This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of application observability and maintenance. 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.
A DevOps engineer needs to set up resource monitoring for pods in a namespace. Which built-in Kubernetes resource provides CPU and memory metrics out-of-the-box?
Metrics Server
Built-in cluster addon for resource metrics.
Prometheus
Why wrong: Not built-in; requires separate deployment.
CoreDNS
Why wrong: DNS service, not metrics.
Kubernetes Dashboard
Why wrong: Web UI, not a metrics provider.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Metrics Server
The Metrics Server is the built-in Kubernetes resource that collects resource metrics (CPU and memory) from the kubelet on each node via the Summary API and exposes them through the metrics.k8s.io API. It provides these metrics out-of-the-box without requiring any additional configuration or external storage, making it the standard solution for horizontal pod autoscaling and kubectl top commands.
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.
Metrics Server
Why this is correct
Built-in cluster addon for resource metrics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Prometheus
Why it's wrong here
Not built-in; requires separate deployment.
CoreDNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS service, not metrics.
Kubernetes Dashboard
Why it's wrong here
Web UI, not a metrics provider.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between built-in Kubernetes components and third-party add-ons, so candidates may mistakenly choose Prometheus because it is a popular monitoring tool, but the question specifically asks for a built-in resource that provides metrics out-of-the-box.
Detailed technical explanation
The Metrics Server operates by polling the kubelet’s /metrics/resource endpoint every 15 seconds (default) and aggregates the data in-memory, storing only the latest values without a historical database. This design makes it lightweight but unsuitable for long-term trend analysis; for that, you would need a full monitoring stack like Prometheus with persistent storage. A real-world scenario where this matters is when configuring HorizontalPodAutoscaler (HPA) — if the Metrics Server is not deployed, the HPA cannot retrieve CPU/memory metrics and will fail to scale pods.
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 CKAD 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
Application Observability and Maintenance — This question tests Application Observability and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Metrics Server — The Metrics Server is the built-in Kubernetes resource that collects resource metrics (CPU and memory) from the kubelet on each node via the Summary API and exposes them through the metrics.k8s.io API. It provides these metrics out-of-the-box without requiring any additional configuration or external storage, making it the standard solution for horizontal pod autoscaling and kubectl top commands.
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 30, 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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