This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of services and networking. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
You create a headless service with 'clusterIP: None' for a StatefulSet. How does a client discover the individual pod IPs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DNS returns multiple A records for the service name, each pointing to a pod IP
Option A is correct. For a headless service, DNS returns A/AAAA records for all pods that match the selector. Clients can then connect directly to any pod IP. Option B describes a regular ClusterIP service. Option C is about Ingress. Option D is about ExternalName.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
DNS returns multiple A records for the service name, each pointing to a pod IP
Why this is correct
Headless services allow DNS to return multiple A records for pod IPs.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
The service returns the pod's hostname from the StatefulSet
Why it's wrong here
Hostnames are derived from the StatefulSet, but discovery is via DNS.
✗
An Ingress controller must be configured to expose each pod
Why it's wrong here
Ingress is for HTTP/HTTPS routing, not for discovering pod IPs.
✗
The service provides a virtual IP that load balances among pods
Why it's wrong here
That's the behavior of a regular ClusterIP service.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKAD question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKAD questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: DNS returns multiple A records for the service name, each pointing to a pod IP — Option A is correct. For a headless service, DNS returns A/AAAA records for all pods that match the selector. Clients can then connect directly to any pod IP. Option B describes a regular ClusterIP service. Option C is about Ingress. Option D is about ExternalName.
What should I do if I get this CKAD question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKAD questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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