Open collaboration and community stewardship are foundational principles of the cloud native ecosystem, particularly within projects governed by organizations such as the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). These principles emphasize that successful open source projects are not driven solely by code quality, but by healthy, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
Option D accurately reflects these principles. Community events, special interest groups, and working groups play a vital role in fostering collaboration. They provide structured and informal spaces where contributors, maintainers, and users can exchange ideas, share operational experiences, mentor new participants, and collectively guide the direction of projects. This collaborative approach helps ensure that projects evolve in ways that meet real-world needs and benefit from diverse perspectives.
Option A is incorrect because community engagement is not an “overhead” but a critical success factor. Kubernetes and other cloud native projects explicitly recognize that documentation, communication, governance, and contributor onboarding are just as important as writing high-quality code. Without active community participation, projects often struggle with adoption, contributor burnout, and long-term viability.
Option B is incorrect because modern open source governance values transparency and shared decision-making. While maintainers have responsibilities such as reviewing changes and ensuring project stability, they are expected to solicit feedback, encourage discussion, and incorporate contributor input through open processes. This approach builds trust and accountability within the community.
Option C is also incorrect because sustainability is a core aspect of community stewardship. Stewardship includes ensuring that projects can be maintained over time, preventing maintainer burnout, encouraging new contributors, and establishing governance models that support long-term health.
According to cloud native and Kubernetes documentation, strong communities enable innovation, resilience, and scalability—both technically and socially. By bringing people together through events and working groups, community stewardship reinforces collaboration and shared ownership, making option D the correct and fully verified answer.
E QUESTION NO: 5 [Cloud Native Application Delivery]
What does SBOM stand for?
A. System Bill of Materials
B. Software Bill Operations Management
C. Security Baseline for Open Source Management
D. Software Bill of Materials
Answer: D
SBOM stands for Software Bill of Materials, a critical concept in modern cloud native application delivery and software supply chain security. An SBOM is a formal, structured inventory that lists all components included in a software artifact, such as libraries, frameworks, dependencies, and their versions. This includes both direct and transitive dependencies that are bundled into applications, containers, or container images.
In cloud native environments, applications are often built using numerous open source components and third-party libraries. While this accelerates development, it also increases the risk of hidden vulnerabilities. An SBOM provides transparency into what software is actually running in production, enabling organizations to quickly identify whether they are affected by newly disclosed vulnerabilities or license compliance issues.
Option A is incorrect because SBOM is specific to software, not systems or hardware materials. Option B is incorrect because it describes a management process rather than a standardized inventory of software components. Option C is incorrect because SBOM is not a security baseline or policy framework; instead, it is a factual record of software contents that supports security and compliance efforts.
SBOMs are especially important in containerized and Kubernetes-based workflows. Container images often bundle many dependencies into a single artifact, making it difficult to assess risk without a detailed inventory. By generating and distributing SBOMs alongside container images, teams can integrate vulnerability scanning, compliance checks, and risk assessment earlier in the delivery pipeline. This practice aligns with the principles of DevSecOps and shift-left security.
Kubernetes and cloud native security guidance emphasize SBOMs as a foundational element of software supply chain security. They support faster incident response, improved trust between software producers and consumers, and stronger governance across the lifecycle of applications. As a result, Software Bill of Materials is the correct and fully verified expansion of SBOM, making option D the accurate answer.
