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CKATroubleshootingSingle nodeHard

kube-apiserver static pod broken

Scenario cka-trb-003 · about 8 minutes · 8 points · 3 grader checks

kubectl cannot reach the cluster; repair the API server from the control plane node.

  • troubleshooting
  • kube-apiserver
  • static-pod
  • control-plane
  • crictl

What you will practise

  • Debug a control plane without a working kubectl
  • Use crictl and kubelet logs to find the error
  • Repair a static pod manifest

Start this lab

With the CLI installed and signed in, this command provisions a single node cluster on your Mac, applies the scenario setup and prints the task below.

goldenkube start cka-trb-003

Task

The task text exactly as the CLI shows it. Solve it on the cluster, then run goldenkube submit.

The cluster's kube-apiserver is down: kubectl commands against the cluster fail with "connection refused". Work from the control plane node (exam-cp1). Find out why the kube-apiserver static pod does not start and repair it. When you are done, the API server must be healthy (GET /healthz returns "ok") and kubectl must work again. Do not rebuild the cluster.

Requirements and details

Certification
CKA · Certified Kubernetes Administrator
Domain
Troubleshooting
Difficulty
Hard
Cluster topology
Single node
Cluster features
None beyond the base cluster
Recommended time
8 minutes
Points
8
Grader checks
3
Kubernetes version
1.37
Minimum CLI version
0.1.0
Scenario version
1
Published

Grading runs locally: 3 state checks read your cluster when you submit; the scenario passes when every check passes. Hints, the reference solution and the check definitions are available only inside the CLI, not on this page.

CKATroubleshootingMedium

Worker NotReady: kubelet stopped

A worker node reports NotReady; diagnose and restore it without recreating the node.

Two nodes · ~7 min · 7 points

  • troubleshooting
  • node
  • kubelet
  • notready

goldenkube start cka-trb-001

CKATroubleshootingMedium

Worker NotReady: kubelet fails to start

The kubelet on a worker refuses to start; find the misconfiguration and fix it on the node.

Two nodes · ~8 min · 7 points

  • troubleshooting
  • node
  • kubelet
  • systemd
  • configuration

goldenkube start cka-trb-002

CKATroubleshootingMedium

Worker NotReady: container runtime down

A worker is NotReady although its kubelet runs; find the underlying runtime problem and fix it.

Two nodes · ~6 min · 6 points

  • troubleshooting
  • node
  • containerd
  • cri
  • kubelet

goldenkube start cka-trb-004

CKATroubleshootingEasy

Cluster DNS down

Service name resolution has stopped working; investigate and restore the cluster DNS component.

Two nodes · ~5 min · 5 points

  • troubleshooting
  • coredns
  • dns
  • kube-system

goldenkube start cka-trb-005

Independent community project, not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF or The Linux Foundation. Lab results are practice feedback, not an exam score.