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.
A team uses Ansible to update a database cluster with one primary and two replicas. The goal is zero downtime. Which update order is the safest?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Update replicas first, then the primary.
Correct. Replicas are updated first, then the primary after confirmation.
Update in random order.
Why wrong: Random order may update primary first, risking downtime.
Update all nodes simultaneously.
Why wrong: No redundancy; all nodes could go down at once.
Update the primary first, then replicas.
Why wrong: Risk of primary failure during update causes full downtime.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Update replicas first, then the primary.
Updating replicas first ensures that if the update introduces a regression, it affects only the read-only replicas, which can be quickly rolled back without impacting write availability. Once replicas are confirmed healthy, the primary is updated and a controlled failover (e.g., using `patronictl switchover` or `repmgr standby switchover`) promotes a replica to primary, minimizing downtime to seconds. This order aligns with the principle of reducing blast radius and maintaining quorum in a cluster.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Update replicas first, then the primary.
Why this is correct
Correct. Replicas are updated first, then the primary after confirmation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Update in random order.
Why it's wrong here
Random order may update primary first, risking downtime.
Update all nodes simultaneously.
Why it's wrong here
No redundancy; all nodes could go down at once.
Update the primary first, then replicas.
Why it's wrong here
Risk of primary failure during update causes full downtime.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates assume updating the primary first is safer because it is the 'source of truth,' but in a clustered environment with zero-downtime requirements, updating replicas first is the standard practice to preserve write availability and allow safe rollback.
Detailed technical explanation
In a PostgreSQL streaming replication setup, updating replicas first allows you to test the new package version (e.g., `postgresql15-server`) on standby nodes while the primary continues serving writes. After all replicas are updated, a controlled switchover using `pg_ctl promote` or `repmgr standby switchover` flips the role, making the new primary the updated node. This approach leverages the fact that replicas can be promoted without data loss if they are in sync, and it avoids the risk of a primary update breaking replication due to a catalog mismatch (e.g., `pg_upgrade` incompatibility).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Coordinate rolling updates — This question tests Coordinate rolling updates — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Update replicas first, then the primary. — Updating replicas first ensures that if the update introduces a regression, it affects only the read-only replicas, which can be quickly rolled back without impacting write availability. Once replicas are confirmed healthy, the primary is updated and a controlled failover (e.g., using `patronictl switchover` or `repmgr standby switchover`) promotes a replica to primary, minimizing downtime to seconds. This order aligns with the principle of reducing blast radius and maintaining quorum in a cluster.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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