Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) Cert Prep

Course details

There’s no better place to start your cloud-native journey than by studying for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) exam. The KCNA is a pre-professional certification created by Cloud Native that was designed to help candidates advance their Kubernetes skills to the professional level. This course covers the foundational knowledge and skills required to prepare for the exam and start working with Kubernetes in a cloud-native environment. Each lesson in the course ends with a lab exercise along with a review question so you can practice your new skills as you progress. Topics include cloud-native certifications, cloud-native technologies and solutions, using containers and Kubernetes, and running applications in cloud-native environments.

Learning objectives
Prepare for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) certification exam.
Work in cloud-native environments with cloud-native technologies and solutions.
Use containers and container orchestration methods, including running applications in Kubernetes.

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) - introduction

Lesson 1 - An Introduction to the Cloud Native Certifications

02 - Module 1 - Cloud native certifications introduction
03 - Learning objectives
04 - Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)
05 - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
06 - Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
07 - Certified Kubernetes Security (CKS)

Lesson 2 - Understanding Cloud Native

08 - Module 2 - Cloud native technologies and solutions introduction
09 - Learning objectives
10 - Cloud native architecture
11 - Cloud native components
12 - Serverless computing
13 - Scalability
14 - Microservices
15 - The 12-factor app
16 - Standards in cloud native computing
17 - The role of the CNCF
18 - Job roles in a cloud native environment
19 - Practice questions

Lesson 3 - Running Containers

20 - Module 3 - Using containers introduction
21 - Learning objectives
22 - Exploring containers
23 - Understanding namespaces and cgroups
24 - Container runtimes
25 - Using container images and registries
26 - Running Docker containers
27 - Building container images
28 - Implementing container security
29 - Practice questions
30 - Lesson 3 lab - Building container images
31 - Lesson 3 lab solution - Building container images

Lesson 4 - Orchestrating Containers

32 - Learning objectives
33 - Container orchestration basics
34 - Container networking and the CNI
35 - Service discovery
36 - Service mesh
37 - Managing container storage
38 - Practice questions
39 - Lesson 4 lab - Analyzing Docker networking
40 - Lesson 4 lab solution - Analyzing Docker networking

Lesson 5 - Understanding Kubernetes

41 - Module 4 - Using Kubernetes introduction
42 - Learning objectives
43 - Exploring Kubernetes architecture
44 - Options for using Kubernetes
45 - Running Kubernetes in Minikube
46 - Kubernetes access control
47 - How containers run on Kubernetes
48 - Kubernetes networking
49 - Kubernetes scheduling
50 - Practice questions
51 - Lesson 5 lab - Running Minikube
52 - Lesson 5 lab solution - Running Minikube

Lesson 6 - Running Kubernetes Applications

53 - Learning objectives
54 - Kubernetes resources
55 - Using Kubernetes internal formats
56 - Using kubectl
57 - Options for running applications
58 - Understanding pods and deployments
59 - Running pods
60 - Practice questions
61 - Lesson 6 lab - Running Kubernetes applications
62 - Lesson 6 lab solution - Running Kubernetes applications

Lesson 7 - Providing Access to Scalable Applications

63 - Learning objectives
64 - Understanding scalability
65 - Scaling applications manually
66 - Configuring autoscaling
67 - Understanding application access options
68 - Using services
69 - Exploring Ingress and NetworkPolicy
70 - Practice questions
71 - Lesson 7 lab - Exposing scalable applications
72 - Lesson 7 lab solution - Exposing scalable applications

Lesson 8 - Integrating Applications in Cloud Native

73 - Learning objectives
74 - Understanding decoupling
75 - Kubernetes storage options
76 - Using storage
77 - Managing configuration
78 - Using ConfigMaps and Secrets
79 - Practice questions
80 - Lesson 8 lab - Decoupling applications
81 - Lesson 8 lab solution - Decoupling applications

Lesson 9 - Delivering Applications to Cloud Native

82 - Module 5 - Running applications in cloud native introduction
83 - Learning objectives
84 - The cloud native application lifecycle
85 - Git
86 - CI CD and pipelines
87 - Understanding GitOps
88 - Practice questions
89 - Lesson 9 lab - Using Jenkins
90 - Lesson 9 lab solution - Using Jenkins

Lesson 10 - Exploring Cloud Native Observability

91 - Learning objectives
92 - Cloud native observability
93 - Telemetry
94 - Logging in cloud native environments
95 - Managing logs in cloud native environments
96 - Practice questions
97 - Lesson 10 lab - Cloud native logging
98 - Lesson 10 lab solution - Cloud native logging

Lesson 11 - Using Observability Solutions

99 - Learning objectives
100 - Exploring Prometheus
101 - Running Prometheus
102 - Monitoring with Prometheus
103 - Monitoring Kubernetes with Prometheus
104 - Using Grafana
105 - Tracing and Jaeger
106 - Optimizing costs
107 - Practice questions
108 - Lesson 11 lab - Running Prometheus
109 - Lesson 11 lab solution - Running Prometheus

Summary

110 - Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) - Summary