Kubernetes KCNA Certification
Kubernetes KCNA Certification
Section titled “Kubernetes KCNA Certification”After several experiences with Kubernetes, particularly in On-Premise environments, I decided to pursue a Kubernetes certification.
To start, I chose the KCNA (Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate) certification, considered the most accessible and ideal for acquiring the fundamentals.
KCNA Exam Introduction
Section titled “KCNA Exam Introduction”It is a multiple-choice exam with a strong theoretical focus. Nevertheless, having some hands-on experience with Kubernetes greatly helped me better understand and retain the various topics covered.
In fact, practice allows you to conceptualize the notions more clearly, visualize them as part of a coherent system, and therefore memorize them more effectively. Moreover, some of the studied elements were already familiar, which made learning easier.
Learning for KCNA
Section titled “Learning for KCNA”The following course was particularly helpful in my preparation:
👉 Dive Into Cloud Native - Containers, Kubernetes and the KCNA
It also includes practice questions that help prepare for the exam.
An effective way to study for this certification is to take notes on the topics you haven’t mastered yet, and then review them regularly using tools like Anki or other flashcard solutions. This enables active and targeted memorization.
To take the exam, you need a reasonably stable and performant Internet connection.
There is an online test available to verify whether your bandwidth is sufficient.
Note that the required bandwidth is lower than for other certifications.
Make sure your connection is adequate — in my case, tethering from my phone was not enough. I strongly recommend using an Ethernet connection.
Verifying Laptop Compatibility for the Exam
Section titled “Verifying Laptop Compatibility for the Exam”Since I use Linux, I initially planned to take the exam on this machine.
It is specified that Xorg must be used for the exam, which I configured accordingly.
After successfully setting it up once, I was able to… (process continued).
Verification on Exam Day
Section titled “Verification on Exam Day”On the day of the exam, I removed many items from the room where I was taking it.
Only a bed located about 2 meters away from me, my desk, my ID, my laptop with an external camera connected (to easily show my surroundings), and a transparent water bottle with the label removed remained in the room.
After confirming my identity, I was asked to perform a full check of my environment from my position.
I recorded different angles to prove the absence of cheating materials:
- All surrounding walls
- The floor around me
- The ceiling
- Under my mouse pad
- Behind my laptop
- The desk drawer (completely emptied prior to the exam)
- Under my laptop
- Behind my ears
- My arms, to prove I wasn’t wearing a watch (likely due to smartwatches)
- Possibly other details I may have forgotten
Overall
Section titled “Overall”Overall, the checkup was carried out thoroughly and efficiently.
Since I took the test on a Sunday, it is possible that fewer candidates were present, which may have helped speed up the process.