CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) Exam Review and Tips

CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) Exam Review and Tips

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Table of Contents

1. What is CKA?
2. Preparation Period
3. Study Method
4. Exam Environment and Precautions
5. Exam Procedure
6. Unexpected Situations During the Exam
7. Summary and Tips

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What is CKA?

CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator) is a certification that demonstrates deep knowledge in managing and operating Kubernetes. This certification evaluates one’s ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot a Kubernetes cluster.

Preparation Period

I had some prior experience using Kubernetes. I was already familiar with basic resource controls such as Pods, Deployments, Services, Ingress, ConfigMaps, and Secrets through work. However, I wasn’t accustomed to advanced tasks like cluster management or configuring network policies.

Given this background, I started preparing for the CKA mainly focusing on past exam questions. Initially, I studied for three days, took the test, and failed. After another three days of intensive study, I passed the second attempt. (CKA provides two exam attempts.)

As of September 2024, the similarity between past questions and the actual exam is very high. Therefore, if you have some experience with Kubernetes, I believe 2-3 days of focused study should be sufficient to pass.

Study Method

Although many people recommend Mumshad Mannambeth’s course, I barely watched it, despite purchasing it earlier. Instead, I had previously studied Kubernetes fundamentals thoroughly using a book called “Kubernetes Up & Running - Learn to Automate Container Management Using 90 Real-World Examples.”

During my initial preparation, I reviewed the CKA past exam questions available online but only by skimming through them, which resulted in failure. Simply reading the questions wasn’t enough to use my time efficiently during the exam.

For my second attempt, I practiced with the killer.sh platform. The problems on killer.sh are about three times more challenging than the actual exam but helped me get accustomed to the environment and significantly enhanced my skills. I used both ChatGPT and the solutions provided by killer.sh to solve the difficult problems.

As a result, I was able to pass my second exam with a score of 95.

Exam Environment and Precautions

You can find detailed exam environment requirements and guidelines in the Linux Foundation Handbook.

• Independent Space: During the exam, you must ensure that there are no items around you other than the necessary devices. I only had one monitor, one webcam, a microphone, one keyboard, one mouse, and a speaker on my desk. A bookshelf in the room was allowed since it was out of my reach.

• Communication with the Proctor: You need to communicate with the proctor in English. They may ask you to show the room using the webcam or check if you’re wearing a watch or earbuds, and you need to respond in English.

• Limitations of the Exam Environment: The PSI exam environment is slow in response and has a small screen size, making it difficult to use. I recommend practicing beforehand on killer.sh to get used to the environment.

Exam Procedure

• Before the Exam: You can enter the PSI environment 30 minutes before the scheduled time. After entering, the proctor will guide you through the exam procedure and room environment check. This process, including showing the room with the webcam and verifying your devices, takes about 20 minutes.

• During the Exam: Once the exam starts, the remaining time is displayed at the top of the screen. The system’s response may be slow, so stay calm and handle any unexpected issues as best as you can. During my first attempt, I didn’t know about the notepad function, but in the second attempt, I used the notepad to save time while solving problems.

• Question Types and Difficulty: There are a total of 17 questions, and the difficulty level does not necessarily increase as you progress. Therefore, it’s best to solve the easier questions first and use the Flag feature to mark difficult ones for later review.

Unexpected Situations During the Exam

During the exam, my microphone signal suddenly disconnected, and I was automatically logged out of the PSI environment. I panicked, thinking the exam was over. However, after reconnecting to the PSI environment, I went through the initial environment check again and re-entered the saved snapshot of my exam environment.

If you face disconnection during the exam, don’t panic and try reconnecting.

Summary and Tips

1. The past questions are almost identical to the ones on the actual exam. Study them thoroughly.
2. If you have basic Kubernetes knowledge, one week of focused study should be enough to pass.
3. Make sure to practice on killer.sh. It’s the best environment to test commands and get familiar with the exam setup.
4. The PSI environment is not ideal. Make sure to adjust the screen size, try using the notepad function, and get accustomed to navigating through the docs.
5. The exam is 2 hours long, with a total of 17 questions. Prioritize solving the easier questions first and use the Flag feature for challenging ones.

I hope this article helps those preparing for the CKA exam. Best of luck!