Getting Kubernetes Certified: The (mostly) Free Way

Open Source Guide to Passing the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Exam

What is CKA & Why Get Certified?

The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam is an online exam developed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). There are currently two Kubernetes certifications available: CKA and CKAD (Certified Kubernetes Application Developer). While there is some overlap between the two tests, as the name suggests, CKA focuses more on cluster administrative tasks such as cluster maintenance and security as opposed to pod design on CKAD.

Unlike many cloud certification exams that are primarily multiple-choice, the CKA exam asks the candidates to debug, solve, and accomplish certain Kubernetes tasks on remote clusters in three hours. The CKA environment consists of six Kubernetes clusters with varying number of pods, namespaces, and various related plugins (e.g. networking).

CNCF also holds a Kubernetes Certified Service Provider (KCSP) program to officially certify Kubernetes Providers if a company employs at least three CKAs. Personally, I had no work-related reason to take the CKA, but since I have been working with Kubernetes for over three years at Leverege, I wanted to validate my knowledge with all the newfound free time during this…