KCNA Kubernetes Fundamentals Practice Question
A pod has both resource requests and limits defined. The container is using more CPU than the request but less than the limit. What will happen?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common misconception is that exceeding a CPU request triggers throttling or eviction, when in fact throttling only occurs at the limit and eviction is tied to node pressure and QoS class.
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 will continue to run normally
When a container's CPU usage exceeds its request but stays below its limit, Kubernetes treats the container as running within its allowed range. The request guarantees baseline resources, while the limit caps usage; as long as usage is below the limit, no throttling or eviction occurs. The container continues to run normally because CPU limits are enforced via CFS quotas only when usage reaches the limit, and requests are used for scheduling and QoS classification.
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 will be evicted from the node
Why it's wrong here
Eviction occurs when node resources are overcommitted; this scenario does not indicate node pressure.
- ✗
The container will be throttled
Why it's wrong here
Throttling happens when the container tries to use more CPU than the limit. Since it's below limit, no throttling.
- ✓
The container will continue to run normally
Why this is correct
Requests guarantee scheduling capacity, while limits cap consumption. CPU usage between request and limit stays within the container's allowed allocation, so the container keeps running; only exceeding the limit triggers throttling, and memory over limit triggers OOMKill.
- ✗
The container will be terminated
Why it's wrong here
Termination occurs only if memory limit is exceeded or if OOMKilled occurs; CPU usage above limit causes throttling, not termination.
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