Passing KCNA and KCSA: Completing the Cloud Native Foundation

Introduction

Okay, so here’s a funny thing - after passing both CKAD and CKA, I thought I was done with Kubernetes certifications for a while. I mean, I’d proven I could deploy applications AND administer clusters. What else was there?

Well, turns out there were these two certifications I’d been sleeping on: KCNA (Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate) and KCSA (Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate). And honestly? I’d kinda dismissed them as “beginner certs” that I didn’t need since I already had the “real” certifications.

Boy, was I wrong about that.

These exams were completely different animals. Not harder or easier - just different. And after taking them both (passed both, btw!), I realized they filled in gaps I didn’t even know I had. Sometimes going back to basics after learning advanced topics gives you a whole new perspective.

Why Take KCNA and KCSA After CKAD and CKA?

I can already hear what you’re thinking: “Dude, you have CKAD and CKA. Aren’t these associate-level certs beneath you?”

Valid question. Here’s why I decided to take them anyway:

For KCNA:

1. The bigger picture: CKAD and CKA are hyper-focused on Kubernetes. But the cloud-native ecosystem is HUGE. KCNA covers everything - containers, orchestration, observability, GitOps, service meshes, you name it.

2. Filling conceptual gaps: I could install Kubernetes, sure. But did I really understand the history of containers? The various CNCF projects? Why we do things the way we do them? Not as well as I thought.

3. Complete the collection: Okay, maybe I’m a bit of a certification collector at this point. Sue me.

4. Teaching others: With both practical certs under my belt, having the foundational knowledge cert would help me mentor newcomers better.

For KCSA:

1. Security is where I was weakest: I’ll be honest - security was always my weak spot. I knew enough to get by, but I wasn’t confident. KCSA forces you to really understand cloud-native security.

2. It’s super relevant: Every company is asking about Kubernetes security now. Having a dedicated security cert is gold.

3. Preparing for CKS: Eventually I want to tackle CKS (Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist). KCSA seemed like a good foundation.

4. The threat landscape is real: Working in production, I’d seen security issues. Time to get serious about understanding them properly.

What Are These Exams, Really?

Let me break down what these certifications actually are, because they’re quite different from CKAD/CKA:

KCNA (Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate)

Think of this as your “cloud-native 101” certification. It covers:

• Kubernetes fundamentals (at a conceptual level)
• Container orchestration
• Cloud native architecture
• Observability
• Application delivery
• GitOps principles
• CNCF landscape

Format:

• Multiple choice: Yes, you read that right. No hands-on lab!
• 90 minutes: 60 questions
• 75% to pass: You need 45 correct answers
• Online proctored: Just like the others
• All theoretical: Testing your understanding, not your kubectl skills

KCSA (Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate)

This one’s all about security in cloud-native environments:

• Kubernetes security fundamentals
• Cloud native security principles
• Supply chain security
• Runtime security
• Monitoring and logging
• Platform security
• Security frameworks and compliance

Format:

• Multiple choice: Also theoretical, no labs
• 90 minutes: 60 questions
• 75% to pass: 45 questions minimum
• Online proctored: Same deal
• Security focused: Everything through a security lens

The BIG difference from CKAD/CKA? These are knowledge exams, not performance exams. You’re not SSHing into clusters or writing YAML. You’re proving you understand concepts, patterns, and best practices.

My Preparation Journey

Starting with KCNA

I took KCNA first because it seemed like the more foundational of the two. Here’s how I approached it:

1. Realizing What I Didn’t Know

First humbling moment: I started going through the curriculum and realized I had massive gaps in my knowledge. Sure, I could operate Kubernetes, but:

• Could I explain the difference between containerd, cri-o, and Docker? Uh… kinda?
• Did I know the history of container technology? Not really.
• What about the entire CNCF landscape? I knew the tools I used, but there are hundreds of projects!

Time to hit the books.

2. Study Materials for KCNA

Official CNCF Resources:

• KCNA Curriculum - Read it front to back
• Kubernetes Documentation - Focused on concepts, not how-tos
• CNCF Cloud Native Interactive Landscape - Spent hours exploring this

Courses:

• KodeKloud KCNA Course: Excellent overview with labs

3. Key Topics I Focused On

Container Fundamentals:

• Linux containers, namespaces, cgroups
• Container runtimes (Docker, containerd, CRI-O)
• OCI (Open Container Initiative) standards
• Image registries and distribution

Kubernetes Architecture:

• Control plane components and their roles
• Worker node components
• Networking model (not implementation, just concepts)
• Storage abstractions
• Scheduling and resource management

Cloud Native Architecture:

• Microservices vs. monoliths
• 12-factor app principles
• Stateless vs. stateful applications
• Scalability patterns

Observability:

