The Microsoft Azure AZ-900 exam, also known as the “Microsoft Azure Fundamentals” exam, is designed for individuals who are new to Azure and want to demonstrate their foundational knowledge of Microsoft’s cloud services and Azure’s basic concepts. This exam is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:
- Business and IT Decision Makers: Executives, managers, and other decision-makers who want a fundamental understanding of Azure to make informed decisions about cloud adoption and investments.
- Sales and Marketing Professionals: Salespeople, account managers, and marketing professionals who need a basic understanding of Azure to communicate its benefits to customers and clients.
- Technical Support and Help Desk Personnel: Support staff who provide technical assistance to Azure users and customers but may not be directly involved in Azure deployment or management.
- Non-Technical Roles: Professionals in non-technical roles who want to broaden their understanding of cloud computing and Microsoft Azure for career development or to contribute to discussions about cloud initiatives within their organization.
- Students and Beginners: Individuals who are new to cloud computing and Azure and want to kickstart their careers in IT. This exam is often recommended as a starting point for cloud-related certifications.
- IT Professionals Considering a Career Transition: IT professionals looking to transition into cloud-related roles can take the AZ-900 exam to gain foundational knowledge before pursuing more advanced Azure certifications.
- Developers and System Administrators: While the AZ-900 is considered an entry-level exam, it can also be beneficial for developers and system administrators who want to understand the fundamental concepts and services of Azure as a stepping stone to more specialized Azure certifications.
It’s important to note that the AZ-900 exam is designed to be an entry-level certification, and its content is introductory in nature. It does not require hands-on experience with Azure but serves as a starting point for those who wish to build a strong foundation before pursuing more advanced Azure certifications, such as those aimed at specific roles or Azure specialties.
In this article, we will learn How you can pass the Microsoft Basic AZ-900 Exam in three days!
Day-wise Preparation Strategy
Microsoft Fundamental AZ-900 Exam is a certification exam that measures your knowledge of cloud concepts, core Azure services, security, privacy, compliance, and Azure pricing and support. Passing this exam can open doors to various job opportunities and pave the way for more advanced Microsoft certifications. While preparing for the exam requires time and effort, it is possible to pass it in three days. Here’s how:
Day 1: Understand the Exam Objectives and Study Materials
The first day should be devoted to understanding the exam objectives, format and studying relevant materials. Microsoft offers a detailed exam guide that outlines the skills required to pass the exam. The guide can be found on the official Microsoft website. You can also download the recommended study materials to get started with your preparation.
The Microsoft Azure Foundations (AZ-900) Exam consists of 40–60 questions, and candidates have 85 minutes to complete the exam. The test contains a variety of question styles, including case studies, drag and drop, multiple-choice, short answers, and mark reviews. Also, this exam will set you back $99 USD. But remember that to pass the Microsoft AZ-900 test; you must receive 700 or more points. The exam is also offered in four other languages. English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), and Korean are among them.
Day 2: Study Key Topics and Use Practice Tests
The second day should be focused on the key topics that carry the most weight in the exam. These topics include Cloud Concepts, Core Azure Services, Security, Compliance, Privacy, and Azure Pricing and Support. Use the study materials to cover these topics in detail. You can also take practice tests to evaluate your knowledge and identify areas where you need to focus more.
Here is the elaborated version of exam topics along with the documentations –
Module 1 – Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
Describe cloud computing
- Define cloud computing (Microsoft Documentation: What is cloud computing? and Types of Cloud Computing)
- Describe the shared responsibility model (Microsoft Documentation: Shared Responsibility Model in Cloud)
- Define cloud models, including public, private, and hybrid (Microsoft Documentation: What is a Public Cloud?, What is a Private Cloud? and What is a Hybrid Cloud?)
- Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud model (Examples of cloud computing)
- Describe the consumption-based model (Microsoft Documentation: Consumption and Fixed Cost Models)
- Compare cloud pricing models (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Product Pricing and Azure Cloud Services pricing)
Describe the benefits of using cloud services (Benefits of Cloud Computing Services)
- Describe the benefits of high availability and scalability in the cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Benefits and considerations of using cloud services)
- Describe the benefits of reliability and predictability in the cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Reliability and Overview of the reliability pillar)
- Describe the benefits of security and governance in the cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Security governance and Governance in the Microsoft Cloud and Azure governance documentation)
- Describe the benefits of manageability in the cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Cloud management in the Cloud Adoption Framework, Cloud management gateway overview and Azure Management Guide, Before you start)
Describe cloud service types
- Describe infrastructure as a service (IaaS) (Microsoft Documentation: What is IaaS? and Azure IaaS (infrastructure as a service)
- Describe platform as a service (PaaS) (Microsoft Documentation: What is PaaS? and Use platform as a service (PaaS) options)
- Describe software as a service (SaaS) (Microsoft Documentation: What is SaaS? and About SaaS)
- Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud service (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Cloud Services)
Module 2 – Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
Describe the core architectural components of Azure
- Describe Azure regional, regional pairs, and sovereign regions (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Regions and Avaialbility Zones and Azure Regional Pairs and Azure Sovereign Clouds)
- Describe availability zones (Microsoft Documentation: Azure availability zones)
- Describe Azure datacenters (Microsoft Documentation: Datacenter security overview)
- Describe Azure resources and resource groups (Manage Azure resource groups)
- Describe subscriptions (Microsoft Documentation: Subscription decision guide and Azure subscription)
- Describe management groups (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Management Groups)
- Describe the hierarchy of resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups (Microsoft Documentation: What are Azure management groups? )
Describe Azure compute and networking services
- Compare compute types, including container instances, virtual machines (VMs), and functions (Choose an Azure compute service, Azure Container Instances, Introduction to Azure virtual machines, Introduction to Azure Functions)
- Describe VM options, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets, availability sets, and Azure Virtual Desktop (Virtual machines in Azure, What are virtual machine scale sets? and What is Azure Virtual Desktop?)
- Describe resources required for virtual machines (Windows virtual machines in Azure)
- Describe application hosting options, including the Web Apps feature of Azure App Service, containers, and virtual machines (Host a web application with Azure App Service, App Service overview, Windows and containers and Containers vs. virtual machines)
- Describe virtual networking, including the purpose of Azure Virtual Networks, Azure virtual subnets, peering, Azure DNS, Azure VPN Gateway, and Azure ExpressRoute (What is Azure Virtual Network?, Virtual Network Subnet, Azure Virtual Network Peering, Azure Peering Service Overview, What is Azure DNS?, What is Azure VPN Gateway?, Azure ExpressRoute and Significance of Azure ExpressRoute)
- Define public and private endpoints (What is a private endpoint?)
Describe Azure storage services
- Compare Azure storage services (Introduction to Azure Storage)
- Describe storage tiers (Storage account overview, Hot, Cool, and Archive access tiers)
- Describe redundancy options (Azure Storage redundancy)
- Describe storage account options and storage types (Storage account overview)
- Identify options for moving files, including AzCopy, Azure Storage Explorer, and Azure File Sync (azcopy copy, Get started with AzCopy, Transfer data with AzCopy and file storage, What is Azure File Sync?, Get started with Storage Explorer)
- Describe migration options, including Azure Migrate and Azure Data Box (About Azure Migrate)
Describe Azure identity, access, and security
- Describe directory services in Azure, including Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS) (What is Azure Active Directory Domain Services?, Azure Active Directory, Compare Active Directory to Azure Active Directory)
- Describe authentication methods in Azure, including single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication, and passwordless (Passwordless authentication options for Azure Active Directory, authentication and verification methods are available in Azure Active Directory)
- Describe external identities and guest access in Azure (B2B collaboration overview, External Identities, External Identities in Azure Active Directory)
- Describe Azure AD Conditional Access (What is Conditional Access?)
- Describe Azure role-based access control (RBAC) (What is Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC)?)
- Describe the concept of Zero Trust (What is Zero Trust?)
- Describe the purpose of the defense in depth model
- Describe the purpose of Microsoft Defender for Cloud (What is Microsoft Defender for Cloud?)
