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Linux Foundation KCNA: What Kubernetes Component Runs Containers? Exploring CRI-O

Learn about CRI-O, the Kubernetes component responsible for running containers. Understand its role in the Kubernetes architecture and how it enables efficient container execution.

Table of Contents

Question

In the Kubernetes platform, which component is responsible for running containers?

A. etcd
B. CRI-O
C. cloud-controller-manager
D. kube-controller-manager

Answer

B. CRI-O

Explanation

CRI-O is the Kubernetes component responsible for running containers. It is a container runtime interface (CRI) implementation that enables Kubernetes to run containers using Open Container Initiative (OCI) compatible runtimes.

When a pod is scheduled on a node, the Kubelet (the primary node agent) communicates with CRI-O to pull the required container images from a registry, create the containers, and manage their lifecycle. CRI-O abstracts away the underlying container runtime, allowing Kubernetes to work with different OCI-compliant runtimes such as runC or crun.

CRI-O plays a crucial role in the Kubernetes architecture by:

  1. Pulling and managing container images
  2. Creating and starting containers
  3. Monitoring container health and resource usage
  4. Streaming logs and attaching to containers for debugging

By leveraging CRI-O, Kubernetes can efficiently run and manage containers across a cluster, ensuring scalability, reliability, and portability of containerized applications.

The other options mentioned in the question have different responsibilities within the Kubernetes platform:

  • etcd: A distributed key-value store used for storing cluster configuration and state.
  • cloud-controller-manager: Manages cloud provider-specific control logic and integrates with cloud services.
  • kube-controller-manager: Runs various controllers that handle node management, endpoint creation, and API access.

In summary, CRI-O is the Kubernetes component responsible for running containers, working in conjunction with the Kubelet to manage the container lifecycle and enable efficient container execution within a Kubernetes cluster.

Linux Foundation KCNA certification exam assessment practice question and answer (Q&A) dump including multiple choice questions (MCQ) and objective type questions, with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the Linux Foundation KCNA exam and earn Linux Foundation KCNA certification.