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100+ Free RHCA Practice Questions

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Which OpenShift operator enables the automated deployment and management of a service mesh based on Istio?

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B
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D
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ArticleRHCSA EX200 2026: RHEL 10 Hands-On Lab Prep8 min read
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: RHCA Exam

5

Specialist Exams Required

Red Hat RHCA certification page

$500

Per Exam Fee

Red Hat pricing (2025)

210/300

Approx. Passing Score

Red Hat exam guidelines

3-4 hrs

Exam Duration (each)

Red Hat exam details

3 years

Certification Validity

Red Hat recertification policy

100%

Performance-Based Format

Red Hat — no multiple choice

RHCA requires an active RHCE plus 5 current specialist certifications. Each specialist exam costs $500 and runs 3-4 hours of hands-on tasks on live Red Hat systems, with a passing score of approximately 210/300. Red Hat provides one free retake per exam. Certifications are valid for 3 years. Available specialist tracks include Data Center, Cloud, Application Platform, Application Development, and DevOps concentrations.

Sample RHCA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your RHCA exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In Red Hat OpenShift, which Kubernetes resource type is used to define the desired state of a containerized application, including replicas and update strategy?
A.Service
B.Deployment
C.ConfigMap
D.PersistentVolumeClaim
Explanation: A Deployment in Kubernetes (and OpenShift) defines the desired state of an application, including the number of replicas, container images, and rolling update strategy. The Deployment controller ensures the actual state matches the declared desired state.
2Which Ansible module is specifically designed to manage packages on Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems?
A.apt
B.dnf
C.pip
D.zypper
Explanation: The dnf module is the standard Ansible module for managing packages on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and later systems. It replaced the older yum module as the default package manager for RHEL.
3When configuring Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform, which component handles the routing of external traffic to the correct service within the cluster?
A.etcd
B.HAProxy Ingress Controller
C.kubelet
D.Container Runtime Interface
Explanation: The HAProxy Ingress Controller (Router) in OpenShift handles routing external HTTP/HTTPS traffic to the correct backend services within the cluster. It watches Route resources and configures HAProxy accordingly to direct traffic.
4In Ansible Automation Platform, what is the purpose of an Execution Environment?
A.A virtual machine template for deploying Ansible control nodes
B.A containerized image that includes Ansible, collections, and dependencies needed to run playbooks
C.A Python virtual environment that isolates pip packages for each playbook
D.A sandboxed network namespace for testing firewall rules
Explanation: An Execution Environment is a container image built with ansible-builder that packages Ansible core, required collections, Python dependencies, and system libraries. This ensures consistent, reproducible automation execution across different environments.
5Which SELinux context type should be applied to files served by the Apache HTTP server on RHEL?
A.user_home_t
B.httpd_sys_content_t
C.samba_share_t
D.tmp_t
Explanation: The httpd_sys_content_t SELinux type is the correct context for files that the Apache HTTP server needs to read and serve. SELinux policy requires this context on web content directories for httpd to access them.
6In an OpenShift cluster, which object type allows you to inject sensitive data such as passwords and API keys into pods without exposing them in plain text?
A.ConfigMap
B.Secret
C.ServiceAccount
D.ResourceQuota
Explanation: Kubernetes Secrets are designed to hold sensitive information such as passwords, tokens, and keys. They are base64-encoded by default and can be mounted as volumes or injected as environment variables into pods, keeping sensitive data separate from application code.
7Which Ansible keyword is used to apply a set of tasks to a specific group of hosts defined in the inventory?
A.roles
B.hosts
C.handlers
D.vars
Explanation: The 'hosts' keyword in an Ansible play specifies which hosts or groups from the inventory the play's tasks should be executed against. It is a required field in every play definition.
8In Red Hat OpenShift, what does the 'oc adm prune' command primarily accomplish?
A.Scales down idle deployments to zero replicas
B.Removes old versions of resources such as builds, deployments, and images to reclaim storage
C.Deletes all pods in a CrashLoopBackOff state
D.Purges expired TLS certificates from the cluster
Explanation: The 'oc adm prune' command removes older, unused resources such as completed builds, old deployment revisions, and unreferenced images. This is essential for cluster maintenance and reclaiming storage in production environments.
9When writing an Ansible role, which directory contains the main YAML file that defines default variable values for the role?
A.tasks/
B.defaults/
C.vars/
D.templates/
Explanation: The defaults/ directory in an Ansible role contains main.yml with default variable values that have the lowest precedence. These can be easily overridden by inventory variables, playbook variables, or vars/ directory values.
10Which Red Hat OpenShift feature enables automatic scaling of pods based on CPU utilization metrics?
A.DeploymentConfig triggers
B.Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA)
C.LimitRange
D.PodDisruptionBudget
Explanation: The Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA) automatically scales the number of pod replicas in a deployment based on observed CPU utilization or custom metrics. It periodically checks metrics and adjusts replicas to match the target utilization.

