- A
The play pauses and waits for user input
Why wrong: max_fail_percentage does not pause; it aborts.
- B
The failed hosts are removed from inventory
Why wrong: max_fail_percentage does not modify inventory.
- C
The play retries failed hosts
Why wrong: max_fail_percentage does not trigger retries.
- D
The play aborts immediately
If failure percentage exceeds max_fail_percentage, the play stops.
- E
The play continues with remaining hosts
Why wrong: max_fail_percentage causes abort if exceeded.
Question 508 of 528
EX294 Coordinate rolling updates Practice Question
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of coordinate rolling updates. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 rolling update playbook includes 'max_fail_percentage: 20'. If more than 20% of hosts fail during any batch, what happens?
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
✓
The play aborts immediately
Option D is correct because the `max_fail_percentage` parameter in Ansible's rolling update strategy defines the maximum percentage of hosts that can fail in a single batch before the playbook aborts entirely. When the failure rate exceeds this threshold, Ansible stops execution immediately to prevent cascading failures or inconsistent state across the remaining hosts.
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.
- ✗
The play pauses and waits for user input
Why it's wrong here
max_fail_percentage does not pause; it aborts.
- ✗
The failed hosts are removed from inventory
Why it's wrong here
max_fail_percentage does not modify inventory.
- ✗
The play retries failed hosts
Why it's wrong here
max_fail_percentage does not trigger retries.
- ✓
The play aborts immediately
Why this is correct
If failure percentage exceeds max_fail_percentage, the play stops.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The play continues with remaining hosts
Why it's wrong here
max_fail_percentage causes abort if exceeded.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `max_fail_percentage` with `any_errors_fatal` or assume the play will simply skip failed hosts and continue, but Ansible strictly aborts the entire play when the threshold is exceeded to enforce safety limits.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Ansible's rolling update strategy uses `serial` to control batch size and `max_fail_percentage` to set a failure threshold per batch. When a batch completes, Ansible calculates the failure percentage as (failed hosts in batch / total hosts in batch) * 100. If this exceeds `max_fail_percentage`, the playbook aborts with a fatal error, and no subsequent batches are executed. This is critical in real-world scenarios like database cluster updates, where exceeding a failure threshold could lead to quorum loss or data inconsistency.
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.
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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: The play aborts immediately — Option D is correct because the `max_fail_percentage` parameter in Ansible's rolling update strategy defines the maximum percentage of hosts that can fail in a single batch before the playbook aborts entirely. When the failure rate exceeds this threshold, Ansible stops execution immediately to prevent cascading failures or inconsistent state across the remaining hosts.
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.
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
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