Containerized systems are a game-changer in the software development world. In recent years, container administration and orchestration software such as Kubernetes has seen a dramatic increase in popularity.
Kubernetes is the most widely used open-source platform for deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications. It allows the deployment of containers on a cluster and handles workloads to ensure that container operations run smoothly. It greatly improves the portability and ease of use of modern computing systems.
Most of the organizations require that the Kubernetes developers can manage the scalability and growth that comes with the adoption of container technologies, and their management and orchestration. Till now, there was hardly any formal Kubernetes certification. With the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) test, you will now get official recognition for your Kubernetes expertise.
Kubernetes has exploded as one of the most successful open-source projects. The CNCF has pledged to continuously make their mark and reach a wide range of companies and organizations to adopt Kubernetes so that they can expand the Kubernetes Administrative Network.
Kubernetes is a very important tool for every DevOps developer. Engineers that specialize in DevOps are also in high demand. DevOps engineers receive between $140,000 and $200,000 a year on average. And one of the most in-demand certificates is the Kubernetes Administration certification.
Certification is a crucial step when a candidate looks out for jobs because it helps qualified admins to easily establish their credibility and reputation in the job market as well as making it easier for companies to quickly recruit high-quality teams to accelerate their growth.
The CNCF and The Linux Foundation collaborated to create the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) curriculum that would help candidates to learn the technology in a more comprehensive and practical manner, and become professional Kubernetes Administrators.
The following discussion would provide you with crucial knowledge about one of the most popular Kubernetes certifications. It could be useful to candidates preparing for the Certified Kubernetes Administrator test. The information provided here will assist you in planning for the CKA test.
Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam
It is important to grasp the details of the exam before enrolling for the CKA certification exam. The certification program’s primary aim is to extend the Kubernetes community by leveraging uniform certification and training.
The CNCF acknowledges the importance of certification in fostering the development of a Kubernetes-focused group of application developers. Software developers may use the CKA certificate to show their worth and reputation in the job market.
Aspiring candidates should be mindful that the exam would not be an easy one. The test assesses candidates’ skills on a realistic basis. Furthermore, the exam adheres to a strict curriculum, indicating that extensive training is required before taking the exam.
Who Can Take the CKA exam?
The CKA exam assesses users’ ability to plan, build, configure, and deploy Kubernetes cloud-native applications. The perfect candidate for this test is someone who wants to demonstrate their ability to develop and manage container-based applications and tools.
Candidates should also be interested in demonstrating their abilities to use their fundamental knowledge to create, monitor, and troubleshoot container clusters and manage the scaling of applications and software using Kubernetes.
Essentially, the CKA exam verifies that certified applicants have the necessary expertise, experience, and qualifications to fulfill the duties of Kubernetes administrators.
Before taking the CKA exam, you must decide if the exam is the right match for you. The CKA test is tailored in such a way that it will be able to certify those professionals who can apply their knowledge on Kubernetes to solve real-life problems associated with cluster-management.
Basic Details of CKA Exam
Exam specifics are the next important piece of knowledge for applicants to ensure the best possible preparation for the CKA certification exam. The CKA certification test will be conducted in an online, proctored environment. Various performance-based tasks will be included in the test, and applicants will be required to solve the problems within the tasks using a command line.
The exam will last 2 hours in total. To take the test, candidates must pay a $300 application fee, which includes one free retake. Candidates should prepare for the CKA exam by being aware of such basic knowledge.
Requirements for CKA
Candidates should also be aware that the test has no prerequisites. However, you should be aware of the recommended expertise and skill specifications before starting your certified Kubernetes administrator exam. Here are some knowledge specifications that might be helpful to you:
- Understanding of Docker and other container technologies.
- Linux Commands.
- Virtual Machines and Cloud Environments.
Exam Objectives
A candidate’s readiness for the CKA certification test will be significantly aided by a thorough review of the exam goals. Exam priorities steer candidates’ study efforts in a particular direction. For example, having a thorough understanding of the subtopics will aid candidates in finding the appropriate learning materials for the exam.
The weighting applied to each test topic should also be considered while studying for the CKA exam. This will assist you in understanding the value of each exam topic and planning accordingly. The CKA certification exam places a strong emphasis on evaluating the capabilities of the candidates as Kubernetes administrators.
Curriculum
The percentage-wise marks distribution of the exam is:
- 8% for Application Lifecycle Management
- 19% for Core Concepts
- 7% for Storage
- 5% for Scheduling
- 11% for Maintenance of clusters
- 5% for Monitoring and Logging
- 12% for Security
- 10% for Networking
- 10% for Troubleshooting
- 12% for Installation, Configuration & Validation
Mandatory Training
Online training courses are the next important addition to every CKA guide. Candidates should take the Linux Foundation’s free “Introduction and Kubernetes” course to learn all of the main concepts in Kubernetes.