Module 3 – Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
Describe cost management in Azure
- Describe factors that can affect costs in Azure (Plan and manage your Azure costs)
- Compare the Pricing calculator and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculator (Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator)
- Describe the Azure Cost Management and Billing tool (What is Cost Management + Billing?)
- Describe the purpose of tags (Use tags to organize your Azure resources and management hierarchy)
Describe features and tools in Azure for governance and compliance
- Describe the purpose of Azure Blueprints (What is Azure Blueprints?)
- Describe the purpose of Azure Policy (What is Azure Policy?)
- Describe the purpose of resource locks (Lock resources to prevent unexpected changes)
- Describe the purpose of the Service Trust Portal (Microsoft Service Trust Portal)
Describe features and tools for managing and deploying Azure resources
- Describe the Azure portal (Azure portal overview)
- Describe Azure Cloud Shell, including Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell (Overview of Azure Cloud Shell)
- Describe the purpose of Azure Arc (Azure Arc overview)
- Describe Azure Resource Manager and Azure Resource Manager templates (ARM templates) (What is Azure Resource Manager?, What are ARM templates?)
Describe monitoring tools in Azure
- Describe the purpose of Azure Advisor (Introduction to Azure Advisor)
- Describe Azure Service Health (What is Azure Service Health?)
- Describe Azure Monitor, including Log Analytics, Azure Monitor alerts, and Application Insights (Log Analytics tutorial, Azure Monitor overview, Application Insights overview)
Day 3: Revise and Practice More
The final day should be used for revision and more practice. Go over the topics you have covered and focus on areas that you are still struggling with. Use the practice tests to reinforce your understanding of the topics. Practice with scenarios and case studies to get a better understanding of how to apply the knowledge in real-life situations.
Also, consider these tips for Passing the Exam:
- Take breaks: It’s essential to take breaks during your study time to avoid exhaustion and burnout. Take a 10-15 minute break every 60-90 minutes of study time to refresh your mind.
- Stay Focused and Motivated: Staying focused and motivated is key to passing the exam. Avoid distractions and set a goal for yourself. Visualize yourself passing the exam and believe in yourself.
- Use Online Resources: You can find many free online resources, including videos, study materials, and practice tests, to help you prepare for the exam.
- Allocate your time: Allocate your time effectively between studying, practicing, and revising. Ensure that you cover all the topics required for the exam.
- Read the questions carefully: When taking the exam, ensure that you read the questions carefully and understand what is being asked before answering.
Let us now look at what are the benefits of passing this exam.
Advantages of clearing AZ-900 Exam
Passing the Microsoft Fundamental AZ-900 exam has several benefits that can be valuable to your career. Here are some of the benefits of passing the AZ-900 exam:
- Career Advancement: Passing the AZ-900 exam validates your knowledge of cloud computing and core Azure services. This can open doors to various job opportunities and pave the way for more advanced Microsoft certifications.
- Demonstrates Professionalism: Passing the AZ-900 exam demonstrates your commitment to continuous learning and professional development, which can set you apart from other candidates when seeking employment.
- Builds Confidence: Preparing for and passing the exam can boost your confidence and self-esteem, as it validates your expertise in the field.
- Enhances Employability: Employers in the IT industry are always on the lookout for certified professionals. Passing the AZ-900 exam can enhance your employability and give you a competitive advantage in the job market.
- Access to Microsoft Resources: Once you pass the exam, you become a Microsoft Certified Professional and gain access to the Microsoft Certified Professional Community, where you can connect with other professionals, access valuable resources, and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
Overall, passing the Microsoft Fundamental AZ-900 exam is a valuable achievement that can benefit your career and professional development.
Conclusion
In conclusion, passing the Microsoft Fundamental AZ-900 Exam in just three days is a challenging task, but it is possible with a strategic study plan, effective time management, and motivation. Use the official Microsoft study materials, focus on the key topics, take practice tests, and use the final day for revision and more practice. Remember to take breaks, stay focused, and believe in yourself. With dedication and hard work, you can achieve success and pass the exam.