• The three pillars: metrics, logs, traces
• Prometheus basics
• Distributed tracing concepts
• Popular CNCF observability tools

Application Delivery:

• CI/CD concepts
• GitOps principles (Flux, Argo CD)
• Progressive delivery (blue/green, canary)
• Helm and package management

CNCF Ecosystem:

• Major CNCF projects and what they do
• Graduated vs. incubating vs. sandbox
• How projects fit together

4. My Study Strategy

Unlike CKAD/CKA where I practiced commands endlessly, KCNA prep was different:

• Concept mapping: I created mind maps connecting different concepts
• Real-world examples: For each topic, I thought about how I’d used it in real projects
• Practice questions: Did tons of practice MCQs to get used to the format
• Teaching myself: Wrote explanations as if I was teaching someone else

Moving to KCSA

After passing KCNA, I jumped pretty quickly into KCSA prep. Here’s how that went:

1. Security Was Humbling

Second humbling moment: Security is HARD. I thought I knew Kubernetes security because I’d set up RBAC and network policies. But this exam goes deep:

• Supply chain security? I’d never really thought about it
• Runtime security? I knew containers ran, but securing them at runtime?
• Compliance frameworks? Barely heard of most of them

This was going to require actual work.

2. Study Materials for KCSA

Official Resources:

• KCSA Curriculum - Security-focused version
• Kubernetes Security Documentation

Courses:

• KodeKloud KCSA Course: Excellent overview with labs

Hands-On:

• Even though the exam is multiple choice, I practiced security concepts in my clusters
• Tried tools like Falco, Trivy, and OPA
• Experimented with breaking security and fixing it

3. Key Security Topics

Cloud Native Security Principles:

• Defense in depth
• Least privilege principle
• Shift-left security
• Zero trust architecture
• The 4C’s model (Cloud, Cluster, Container, Code)

Kubernetes Security Fundamentals:

• RBAC (deeper than I knew before)
• Network policies (actually understanding them)
• Pod Security Standards (replacing PSP)
• Security contexts and capabilities
• Secrets management (and why Secrets aren’t that secret)

Supply Chain Security:

• Image scanning and CVE detection
• Image signing and verification
• SBOM (Software Bill of Materials)
• Admission controls
• Tools: Sigstore, Notary, etc.

Runtime Security:

• Container runtime protection
• Anomaly detection
• Runtime enforcement
• Tools like Falco and Sysdig

Platform Security:

• Control plane security
• etcd security and encryption
• API server security
• Node security
• Network security

Compliance and Frameworks:

• CIS Benchmarks
• NSA/CISA Kubernetes Hardening Guide
• PCI-DSS, SOC 2, etc.
• Audit logging and monitoring

4. KCSA Study Approach

Security required a different mindset:

• Threat modeling: For each topic, I thought “what could go wrong?”
• Defense strategies: Then “how do I prevent/detect/respond?”
• Tool exploration: Tried different security tools to understand their purposes
• Real incident reading: Read post-mortems of security breaches in Kubernetes

Exam Day Experiences

KCNA Exam

Pre-Exam: Same drill as always - cleared desk, ID ready, environment check. But I’ll admit, I was weirdly more nervous for this multiple choice exam than I’d been for the hands-on ones. At least with CKAD/CKA, I could troubleshoot my way through. Here? Either I knew it or I didn’t.

During:

• 90 minutes flew by: 60 questions sounds like plenty of time, but some questions require serious thought
• Some questions were tricky: Not just “what is Kubernetes” - more like “in this scenario, which approach is best?”
• Breadth over depth: Questions covered SO many topics. The CNCF ecosystem is huge!

Tips:

1. Read carefully: Some questions have subtle wording that changes the answer
2. Eliminate obviously wrong answers: Narrows your odds
3. Trust your understanding: Don’t second-guess too much

Result: Passed! Honestly felt good to validate that I understood the broader cloud-native ecosystem, not just Kubernetes specifics.

KCSA Exam

Pre-Exam: Way more confident going in this time. I’d just done KCNA, so I knew the format. Plus, I’d put in solid study time on security topics.

During:

• Security scenarios: Lots of “given this situation, what’s the security concern?” questions
• Best practices: Many questions about recommended security practices
• Tool knowledge: Needed to know what various security tools do
• Compliance questions: Some questions about frameworks and standards

The Harder Parts:

• Supply chain security questions got detailed
• Some questions required knowing specific tools and their purposes
• Compliance framework questions were tricky if you hadn’t studied them

Tips:

1. Think like an attacker: For each question, consider the threat
2. Know the tools: Understand what Falco, Trivy, OPA, etc. actually do
3. Frameworks matter: Study CIS Benchmarks and NSA guidelines
4. Context is key: Security is always context-dependent

Result: Passed! And honestly felt way more confident about Kubernetes security than I ever had before.

