Important HDFS MCQ Questions with Answers (Set 3) | Big Data Technology

This set of HDFS MCQ covers advanced concepts of Big Data Technology related to HDFS Architecture, Name Node, Secondary Name Node, DFSInputStream, DFSOutputStream, Rack Awareness, Checkpointing, and distributed storage workflows. Useful for GATE, IBPS IT Officer, university semester examinations, and technical interviews.

Topic: Big Data Technology – HDFS | Set: 3

Difficulty: Hard | Total Questions: 15

Important HDFS MCQ Questions

Q1: Why is metadata kept in the Name Node’s RAM rather than on a disk?

A. Disks are too expensive

B. To facilitate quicker access to file contents and locations

C. RAM is more reliable than disk in a cluster

D. To prevent Data Nodes from seeing it

Q2: In the read workflow, which component is responsible for connecting to the closest Data Node?

A. DistributedFileSystem

B. DFSInputStream

C. Secondary Name Node

D. DataStreamer

Q3: During a file read, what does the client perceive while the system switches between blocks/nodes?

A. A brief pause in the connection

B. An error message for every new block

C. A transparent, infinite stream of data

D. A request to re-authenticate with the Name Node

Q4: What specific task does the Secondary Name Node perform to reduce Name Node recovery time?

A. It keeps a real-time copy of the data blocks

B. It carries out a checkpoint function by merging metadata logs

C. It manages the user permissions database

D. It acts as a gateway for the Client Node

Q5: In the write workflow, who divides the client’s data into packets?

A. Name Node

B. Data Node

C. DFSOutputStream

D. Secondary Name Node

Q6: Why does the Secondary Name Node contribute to the general stability of HDFS?

A. It replaces the Name Node every 24 hours

B. It helps detect and correct anomalies in the metadata

C. It provides extra storage for actual data

D. It monitors the power supply of the racks

Q7: What is the significance of the “fsimage” file?

A. It is a backup of the actual data content

B. It is a snapshot of the file system’s metadata at a specific point in time

C. It is the code used to run the Data Node

D. It is the image of the operating system

Q8: During a write, if the replication factor is 3, how many nodes are in the pipeline?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 3

D. 4

Q9: What does the Data Node periodically send to the Name Node to maintain awareness?

A. A list of all connected users

B. A report with a list of the blocks they are storing

C. A copy of their operating system

D. A request for more data

Q10: What happens if a Data Node in the middle of a write pipeline fails?

A. The write is cancelled and the file is deleted

B. The pipeline is reconfigured to bypass the failed node

C. The Name Node stops the whole cluster

D. The client must manually fix the pipeline

Q11: Which of the following is NOT stored in the Name Node?

A. File permissions

B. Block locations

C. File content data

D. Directory structures

Q12: Rack awareness optimizes network traffic by ensuring:

A. All data is on the same switch

B. Replicas are stored on different racks to avoid total failure if a switch breaks

C. Data is only stored on the top shelf of a rack

D. The client is always in the same rack as the data

Q13: What is the “edits” log in HDFS metadata?

A. A list of users who edited the code

B. A record of every change made to the file system since the last snapshot

C. A log of failed login attempts

D. A list of hardware repairs

Q14: How does HDFS scale to support thousands of nodes?

A. By making the Name Node larger and larger

B. By distributing data and processing across independent Data Nodes

C. By limiting files to a maximum of 1 GB

D. By using only one rack

Q15: The checkpoint process partially relieves which component’s load?

A. Data Node

B. Client JVM

C. Name Node

D. Network Switch

Conclusion

These important HDFS MCQ Questions help strengthen concepts related to HDFS Architecture, Name Node internals, Secondary Name Node, metadata management, checkpointing, rack awareness, and distributed file system workflows. These topics are frequently asked in GATE, IBPS IT Officer, university semester exams, and technical interviews.

For better understanding, also practice concepts related to MapReduce, YARN, Hadoop Architecture, and distributed data processing.

Fore theory and concepts, refer to Hadoop HDFS.

What’s Next?

• MapReduce MCQs
• Hadoop Architecture MCQs
• YARN MCQs

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