifies the source and port.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A CNI plugin that supports NetworkPolicy enforcement, such as Calico
Why it's wrong here
While necessary for enforcement, the question asks for components to implement the rule, and the policy itself is the implementation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think a CNI plugin (like Calico) is one of the two components needed to 'implement' the policy, but the question asks for the components you configure (the NetworkPolicy and its ingress rule), not the underlying infrastructure that makes it work.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A NetworkPolicy is a Kubernetes resource that uses label selectors to define ingress and egress rules at the IP address or port level (OSI layer 3 or 4). The ingress rule in this scenario must specify both the 'from' selector (pods with role=frontend) and the 'ports' field (TCP 8080) to allow only that traffic; without the port restriction, all traffic from frontend pods would be allowed. Under the hood, the CNI plugin (e.g., Calico, Cilium) translates these policies into iptables or eBPF rules on each node, enforcing the desired isolation.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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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Services and Networking — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKAD question test?
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with role=backend — Option A is correct because a NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule selecting pods with label 'role=backend' defines the target pods for the policy. This is the foundational component that scopes the policy to backend pods, allowing you to then specify which sources (frontend pods) and ports (TCP 8080) are permitted.
What should I do if I get this CKAD 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CKAD 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 CKAD exam.
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