- A
Use 'serial: 1' and delegate load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost, ensuring each node is taken out of rotation before updating.
This ensures each node is removed from the load balancer, updated, and then re-added, minimizing downtime.
- B
Run the update playbook with 'serial: 10' to update all nodes at once, then run a separate playbook to update the load balancer.
Why wrong: Updating all nodes at once without managing the load balancer first will cause downtime.
- C
Run the update on each node manually using 'ansible-playbook --limit' and skip load balancer management to save time.
Why wrong: Manual execution without load balancer management will cause downtime.
- D
Use 'strategy: free' to allow nodes to update independently without controlling the load balancer.
Why wrong: The free strategy does not manage the load balancer, leading to potential downtime.
EX294 Coordinate rolling updates Practice Question
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of coordinate rolling updates. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
An Ansible Engineer is planning a rolling update for a web application deployed across 10 nodes. The playbook uses the 'delegate_to' directive to manage load balancer health checks. Which of the following best describes the recommended approach to minimize downtime?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Use 'serial: 1' and delegate load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost, ensuring each node is taken out of rotation before updating.
Option A is correct because using 'serial: 1' ensures that only one node is updated at a time, and delegating load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost (or the Ansible control node) allows the playbook to interact with the load balancer API to remove the node from the pool before the update and re-add it after. This minimizes downtime by ensuring traffic is not sent to a node being updated, while other nodes continue serving requests.
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.
- ✓
Use 'serial: 1' and delegate load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost, ensuring each node is taken out of rotation before updating.
Why this is correct
This ensures each node is removed from the load balancer, updated, and then re-added, minimizing downtime.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run the update playbook with 'serial: 10' to update all nodes at once, then run a separate playbook to update the load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
Updating all nodes at once without managing the load balancer first will cause downtime.
- ✗
Run the update on each node manually using 'ansible-playbook --limit' and skip load balancer management to save time.
Why it's wrong here
Manual execution without load balancer management will cause downtime.
- ✗
Use 'strategy: free' to allow nodes to update independently without controlling the load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
The free strategy does not manage the load balancer, leading to potential downtime.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think 'serial: 10' is efficient because it updates all nodes quickly, but they overlook that it causes a full outage, whereas the correct approach prioritizes availability over speed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'serial' keyword controls the batch size of hosts Ansible processes at a time; setting it to 1 forces a linear, one-at-a-time update. Delegating load balancer tasks to localhost typically uses modules like 'uri' or 'community.general.nginx' to interact with the load balancer's API (e.g., Nginx Plus, HAProxy, or cloud load balancers) to mark a node as draining or down before the update, and then re-enable it after. This pattern is critical in production to maintain service availability during zero-downtime deployments.
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 EX294 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this EX294 question test?
Coordinate rolling updates — This question tests Coordinate rolling updates — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use 'serial: 1' and delegate load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost, ensuring each node is taken out of rotation before updating. — Option A is correct because using 'serial: 1' ensures that only one node is updated at a time, and delegating load balancer disable/enable tasks to localhost (or the Ansible control node) allows the playbook to interact with the load balancer API to remove the node from the pool before the update and re-add it after. This minimizes downtime by ensuring traffic is not sent to a node being updated, while other nodes continue serving requests.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "minimum / minimize". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This EX294 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat 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 EX294 exam.
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