Question 970 of 997

Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How to Verify NodePort Service Endpoints with kubectl

This CKS practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging and runtime security. 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.

A NodePort service is not accessible from outside the cluster. Which command should you use to check if the service's endpoints are correctly populated?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.

A
kubectl get svc <service-name> -o yaml
Why wrong: This shows service spec, but endpoints are managed separately.
B
kubectl get pods -l <selector>
Why wrong: This shows pods but not whether they are correctly targeted by the service.
C
kubectl describe service <service-name>
Why wrong: This shows service details but not necessarily endpoint issues; endpoints command is more direct.
D
kubectl get endpoints <service-name>
This command shows the endpoints (pod IPs) associated with the service.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

kubectl get endpoints <service-name>

Option D is correct because `kubectl get endpoints <service-name>` directly shows the IP addresses and ports of the Pods that the Service is routing traffic to. If the endpoints list is empty, the Service has no healthy Pods backing it, which explains why the NodePort is unreachable from outside the cluster. This command is the most direct way to verify that the Service's selector matches running Pods and that the endpoints controller has populated the Endpoints object.

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.

✗
kubectl get svc <service-name> -o yaml
Why it's wrong here
This shows service spec, but endpoints are managed separately.
✗
kubectl get pods -l <selector>
Why it's wrong here
This shows pods but not whether they are correctly targeted by the service.
✗
kubectl describe service <service-name>
Why it's wrong here
This shows service details but not necessarily endpoint issues; endpoints command is more direct.
✓
kubectl get endpoints <service-name>
Why this is correct
This command shows the endpoints (pod IPs) associated with the service.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often choose `kubectl describe service` (Option C) because it shows the selector and port information, but they overlook that it does not display the actual endpoint IPs, which is the critical piece of information needed to diagnose why the NodePort is unreachable.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
This shows service spec, but endpoints are managed separately.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, the Endpoints controller in kube-controller-manager watches Pods that match a Service's label selector and satisfy readiness gates, then writes the IP:port pairs into the Endpoints object. A NodePort Service relies on kube-proxy to install iptables or IPVS rules that forward traffic to these endpoint IPs; if the Endpoints object is empty, kube-proxy will not install any forwarding rules, making the NodePort unreachable. In real-world scenarios, a common subtlety is that a Service with `externalTrafficPolicy: Local` will only populate endpoints for Pods on the same node, which can cause empty endpoints on nodes without a matching Pod.

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 CKS 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

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this CKS question test?

Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security — This question tests Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: kubectl get endpoints <service-name> — Option D is correct because `kubectl get endpoints <service-name>` directly shows the IP addresses and ports of the Pods that the Service is routing traffic to. If the endpoints list is empty, the Service has no healthy Pods backing it, which explains why the NodePort is unreachable from outside the cluster. This command is the most direct way to verify that the Service's selector matches running Pods and that the endpoints controller has populated the Endpoints object.

What should I do if I get this CKS question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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