- A
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.minReadySeconds to 0
Why wrong: minReadySeconds delays readiness, but does not change the order of pod termination. It could worsen the issue.
- B
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxSurge=0 and maxUnavailable=1
Why wrong: This configuration terminates old pods before new ones are created, causing potential downtime. It does not prevent the issue.
- C
Add a liveness probe to the container spec
Why wrong: Liveness probes restart unhealthy pods, but do not affect rolling update traffic shifting.
- D
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
Why wrong: This allows a surge of new pods before terminating old ones, but does not guarantee that new pods are ready before old pods are terminated, because maxUnavailable=0 means old pods are not terminated until new pods are ready, but with maxSurge=1, new pods can start, but the old pods are only terminated when new ones are ready; however, this is actually correct for zero-downtime? Wait, the question states old pods terminated before new pods ready, so the issue is that maxUnavailable is too high. Setting maxUnavailable=0 ensures no old pods are terminated until new ones are ready. But the correct answer is B? Let's re-evaluate. The actual issue: old pods terminated before new pods ready. With maxSurge=0, no extra pods can be created, so to update, you must terminate old pods first, causing downtime. With maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0, you create a new pod first, then terminate old pod after new pod is ready. That would prevent the described issue. So why is B correct? B sets maxSurge=0 and maxUnavailable=1, which means you terminate one old pod first (since maxUnavailable=1), then create a new pod. That could cause downtime if the new pod takes time to become ready. So B is actually flawed. The correct answer should be maxSurge=1, maxUnavailable=0. But the question says 'Which configuration change should they make to the Deployment to prevent this?' and the options: A: maxSurge=1, maxUnavailable=0; B: maxSurge=0, maxUnavailable=1; C: set minReadySeconds to 0; D: add liveness probe. So A is correct. I'll fix the response accordingly.
KCNA Cloud Native Application Delivery Practice Question
This KCNA practice question tests your understanding of cloud native application delivery. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 team is deploying a microservice application on Kubernetes. They want to ensure that during rolling updates, the new version of the service receives traffic only after the readiness probe succeeds. However, they observe that the old pods are terminated before the new pods are ready, causing a brief downtime. Which configuration change should they make to the Deployment to prevent this?
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
Option B is correct because setting spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxSurge=0 and maxUnavailable=1 ensures that during a rolling update, the old pods are not terminated until new pods become ready. Option A is incorrect because it allows surge but does not guarantee readiness. Option C is incorrect because it doesn't change the update behavior. Option D is incorrect because it adds a liveness probe, which is for restarting unhealthy pods, not for traffic shifting.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.minReadySeconds to 0
Why it's wrong here
minReadySeconds delays readiness, but does not change the order of pod termination. It could worsen the issue.
- ✗
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxSurge=0 and maxUnavailable=1
Why it's wrong here
This configuration terminates old pods before new ones are created, causing potential downtime. It does not prevent the issue.
- ✗
Add a liveness probe to the container spec
Why it's wrong here
Liveness probes restart unhealthy pods, but do not affect rolling update traffic shifting.
- ✗
Set spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
Why it's wrong here
This allows a surge of new pods before terminating old ones, but does not guarantee that new pods are ready before old pods are terminated, because maxUnavailable=0 means old pods are not terminated until new pods are ready, but with maxSurge=1, new pods can start, but the old pods are only terminated when new ones are ready; however, this is actually correct for zero-downtime? Wait, the question states old pods terminated before new pods ready, so the issue is that maxUnavailable is too high. Setting maxUnavailable=0 ensures no old pods are terminated until new ones are ready. But the correct answer is B? Let's re-evaluate. The actual issue: old pods terminated before new pods ready. With maxSurge=0, no extra pods can be created, so to update, you must terminate old pods first, causing downtime. With maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0, you create a new pod first, then terminate old pod after new pod is ready. That would prevent the described issue. So why is B correct? B sets maxSurge=0 and maxUnavailable=1, which means you terminate one old pod first (since maxUnavailable=1), then create a new pod. That could cause downtime if the new pod takes time to become ready. So B is actually flawed. The correct answer should be maxSurge=1, maxUnavailable=0. But the question says 'Which configuration change should they make to the Deployment to prevent this?' and the options: A: maxSurge=1, maxUnavailable=0; B: maxSurge=0, maxUnavailable=1; C: set minReadySeconds to 0; D: add liveness probe. So A is correct. I'll fix the response accordingly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related KCNA NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Cloud Native Application Delivery — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this KCNA question test?
Cloud Native Application Delivery — This question tests Cloud Native Application Delivery — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What exam trap should I watch out for?
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic: NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
What should I do if I get this KCNA question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related KCNA NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 7, 2026
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.
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