As the hybrid cloud continues to grow, so does the need for Azure administrators. Since it’s one of Microsoft’s most popular cloud services, it stands to reason that Azure administrator certifications will only continue to grow in popularity as well.
If you’re looking to break into the world of Azure administration or simply update your current certification and keep your skillset fresh, this study guide aims to make things easy for you. It covers everything you need to know about the AZ-104 exam, so you can confidently pass it on your first try. With that being said, let’s get started!
- Introductions to AZ 104, Azure Administrator Associate Certification
- AZ 104 Exam Format & Score
- AZ 104 Exam Content
- AZ 104 Key Azure Concepts You Need To Know
- AZ 104 Topic Areas To Be Familiar With
- Azure Certifications & CMSA
- Final Words
Introduction to AZ 104, Azure Administrator Associate Certification
The Azure Administrator Associate certification, also named as AZ 104, is one of two Azure administration certifications offered by Microsoft. It is a lower-level certification than the Azure Administrator Expert certification, which means that it covers a lot of the basics associated with Azure administration.
It’s also important to note that the Azure Administrator Associate certification focuses on managing Azure virtual machines, and not on managing Azure cloud applications. This means that the skills you’re tested on for this certification are relevant for those who want to manage the day-to-day operation of Azure VMs.
AZ 104 certification is perfect for those who are fairly new to the world of Azure administration and who want to gain a basic understanding of the different services and features available to Azure VMs. That’s not to say that this certification is easy, however. It’s one of the most difficult certifications to pass, and it’s also one of the most in-demand.
AZ 104 Exam Format & Score
The Azure Administrator Associate certification, AZ 104 has a fairly difficult exam format. It’s an 80-question, 90-minute exam that’s administered in a computer-based environment. The passing score is 700.
You’ll get two attempts to pass the exam, but only after a 14-day waiting period. This gives you plenty of time to study and prepare for the exam, but it also means that you should take it seriously from the start.
Results are usually provided within minutes, in case your exam includes labs, you need to wait for an additional 30 minutes for your results. If you have taken exam through Certiport, your results will be flashed on the dashboard as soon as you finish your exam or in worse case within 24 hours on your learners profile page.
AZ 104 Exam Content
The exam content for the AZ-104 exam focuses on the core skills required to successfully manage Azure virtual machines. You’ll be tested on the different Azure VM services and features, as well as how to implement these services and features within an Azure VM.
Here is the skills measured of AZ 104 listed below:
- Manage Azure identities and governance (15–20%)
- Implement and manage storage (15–20%)
- Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20–25%)
- Configure and manage virtual networking (25–30%)
- Monitor and back up Azure resources (10–15%)
AZ 104 Key Azure Concepts You Need To Know
1. Azure Logging – Azure logging allows you to centrally monitor your Azure environment, application, and resources.
2. Azure Log Explorer – Azure Log Explorer is a web-based tool that’s designed to streamline your administration experience by giving you one central location to view, filter, and search all of your Azure logs.
3. Azure Diagnostics – Azure Diagnostics is built into every Azure VM, and it allows administrators to collect data about the health of their VMs. It’s important to note that this feature is disabled by default, and you need to enable it in order to take advantage of it.
4. Azure Automation – Azure Automation is Microsoft’s own cloud-based workflow and automation service.
5. Azure Network – it is important to understand the difference between the Azure virtual network and the Azure virtual network gateway. The virtual network is the networking fabric used to connect VMs; the network gateway is the connection point used to connect VMs to Azure services.
AZ 104 Topic Areas to be Familiar With
– Azure Infrastructure – This section of the exam will test you on your understanding of Azure’s architecture and its core components.
– Networking – This section of the exam tests your knowledge of the Azure network and its features.
– Virtual Machines – The virtual machines section of the exam tests your understanding of the core features and functionality of Azure VMs. This includes things like the Azure VM core functionality, Azure VM extensions, and VM management.
– Storage – The storage section of the exam tests your knowledge of Azure Storage. You’ll need to understand the various storage endpoints, as well as how to provision storage and create container-based storage solutions.
– Monitoring and Logging – The monitoring and logging section of the exam tests your understanding of Azure’s logging functionality, as well as its diagnostic and monitoring tools.
Azure Certifications and the CMSA
As we mentioned earlier, the Azure Administrator Associate certification is one of two Azure administration certifications offered by Microsoft. This means that there’s a higher-level Azure Administrator certification that you can also take.
It is designed for those who manage large environments and are responsible for the day-to-day management of Azure. The Azure Administrator certification is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification. This means that it’s one of the most difficult certifications to earn and that there are some other Azure administration certifications below it.
Final Words
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in Azure administration, you can’t start soon enough. The job market for Azure administrators is growing rapidly, and many companies are looking to hire admins who can manage their Azure environments.
The AZ 104, Azure Administrator Associate certification is a great place to start, as it gives you a solid foundation in the world of Azure administration.
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