KCNA Container Orchestration Practice Question
You want to ensure that a Pod runs on every Node in the cluster. Which resource should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
CNCF often tests the misconception that a Deployment with a replica count equal to the number of Nodes will achieve the same effect, but candidates overlook that Deployments do not enforce per-Node scheduling and can leave some Nodes empty due to scheduling constraints or resource limits.
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
✓
DaemonSet
A DaemonSet ensures that a copy of a Pod runs on every Node in the cluster, including when new Nodes are added. This is the correct resource for cluster-wide services like log collectors, monitoring agents, or kube-proxy, as it automatically schedules a Pod on each Node and respects node taints and tolerations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deployment
Why it's wrong here
A Deployment manages a specified replica count and schedules Pods onto selected Nodes, so it cannot guarantee one Pod per Node. DaemonSet is the resource for per-Node coverage, typically for log shippers or node agents; Deployment suits stateless workloads needing scalable replicas.
- ✓
DaemonSet
Why this is correct
A DaemonSet's controller schedules exactly one Pod copy onto every eligible Node, including Nodes added later, and bypasses the scheduler's normal placement logic. That guarantees the required one-Pod-per-Node coverage, which a Deployment or ReplicaSet cannot promise.
- ✗
ReplicaSet
Why it's wrong here
A ReplicaSet maintains a specified count of identical Pods, not one per Node; its replica count is cluster-wide, so scheduling spreads Pods arbitrarily. It is tempting because it does manage Pod replicas, and would suit stateless workloads needing a fixed replica count rather than node coverage.
- ✗
StatefulSet
Why it's wrong here
A StatefulSet provides stable identities and ordered deployment for stateful Pods, but its replicas are not bound one-per-Node; scheduling remains the scheduler's decision. It tempts because it manages multiple Pods with persistent storage, which suits databases needing stable network identities, not per-node daemon coverage.
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