Consul 1.15 · topic practice
Practise HashiCorp Certified: Consul Associate (Consul 1.15) (Consul 1.15) Health Checking practice questions — original exam-style scenarios with answer choices, explanations, and analysis of common mistakes.
Courseiva uses original exam-style practice questions designed for learning and revision. The goal is to understand the concepts, recognise exam patterns, and improve through explanations — not memorise copied exam dumps.
What the exam tests
Health Checking questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.
How the topic appears in realistic exam-style scenarios.
Which detail in the question changes the correct answer.
How to eliminate plausible but wrong options.
How to connect the question back to the wider exam objective.
Watch out for
Practice set
20 questions · select your answer, then reveal the explanation
Trap 1: weight
Weight is a service attribute.
Trap 2: service_id
This is for the service itself.
interval
Used for polling rate.
weight
Why wrong: Weight is a service attribute.
timeout
Used for response wait time.
service_id
Why wrong: This is for the service itself.
http
Used for the target URL.
Trap 1: InitialStatus
Sets the status of the check when it is first registered.
Trap 2: Interval
Controls how often the check runs, not the wait time.
Trap 3: DeregisterCriticalServiceAfter
Controls when a service is removed after failure.
InitialStatus
Why wrong: Sets the status of the check when it is first registered.
Timeout
Specifies the duration the agent waits for a response.
Interval
Why wrong: Controls how often the check runs, not the wait time.
DeregisterCriticalServiceAfter
Why wrong: Controls when a service is removed after failure.
Trap 1: cleanup_interval
Not a standard configuration parameter.
Trap 2: critical_timeout
This does not exist for deregistration.
Trap 3: remove_service_after
This is not a valid parameter.
cleanup_interval
Why wrong: Not a standard configuration parameter.
critical_timeout
Why wrong: This does not exist for deregistration.
deregister_critical_service_after
This is the correct parameter for automatic removal.
remove_service_after
Why wrong: This is not a valid parameter.
Trap 1: advertise_addr
Used for cluster communication.
Trap 2: client_addr
Used for HTTP/DNS/RPC API access.
Trap 3: check_addr
This parameter does not exist.
advertise_addr
Why wrong: Used for cluster communication.
client_addr
Why wrong: Used for HTTP/DNS/RPC API access.
check_addr
Why wrong: This parameter does not exist.
bind_addr
Used by the agent for internal and health check traffic.
Trap 1: After 60 seconds
Twice the TTL is not the default behavior.
Trap 2: Once the agent restarts
The agent tracks this in memory.
Trap 3: Immediately
It waits until the TTL expires.
After 60 seconds
Why wrong: Twice the TTL is not the default behavior.
Once the agent restarts
Why wrong: The agent tracks this in memory.
Immediately
Why wrong: It waits until the TTL expires.
After 30 seconds
The status transitions to critical after the TTL duration.
Trap 1: The port is listed in netstat
Consul performs an active check.
Trap 2: The service responds with a specific string
This would require a custom script check.
Trap 3: The service returns a 200 OK
That is an HTTP check requirement.
The port is listed in netstat
Why wrong: Consul performs an active check.
The service responds with a specific string
Why wrong: This would require a custom script check.
The service returns a 200 OK
Why wrong: That is an HTTP check requirement.
The agent receives a successful TCP handshake
Successful connection implies the service is reachable.
Trap 1: allow_unprivileged_scripts
This is not a valid Consul agent configuration option.
Trap 2: disable_remote_exec
Controls Consul's remote execution feature, not local script checks.
Trap 3: enable_local_script_execution
This is not a valid configuration key.
allow_unprivileged_scripts
Why wrong: This is not a valid Consul agent configuration option.
disable_remote_exec
Why wrong: Controls Consul's remote execution feature, not local script checks.
enable_script_checks
This flag controls the ability of the agent to execute scripts.
enable_local_script_execution
Why wrong: This is not a valid configuration key.
Trap 1: 3xx
3xx codes are redirects and not considered passing.
Trap 2: Any code less than 500
Consul strictly expects 2xx.
Trap 3: 1xx
Consul expects 2xx codes.
3xx
Why wrong: 3xx codes are redirects and not considered passing.
Any code less than 500
Why wrong: Consul strictly expects 2xx.
1xx
Why wrong: Consul expects 2xx codes.
2xx
Consul interprets 2xx as passing.
Trap 1: HTTP check
Requires the app to respond to external GET requests.
Trap 2: TCP check
Requires the app to have an open port for connection testing.
Trap 3: Script check
Requires the agent to execute a binary on the host.
TTL check
Requires the application to send heartbeat signals to the agent.
HTTP check
Why wrong: Requires the app to respond to external GET requests.
TCP check
Why wrong: Requires the app to have an open port for connection testing.