About the RHCA Exam

RHCA is the highest-level Red Hat certification, earned by passing 5 specialist exams after RHCE. Each exam is entirely performance-based on live systems covering OpenShift, Ansible automation, Linux security, performance tuning, Satellite management, and virtualization.

Questions

5 scored questions

Time Limit

3-4 hours per specialist exam

Passing Score

~210/300 per exam

Exam Fee

$500 per exam (Red Hat)

RHCA Exam Content Outline

~20 questions

OpenShift Administration

Cluster deployment, networking, storage, operators, RBAC, autoscaling, and troubleshooting

~20 questions

Ansible Automation

Advanced playbooks, Execution Environments, Vault, roles, Automation Controller, and collections

~20 questions

Security: Linux

SELinux, auditing, cryptographic policies, SCAP compliance, FIPS, LUKS, and system hardening

~20 questions

Performance Tuning

Kernel parameters, PCP, tuned profiles, CPU governors, NUMA, I/O scheduling, and cgroups

~20 questions

Satellite & Virtualization

Content Views, Capsule servers, lifecycle management, activation keys, and RHV administration

How to Pass the RHCA Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: ~210/300 per exam
  • Exam length: 5 questions
  • Time limit: 3-4 hours per specialist exam
  • Exam fee: $500 per exam

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

RHCA Study Tips from Top Performers

1Focus on one specialist exam at a time — trying to prepare for multiple simultaneously dilutes your effort
2Build a home lab with RHEL 9, OpenShift (CRC), and Ansible Automation Platform for hands-on practice
3Practice without documentation first, then verify your approach using official Red Hat docs
4Master the 'oc' CLI for OpenShift and 'ansible-navigator' for Ansible before attempting those exams
5Time management is critical: practice completing complex tasks within the 3-4 hour window

Frequently Asked Questions

How many exams do I need to pass for RHCA?

You must hold an active RHCE and pass 5 eligible specialist exams. Red Hat offers multiple specialist exams across Data Center, Cloud, Application Platform, Application Development, and DevOps concentrations.

How much does RHCA certification cost?

Each specialist exam costs $500 USD as of 2025, totaling approximately $2,500 for the minimum 5 exams. Red Hat provides one free retake per exam on first-attempt failure.

What is the format of RHCA specialist exams?

All Red Hat exams are 100% performance-based with no multiple-choice questions. You perform real tasks on live Red Hat systems for 3-4 hours per exam, with a passing score of approximately 210 out of 300 points.

How long does RHCA certification last?

RHCA requires maintaining 5 current eligible credentials. Each credential is valid for 3 years from the date you passed the exam. You can recertify by retaking exams or passing new specialist exams.

Can I take RHCA exams remotely?

Yes, Red Hat offers remote testing for individual exams. You can take specialist exams from home or any suitable location with a preconfigured testing environment monitored by a Red Hat proctor.

How should I prepare for RHCA in 2026?

Focus on one specialist exam at a time, spend 3-6 months per exam, and build hands-on lab environments using RHEL 9, OpenShift 4.x, and Ansible Automation Platform 2.x. Practice on live systems is essential since the exams are performance-based.