In addition, the Linux Foundation’s ‘Fundamentals of Kubernetes’ course can be used to train candidates for the CKA certification test. The CKA test planning is also available from a number of training providers. Candidates should expect experienced and trained specialists to guide them through training courses.
Benefits of CKA Certification
You may be curious why you should put on so much time preparing for the CKA test. Here are some of the advantages you might reap from studying for the CKA exam:
- First and foremost, the CKA credential assists you with making your resume stand out from the crowd.
- Accredited certifications like CKA, guarantee a significant increase in your remuneration. Companies are likely to pay more for accredited Kubernetes practitioners because certifications reflect applicants’ willingness to successfully manage all technical obligations.
- Passing a credential test is a rewarding opportunity that can lead to long-term personal development.
- Most importantly, studying for the exam with a robust professional Kubernetes administrator prep guide broadens your experience and skills.
Preparation Guide for CKA Examination
Many readers will now be expecting an effective roadmap to help them pass the CKA test. However, candidates should know that transparency and commitment are the keys to good planning. You have a higher chance of passing the exam on the first try if you follow the best practices suggested by subject matter experts and the tips given by trained CKA professionals.
Here are some important things to do while preparing for the CKA exam:
- Check the official certification website
Visiting the official CNCF website is one of the first things that a candidate should do. The CNCF website is an excellent resource for candidates who want to double-check all of their CKA exam records. The official certification website is still the first point of information, regardless of how reliable other sources of information about the CKA exam are.
Above all, the official certification website not only contains information about the CKA test but also gives you full assistance to prepare for the examination. On the official certification website, candidates can find an outline of the curriculum as well as a candidate handbook. Candidates will also be provided with answers to some of the most often asked questions about the CKA exam before beginning their exam preparations.
- Start with the basics of Kubernetes
Candidates should start with the basic concepts of containers, container-management, and then concentrate on the development aspect. While getting hands-on with the development and management of clusters using Kubernetes is not needed for the CKA exam, it does assist in developing high-level skills in Kubernetes.
To get a complete picture of the capabilities of Kubernetes, candidates can try to build a cluster on their own at various times. Furthermore, applicants would be able to comprehend how the various components of Kubernetes interact with one another. The catch is, start with the basics and only then, move to the advanced concepts.
- Aim for perfection
It is undeniable that practice is important for improving fluency in Kubernetes enterprise application queries. Candidates must use CKA example exercises after studying the fundamental principles of Kubernetes and creating a Kubernetes cluster.
GitHub is a perfect place to find a range of preparation questions for the CKA test. Candidates can practice using the kubectl command line with the help of sample exercises. During the test, applicants would have a small period of time to read the paper about how to use the kubectl command line.
Candidates will use commands like kubectl –h and kubectl run –h to locate options if they miss anything specific to the command line. The use of the kubectl command is another critical issue for applicants as they prepare for the CKA test. Candidates will use kubectl to build resources like secret, pods, configmap, deployment, etc.
Salary of a CKA Certified Kubernetes Administrator
The CKA certified developer salary is the most important thing that will motivate an applicant to devote their time and effort to pass the CKA certification test. A Kubernetes-related work is estimated to cost $144,648 on average to the company. As a result, the expected compensation for a CKA certified Kubernetes administrator is between $78,000 and $215,000.
Are You Ready for the CKA Certification?
After having discussed all the important information about the CKA certification in such detail, you can now easily prepare for the CKA examination. However, there are some other important points that all the candidates need to consider while taking the exam.
First of all, you need to make sure that you have a stable internet connection and a backup wifi connection as well, to circumvent any kind of disruptions while taking the exam.
You can also review the accredited Kubernetes administrator preparation guide for official tools on mastering the kubectl command-line and configuring kubectl auto-completion. During the test, you can use the notepad in the browser console. The notepad will assist you in keeping count of the number of questions you have attempted.
Wrapping Up!
In this article, we have started with the basic introduction of how Kubernetes have become the go-to tool for container-management. Consequently, we discussed why has it become essential that you need to get certified by an accredited organization which will allow you to land a high-paying job as a Kubernetes Administrator. We discussed about one such exam called the Certified Kubernetes Administrator test.
We discussed the basic details of this exam, the objectives, requirements, curriculum, benefits, along with a preparation guide that you can follow to ace the exam.
We certainly hope that through this guide, you will be able to get started preparing for the Certified Kubernetes Administrator Exam in a better and comprehensive manner.