As the demand for Kubernetes expertise continues to rise, obtaining the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification has become a crucial milestone for IT professionals looking to validate their skills and advance their careers. To help you achieve this goal, we have developed an intensive 2-month study plan that leverages the "Kubernetes in Action" book by Marko Luksa as the primary resource. This plan is meticulously designed to cover all essential topics and ensure a comprehensive understanding of Kubernetes concepts, preparing you thoroughly for the CKA exam.

Why Kubernetes in Action?

"Kubernetes in Action" is an excellent resource for both beginners and experienced professionals. The book provides clear explanations of complex concepts, practical examples, and hands-on exercises that align perfectly with the CKA exam curriculum. By following this study plan, you will gain a deep understanding of Kubernetes and develop the practical skills needed to manage Kubernetes clusters effectively.

The 2-Month Study Plan

This study plan is divided into 12 weekly sprints, each focusing on specific chapters of the book and related topics. By dedicating approximately 20 hours per week, you will be able to cover all necessary material, complete hands-on exercises, and take practice tests to assess your understanding.

Week 1: Introduction to Kubernetes

• Topics Covered:

  • Understanding the need for Kubernetes

  • Introducing container technologies

  • Overview of Kubernetes architecture

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 1.1 - 1.3)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Docker vs. ContainerD, Kube-API Server, Kube Controller Manager, Kube Scheduler, Kubelet, Kube Proxy)

Week 2: Setting Up and Running Apps on Kubernetes

• Topics Covered:

  • Creating, running, and sharing container images

  • Setting up a Kubernetes cluster

  • Deploying and accessing your first app

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 2.1 - 2.3)

  • CKA course on Udemy (ETCD For Beginners, ETCD in Kubernetes, Recap - Pods, Deployments)

Week 3: Core Concepts - Pods and Controllers

• Topics Covered:

  • Understanding and creating pods

  • Managing pods with labels and selectors

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 3.1 - 3.5)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Labels and Selectors, Imperative vs Declarative)

Week 4: Using Namespaces and Annotating Pods

• Topics Covered:

  • Using namespaces to group resources

  • Deploying and managing pods with controllers

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 3.6 - 4.6)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Namespaces, Practice Test - Namespaces, DaemonSets, Static Pods, Multiple Schedulers)

Week 5: Services and Networking

• Topics Covered:

  • Creating and managing services

  • Exposing services to external clients

  • Troubleshooting services

  • Volumes and persistent storage

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 5.1 - 6.6)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Services, Ingress, Persistent Volumes, Persistent Volume Claims, Storage Class)

Week 6: ConfigMaps, Secrets, and Accessing Metadata

• Topics Covered:

  • Configuring applications with ConfigMaps and Secrets

  • Accessing pod metadata and communicating with the API server

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 7.1 - 8.2)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Configure Applications, Managing Application Logs)

Week 7: Updating Applications and StatefulSets

• Topics Covered:

  • Updating applications using Deployments

  • Deploying and managing stateful applications with StatefulSets

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 9.1 - 10.5)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Rolling Updates and Rollbacks, Multi Container Pods, InitContainers)

Week 8: Kubernetes Internals and Security

• Topics Covered:

  • Understanding Kubernetes internals and architecture

  • Securing the Kubernetes API server

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 11.1 - 12.2)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Monitor Cluster Components, Cluster Upgrade Process, Backup and Restore Methods, Kubernetes Security Primitives)

Week 9: Securing Cluster Nodes and Managing Resources

• Topics Covered:

  • Securing cluster nodes and network

  • Managing pods' computational resources

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 13.1 - 14.6)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Security Contexts, Network Policy, Resource Requirements and Limits)

Week 10: Scaling and Advanced Scheduling

• Topics Covered:

  • Automatic scaling of pods and cluster nodes

  • Advanced scheduling techniques

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 15.1 - 16.3)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Horizontal Pod Autoscaler, Cluster Autoscaler, Taints and Tolerations, Node Affinity)

Week 11: Best Practices and Extending Kubernetes

• Topics Covered:

  • Best practices for developing apps in Kubernetes

  • Extending Kubernetes functionality

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (Chapters 17.1 - 18.2)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Advanced Kubectl Commands, Kubernetes Update and Project Videos)

Week 12: Final Review and Mock Exams

• Topics Covered:

  • Final review of all chapters

  • Mock exams to simulate the real exam environment

• Learning Resources:

  • Kubernetes in Action (All chapters for review)

  • CKA course on Udemy (Mock Exam - 1, Mock Exam - 2, Mock Exam - 3)

Upcoming Articles

Stay tuned for upcoming articles where we will delve into real-world examples, summarizing key concepts and providing practical insights. Each article will focus on specific sections of the study plan, ensuring you have the necessary knowledge and hands-on experience to excel in the CKA exam. Additionally, we will provide a detailed summary of the exam structure, tips for effective preparation, and strategies to tackle challenging scenarios.

Embark on this journey with us to master Kubernetes and achieve your CKA certification!