- A
Use serial: 3 to update hosts in batches of 3.
Serial is the built-in rolling update mechanism.
- B
Use a canary group with a separate playbook run and manual verification before updating the full fleet.
Canary deployment is a valid staged approach.
- C
Use inventory host variables to mark hosts for early update and use conditional tasks.
Why wrong: This is possible but not a standard 'rolling out' technique; it's a manual workaround.
- D
Use the --forks=1 option to update one host at a time.
Why wrong: forks controls task parallelism, not host batch ordering.
- E
Use the 'strategy: random' directive in the playbook.
Why wrong: Ansible does not have a 'random' strategy.
Question 210 of 528
Techniques for Rolling Update Subset
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.
Which TWO options are valid techniques for rolling out updates to a subset of hosts before updating the rest? (Choose exactly two.)
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: 3 to update hosts in batches of 3.
Option A is correct because the `serial: 3` directive in an Ansible playbook limits the number of hosts updated in each batch, allowing you to roll out changes to a subset of hosts before proceeding to the next batch. This is a native Ansible mechanism for controlling rolling updates by specifying the batch size, ensuring that only three hosts are updated at a time, with the play pausing between batches.
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: 3 to update hosts in batches of 3.
Why this is correct
Serial is the built-in rolling update mechanism.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Use a canary group with a separate playbook run and manual verification before updating the full fleet.
Why this is correct
Canary deployment is a valid staged approach.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use inventory host variables to mark hosts for early update and use conditional tasks.
Why it's wrong here
This is possible but not a standard 'rolling out' technique; it's a manual workaround.
- ✗
Use the --forks=1 option to update one host at a time.
Why it's wrong here
forks controls task parallelism, not host batch ordering.
- ✗
Use the 'strategy: random' directive in the playbook.
Why it's wrong here
Ansible does not have a 'random' strategy.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `--forks=1` (which limits concurrency but does not create batches) with `serial: 1` (which creates batches of one host), or they assume that inventory variables alone can orchestrate rolling updates without additional playbook logic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `serial` directive works by dividing the inventory into batches of the specified size, executing the entire playbook on each batch before moving to the next, which is ideal for canary-style rollouts. In contrast, the canary group approach (Option B) involves running a separate playbook on a small subset, manually verifying, then updating the rest, which is a common real-world pattern for high-risk deployments. Under the hood, Ansible's `serial` uses the `strategy_plugins` to manage batch execution, and the `--forks` option controls the number of concurrent connections per batch, not the batch size itself.
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: 3 to update hosts in batches of 3. — Option A is correct because the `serial: 3` directive in an Ansible playbook limits the number of hosts updated in each batch, allowing you to roll out changes to a subset of hosts before proceeding to the next batch. This is a native Ansible mechanism for controlling rolling updates by specifying the batch size, ensuring that only three hosts are updated at a time, with the play pausing between batches.
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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