Examworthyexamworthy.comKubernetes and Cloud Native Associate cheat sheet
Cloud Native Computing Foundation
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At a glance
Format: Online proctored, multiple choice
Domain weight map
Heaviest first - spend your time hereHow this exam thinks
KCNA rewards matching the right Kubernetes object or pattern to a stated requirement, not memorising definitions or kubectl flags.
Spot the trap
Tempting wrong answers, and why they failTempting but wrong
A Deployment can run one Pod on every node because it keeps a fixed number of identical replicas across the cluster.
Why it fails
A Deployment maintains a chosen replica count and lets the scheduler place those Pods anywhere, so it is tempting for any run-this-everywhere need, but it cannot guarantee one Pod per node and will not react to new nodes joining.
Kubernetes Fundamentals
Tempting but wrong
A NodePort Service is a safe choice for an internal-only cache because it just gives a stable target for other Pods.
Why it fails
NodePort is tempting because it also gives a stable target, but it opens a port on every node's external IP, exposing the cache beyond the cluster, which an internal-only requirement forbids.
Container Orchestration
Tempting but wrong
Isn't GitOps just a CI server holding the authoritative config and running kubectl apply whenever a build succeeds?
Why it fails
Tempting because CI pipelines do deploy to clusters, but this describes a push model where an external system imperatively applies changes, rather than a Git repository being the declarative source of truth that the cluster reconciles against.
Cloud Native Application Delivery
Tempting but wrong
Can you just open a shell into each running container and edit the config files directly, avoiding a redeploy?
Why it fails
Tempting because it seems faster, but editing files inside a live container mutates the running instance in place, which is the mutable pattern immutable infrastructure exists to avoid.
Cloud Native Architecture
Tempting but wrong
A StatefulSet runs one Pod per node because it ties each Pod's stable network identity to a specific node.
Why it fails
A StatefulSet provides ordered, stably named Pods for stateful apps, which sounds node-related, but its replica count is fixed and its Pods are not placed one-per-node, so it does not track node membership.
Kubernetes Fundamentals
Tempting but wrong
An ExternalName Service can front an in-cluster cache Pod because it deals with DNS.
Why it fails
ExternalName seems relevant because it involves DNS, but it aliases to an external hostname rather than fronting an in-cluster Pod, so it does not expose the local cache at all.
Container Orchestration
Tempting but wrong
Is it GitOps if developers make live kubectl changes and then export the result back into Git as a backup?
Why it fails
This inverts the flow. It involves Git, but here Git is a passive backup rather than the authoritative source, so live manual edits become the real source of truth, which GitOps forbids.
Cloud Native Application Delivery
Tempting but wrong
Is running an agent that periodically reconciles and rewrites files on live servers an immutable approach?
Why it fails
No. An agent that continuously mutates live servers is a classic mutable-infrastructure workflow; it changes instances in place instead of replacing them, the opposite of immutability.
Cloud Native Architecture
Key terms
Exam-day rules
- Read the last line of the question first. It tells you the requirement being tested, so you can read the scenario looking for the object that satisfies it rather than memorising detail.
- Choose the object that fits the requirement, not merely a real one. Several options name genuine Kubernetes objects; the exam wants the best fit for the stated need.
- When the scenario needs stable identity or ordered storage, think StatefulSet, not Deployment. The workload property, not familiarity, selects the controller.
- Separate the probes: liveness restarts, readiness removes from endpoints, startup gates the others. Match the probe to whether the symptom needs a restart or just removal from traffic.
- Keep CRI, CNI, and CSI straight as runtime, network, and storage. Distractors swap them deliberately.
Revision schedule
- Day 1Map the blueprint and set a date
- Weeks 1-2Lock the fundamentals (Kubernetes Fundamentals)
- Weeks 2-3Go deep on orchestration (Container Orchestration)
- Week 3Cover delivery and architecture (Application Delivery, Architecture)
- Week 4Practise on scenarios with every answer explained