KCNA Container Orchestration Practice Question
A cluster administrator is configuring a Pod with a container that requires 2 CPU cores and 4Gi of memory. The administrator sets resource requests to 2 CPU and 4Gi memory, and limits to 4 CPU and 8Gi memory. The Pod is scheduled to a node with 4 CPU and 8Gi memory available. What happens when the container attempts to use 3 CPU and 6Gi memory?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse requests with limits, or assuming that exceeding a request triggers throttling or eviction, when requests are only for scheduling.
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
✓
The container runs normally because usage is within the limits.
Resource requests are used by the scheduler to place pods, while limits define the maximum resources a container can consume. When usage is between requests and limits, the container continues running without throttling or termination. Only exceeding CPU limits causes throttling, and exceeding memory limits triggers an OOM kill.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The container runs normally because usage is within the limits.
Why this is correct
The container's resource limits are 4 CPU and 8Gi memory. Using 3 CPU and 6Gi memory is below these limits, so the container is not throttled or killed. Requests guarantee scheduling, while limits cap usage. Since the node has enough resources, the container operates without restriction.
- ✗
The container is restarted by the kubelet because it exceeded its request.
Why it's wrong here
Exceeding a request does not cause a restart. Requests are used for scheduling and quality of service; they do not act as a hard cap. Only exceeding memory limits can trigger an OOM kill. CPU over request is allowed and does not lead to restarts.
- ✗
The container is throttled to 2 CPU and OOM killed for memory.
Why it's wrong here
The container is allowed to use up to its limits (4 CPU, 8Gi memory). Throttling occurs only if CPU usage exceeds the limit, not the request. Memory is not OOM killed unless it exceeds the limit. Here, 3 CPU and 6Gi are within limits, so no throttling or OOM kill occurs.
- ✗
The container is evicted from the node due to resource overcommit.
Why it's wrong here
Eviction occurs when a node is under resource pressure, typically when pods exceed their requests and the node runs out of resources. Here, the container is within its limits and the node has available capacity (4 CPU, 8Gi total). There is no overcommit that would trigger eviction.
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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
This KCNA 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 KCNA exam.