CKAD Practice Question: Application Environment, Configuration and Security
A Pod is running in a namespace with a default LimitRange that sets a default CPU request of 100m and a default CPU limit of 200m. The Pod's container spec does not specify any CPU requests or limits. What will be the effective CPU request and limit for the container?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that without explicit requests and limits, the container gets none, or that the request and limit are always equal when defaults are applied.
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
✓
CPU request: 100m, CPU limit: 200m
A LimitRange with default CPU request and limit values automatically applies those to containers that do not specify their own. The defaultRequest becomes the request, and the default becomes the limit. Thus, the container gets a CPU request of 100m and a limit of 200m, as defined in the LimitRange.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
CPU request: 200m, CPU limit: 200m
Why it's wrong here
The default request is 100m, not 200m. The LimitRange can specify both default and defaultRequest. In this case, defaultRequest is 100m, so the request will be 100m. The limit is 200m. This option incorrectly swaps the values or assumes the request equals the limit.
- ✗
CPU request: 0, CPU limit: 0
Why it's wrong here
Without a LimitRange, a container with no CPU requests or limits would have no resource guarantees and could consume unbounded CPU. However, the presence of a LimitRange with defaults overrides this. The LimitRange admission controller mutates the Pod spec to include the defaults. Therefore, the request and limit are not zero.
- ✓
CPU request: 100m, CPU limit: 200m
Why this is correct
The LimitRange's default values are applied to containers that do not specify their own CPU requests and limits. Since the container omits both, the default request of 100m and default limit of 200m are automatically set. This ensures that resources are allocated according to namespace policies. The Pod will be scheduled based on the 100m request and constrained by the 200m limit.
- ✗
CPU request: 100m, CPU limit: 100m
Why it's wrong here
The LimitRange specifies separate default and defaultRequest values. The default limit is 200m, not 100m. The default request is 100m. If the LimitRange only had a default (limit) and no defaultRequest, the request would be set equal to the limit. But here both are defined, so the limit is 200m.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CNCF exam blueprint
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