How These Exams Are Different from CKAD/CKA

Having taken all four now, here’s my honest comparison:

CKAD & CKA:

• Performance-based: Prove you can actually do the work
• Narrow and deep: Focus specifically on using Kubernetes
• Time pressure: Racing against the clock while typing
• Practical skills: Directly applicable to daily work
• Stressful: Hands-on under pressure is nerve-wracking

KCNA & KCSA:

• Knowledge-based: Prove you understand concepts
• Broad and wide: Cover entire cloud-native ecosystem
• Different pressure: Mental rather than performance pressure
• Foundational understanding: Why things work, not just how
• Different stress: No second chances on answers

Neither is “harder” - they’re just different skill sets. CKAD/CKA test your ability to execute. KCNA/KCSA test your understanding of the bigger picture.

Was It Worth Taking These “Associate” Certs?

Short answer: Hell yes.

Long answer: Here’s what I gained:

From KCNA:

1. Broader perspective: I stopped thinking in just “Kubernetes” and started thinking “cloud-native”
2. Better architecture decisions: Understanding the landscape helps me choose the right tools
3. Mentoring ability: I can now explain WHY we do things, not just HOW

From KCSA:

1. Security confidence: No longer my weak spot
2. Better designs: I now consider security from the start
3. Risk awareness: Can identify and articulate security concerns

Together:

The four certifications (CKAD, CKA, KCNA, KCSA) give me:

• Development perspective (CKAD)
• Operations perspective (CKA)
• Architecture perspective (KCNA)
• Security perspective (KCSA)

That’s the full picture of cloud-native engineering.

Tips for Different Audiences

If You’re New to Cloud Native:

• Start with KCNA - it’s designed for you
• Don’t skip it trying to go straight to CKAD/CKA
• Build foundational knowledge first
• KCSA can come after you understand the basics

If You Already Have CKAD/CKA:

• Don’t dismiss KCNA/KCSA as “too easy”
• They test different knowledge than practical certs
• Great for filling conceptual gaps
• Way less stressful than performance exams!

If You’re Focusing on Security:

• KCSA before CKS
• Build theoretical foundation before hands-on security
• Practice with security tools even though exam is MCQ
• Understanding > memorization

Study Resources I Recommend

For KCNA:

1. KodeKloud KCNA Course - Great hands-on labs
2. CNCF Landscape - Explore and understand the ecosystem
3. “Cloud Native DevOps with Kubernetes” Book - Excellent read
4. Practice exams - Do as many MCQs as you can find

For KCSA:

1. KodeKloud KCSA Course - Great hands-on labs
2. “Kubernetes Security” Book - By Liz Rice and Michael Hausenblas
3. CNCF Security White Papers - Free and valuable
4. CIS Kubernetes Benchmark - Read it thoroughly
5. NSA/CISA Hardening Guide - Essential reading
6. Hands-on security practice - Try the tools yourself

Final Thoughts

Look, I went into these exams thinking they’d be “easy” compared to CKAD and CKA. And in some ways, they were less stressful - no performance anxiety, no race against time while typing kubectl commands with shaking hands.

But they challenged me in a different way. They exposed gaps in my understanding. They made me realize that knowing how to DO something isn’t the same as understanding WHY it works that way, or what alternatives exist, or what security implications it has.

Taking KCNA gave me the broad cloud-native perspective I’d been missing. Taking KCSA gave me the security knowledge I’d been avoiding. Together with CKAD and CKA? I feel like I finally have a complete understanding of the cloud-native ecosystem.

Should You Take Them?

Take KCNA if:

• You want to understand the full cloud-native landscape
• You’re new to containers and Kubernetes
• You want foundational knowledge before diving deep
• You want a less stressful certification experience
• You want to understand the “why” behind cloud-native practices

Take KCSA if:

• Security is important to you (it should be!)
• You want to understand cloud-native security threats
• You’re preparing for security-focused roles
• You want to build toward CKS
• You need to discuss security with confidence

Take both if:

• You want comprehensive cloud-native knowledge
• You’re serious about this career path
• You want to mentor others effectively
• You like collecting certifications (no judgment!)

The cloud-native world is constantly evolving. Having a solid foundation (KCNA) and security understanding (KCSA) isn’t just about passing exams - it’s about being a well-rounded engineer who can make informed decisions, design secure systems, and explain things to others.

Plus, let’s be real - having all these CNCF certifications on your resume doesn’t hurt. 😄

Now, do I finally have enough Kubernetes certifications? Well, there’s still CKS… but that’s a story for another blog post!

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Have you taken KCNA or KCSA? Thinking about it? Drop your questions or experiences in the comments - I’d love to hear from you!