A microservices application has a web frontend and a backend API. To reduce network latency, the backend pod should be scheduled on the same node as the frontend pod whenever possible, but it is acceptable to run on a different node if necessary. Which scheduling rule should be added to the backend pod spec?

nodeAffinity with `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` for the frontend node's label

podAffinity with `requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` matching the frontend pod's label

podAntiAffinity with `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` matching the frontend pod's label

podAffinity with `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` matching the frontend pod's label

A company has a cluster with nodes labeled `tier=frontend` and `tier=backend`. They want to deploy a pod that must run on a `frontend` node, but if no frontend node is available, it should be allowed to run on a `backend` node as a fallback. Which node affinity configuration achieves this?

A `requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` rule for `tier=frontend` only

A `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` rule for `tier=frontend` with a weight of 100 and a `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` rule for `tier=backend` with a weight of 50

A `nodeSelector` with `tier=frontend` and a toleration for a taint on backend nodes

A `requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` rule for `tier=frontend` and a `preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution` rule for `tier=backend`

What is the main advantage of node affinity over nodeSelector?

Node affinity automatically adds labels to nodes

Node affinity can express more flexible rules, such as preferred constraints and operators like In or NotIn

Node affinity is simpler to write and requires less YAML

Node affinity can match on pod labels instead of node labels

A node is tainted with `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. A pod has a toleration for `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. However, the pod is still Pending. The node has 1 CPU and 2 GiB memory, and the pod requests 2 CPU and 1 GiB memory. What is the most likely reason the pod is not scheduling?

The scheduler is not configured to consider tolerations.

The toleration does not match the taint exactly.

The node has a `NoExecute` taint as well.

The pod's CPU request exceeds the node's available CPU.

Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)

Domain 1Objective 2

Scheduling KCNA Practice Questions (Page 4)

Part of the Kubernetes Fundamentals domain, which accounts for 44% of the KCNA exam. Linux Foundation does not publish an official question count, but from its 90-minute exam (~35–60 total, ~15–26 in this domain), expect 3–4 from this objective — we provide 31 practice questions to prepare you well beyond it. (estimate)

31questions here

7free pages

10concepts

44%of the exam

Questions 16–20

16foundation · easy
Which Kubernetes component is responsible for making the initial decision about which node a pod should run on?
Select an answer first
17application · medium
A microservices application has a web frontend and a backend API. To reduce network latency, the backend pod should be scheduled on the same node as the frontend pod whenever possible, but it is acceptable to run on a different node if necessary. Which scheduling rule should be added to the backend pod spec?
Select an answer first
18expert · hard
A company has a cluster with nodes labeled `tier=frontend` and `tier=backend`. They want to deploy a pod that must run on a `frontend` node, but if no frontend node is available, it should be allowed to run on a `backend` node as a fallback. Which node affinity configuration achieves this?
Select an answer first
19foundation · easy
What is the main advantage of node affinity over nodeSelector?
Select an answer first
20expert · hard
A node is tainted with `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. A pod has a toleration for `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. However, the pod is still Pending. The node has 1 CPU and 2 GiB memory, and the pod requests 2 CPU and 1 GiB memory. What is the most likely reason the pod is not scheduling?
Select an answer first

Finished these 5 questions?

Review the revealed explanations, or continue through the curriculum.

Next 5 questions →Back to KCNA

Free Basic Practice is a study aid with revealable answers — not a scored exam. Examers.io is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Linux Foundation. “KCNA” is a trademark of its owner, used for identification only.

Scheduling KCNA Practice Questions (Page 4)

Questions 16–20

Which Kubernetes component is responsible for making the initial decision about which node a pod should run on?

A company has a cluster with nodes labeled `tier=frontend` and `tier=backend`. They want to deploy a pod that must run on a `frontend` node, but if no frontend node is available, it should be allowed to run on a `backend` node as a fallback. Which node affinity configuration achieves this?

What is the main advantage of node affinity over nodeSelector?

A node is tainted with `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. A pod has a toleration for `dedicated=special:NoSchedule`. However, the pod is still Pending. The node has 1 CPU and 2 GiB memory, and the pod requests 2 CPU and 1 GiB memory. What is the most likely reason the pod is not scheduling?

Keep studying — Kubernetes Fundamentals