- A
RollingUpdate with maxSurge=3 and maxUnavailable=1
Why wrong: This allows multiple pods to be updated simultaneously, violating the requirement.
- B
RollingUpdate with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
This configuration updates one pod at a time and waits for the new pod to become healthy before proceeding.
- C
Canary deployment via Ingress
Why wrong: Canary deployments are typically managed outside of the Deployment update strategy.
- D
Recreate strategy
Why wrong: Recreate deletes all pods before creating new ones, causing downtime.
Question 124 of 997
Configuring Rolling Update with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
This KCNA practice question tests your understanding of container orchestration. 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.
You have a Deployment with three replicas. You want to update the container image but ensure that only one pod is updated at a time, and the update proceeds only if the new pod becomes healthy. Which update strategy should you configure?
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
✓
RollingUpdate with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
Option B is correct because a RollingUpdate strategy with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0 ensures that exactly one new pod is created before any old pod is terminated, and the update only proceeds when the new pod passes its readiness probe (i.e., becomes healthy). This guarantees that at all times during the update, the desired number of replicas (3) are available, and only one pod is updated at a time, matching the requirement.
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.
- ✗
RollingUpdate with maxSurge=3 and maxUnavailable=1
Why it's wrong here
This allows multiple pods to be updated simultaneously, violating the requirement.
- ✓
RollingUpdate with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0
Why this is correct
This configuration updates one pod at a time and waits for the new pod to become healthy before proceeding.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Canary deployment via Ingress
Why it's wrong here
Canary deployments are typically managed outside of the Deployment update strategy.
- ✗
Recreate strategy
Why it's wrong here
Recreate deletes all pods before creating new ones, causing downtime.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
In the KCNA exam, candidates often misinterpret that maxSurge controls the number of pods updated at a time, when in reality it controls the number of extra pods allowed above the desired count, while maxUnavailable controls the number of pods that can be unavailable during the update; candidates may incorrectly choose Option A thinking maxSurge=1 means one pod at a time, but maxSurge=3 allows three new pods to be created simultaneously, violating the 'only one pod updated at a time' constraint.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the RollingUpdate strategy uses a controller that manages a ReplicaSet for each version; with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0, the controller creates one new pod in a new ReplicaSet, waits for its readiness probe to succeed, then scales down the old ReplicaSet by one, repeating until all pods are updated. A subtle behavior is that if the new pod fails its readiness probe, the update stalls indefinitely, preventing a bad rollout from affecting all replicas. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for stateful applications or zero-downtime deployments where you must validate each new instance before proceeding.
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 KCNA 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.
- →
Container Orchestration — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this KCNA question test?
Container Orchestration — This question tests Container Orchestration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: RollingUpdate with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0 — Option B is correct because a RollingUpdate strategy with maxSurge=1 and maxUnavailable=0 ensures that exactly one new pod is created before any old pod is terminated, and the update only proceeds when the new pod passes its readiness probe (i.e., becomes healthy). This guarantees that at all times during the update, the desired number of replicas (3) are available, and only one pod is updated at a time, matching the requirement.
What should I do if I get this KCNA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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