Script check
Why wrong: Requires the agent to execute a binary on the host.
Trap 1: XML
Not supported.
Trap 2: INI
Not supported.
Trap 3: YAML
Not natively supported by the agent config loader.
JSON
JSON is a native configuration format for Consul.
XML
Why wrong: Not supported.
INI
Why wrong: Not supported.
YAML
Why wrong: Not natively supported by the agent config loader.
Trap 1: consul kv put
Used for KV store.
Trap 2: consul agent -check-update
This command does not exist.
Trap 3: consul health update
This command does not exist.
consul kv put
Why wrong: Used for KV store.
curl -X PUT http://localhost:8500/v1/agent/check/pass/checkID
This is the documented API call to pass a TTL check.
consul agent -check-update
Why wrong: This command does not exist.
consul health update
Why wrong: This command does not exist.
Trap 1: Only check the parent process
This might miss child process failures.
Trap 2: Use only TCP checks
TCP checks do not monitor application logic.
Trap 3: Use a single script check that kills the service
This is destructive and not recommended.
Only check the parent process
Why wrong: This might miss child process failures.
Run one check per service definition
Consul allows multiple checks per service.
Use only TCP checks
Why wrong: TCP checks do not monitor application logic.
Use a single script check that kills the service
Why wrong: This is destructive and not recommended.
Trap 1: It is automatically removed from the catalog
It remains in the catalog until deregistered.
Trap 2: It remains passing
The server eventually marks it as critical.
Trap 3: It stays in the last known state
Consul updates the state based on heartbeat/check failures.
It is automatically removed from the catalog
Why wrong: It remains in the catalog until deregistered.
It remains passing
Why wrong: The server eventually marks it as critical.
It stays in the last known state
Why wrong: Consul updates the state based on heartbeat/check failures.
It enters a critical state
The server marks the check as critical due to timeout/unreachability.
Trap 1: The service is automatically registered with a Load Balancer
Consul does not auto-register with LBs.
Trap 2: The check is bypassed
It only impacts visibility.
Trap 3: The agent automatically upgrades the check to HTTP
It does not change the check type.
The service is automatically registered with a Load Balancer
Why wrong: Consul does not auto-register with LBs.
The check is bypassed
Why wrong: It only impacts visibility.
The check status is exposed on the HTTP interface
This makes the status publicly reachable on the agent's port.
The agent automatically upgrades the check to HTTP
Why wrong: It does not change the check type.
Trap 1: unknown
Unknown is not passing.
Trap 2: critical
Critical is failing.
Trap 3: warning
Warning is not passing.
passing
Passing indicates health.
unknown
Why wrong: Unknown is not passing.
critical
Why wrong: Critical is failing.
warning
Why wrong: Warning is not passing.
Trap 1: To provide credentials for the service
Checks are for status, not auth.
Trap 2: To enable service discovery
Service discovery is defined by the service block itself.
Trap 3: To set the service weight
Weight is configured separately.
To define the health status requirements
It associates a health check with the lifecycle of the service.
To provide credentials for the service
Why wrong: Checks are for status, not auth.
To enable service discovery
Why wrong: Service discovery is defined by the service block itself.
To set the service weight
Why wrong: Weight is configured separately.
Trap 1: /v1/agent/services
Returns defined services.
Trap 2: /v1/agent/self
Returns agent info.
Trap 3: /v1/catalog/nodes
Returns list of nodes.
/v1/agent/services
Why wrong: Returns defined services.
/v1/agent/self
Why wrong: Returns agent info.
/v1/catalog/nodes
Why wrong: Returns list of nodes.
/v1/health/checks/<service>
Returns the check status including the output field.
Trap 1: Using the 'consul kv' update
KV is for key-value store.
Trap 2: Consul CLI 'health' command
No direct command for this.
Trap 3: Editing the service definition file
This would require a reload.
Using the 'consul kv' update
Why wrong: KV is for key-value store.
HTTP PUT to the /agent/check/pass endpoint
This is the standard way to update TTL checks.
Consul CLI 'health' command
Why wrong: No direct command for this.
Editing the service definition file
Why wrong: This would require a reload.
Trap 1: The trigger time
This is handled by the interval.
Trap 2: The expected result
Consul expects pass/fail.
Trap 3: The logic for the check
Logic is in the script/URL.
The trigger time
Why wrong: This is handled by the interval.
A human-readable description
Used for documentation purposes.
The expected result
Why wrong: Consul expects pass/fail.
The logic for the check
Why wrong: Logic is in the script/URL.
Trap 1: check_exec
This does not exist.
Trap 2: command
This is not the field name.
Trap 3: action
This is not the field name.
check_exec
Why wrong: This does not exist.
command
Why wrong: This is not the field name.
script
The 'script' field contains the execution string.
action
Why wrong: This is not the field name.
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