The AZ-104 Azure Administrator Exam is a certification exam offered by Microsoft that validates a candidate’s skills in managing and monitoring Azure resources and services. It covers a range of topics such as virtual machines, storage, security, and identity management.
This exam is important because it helps professionals demonstrate their proficiency in Azure administration and management, which is a critical skill in today’s cloud-centric IT landscape. Achieving this certification can lead to better job opportunities and higher salaries.
This blog post is meant for people who want to get the AZ-104 Azure Administrator certification or are already getting ready for the exam. It aims to offer advice and helpful tips for getting prepared and successfully passing the exam.
AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam
Microsoft AZ-104 certification exam has replaced the AZ-103 exam as the way to become a Microsoft Azure Administrator. Right now, the AZ-104 exam is in a testing phase, but candidates can take the real exam starting around March 31, 2020. This exam checks if a person is skilled at being an Azure Administrator, which means they can handle identity tasks in a cloud system. The AZ-104 exam includes new and updated features, and we’ll talk about some of the important ones.
Upgraded Features
- Firstly, the importance of identities. In AZ-104, they combined the parts about Managing Azure subscriptions and identities into a single section. This part is all about handling Azure identities and governance together.
- Secondly, focus on the management of data. The AZ-104 exam focuses on how to manage storage accounts, not on creating or setting up storage accounts. Additionally, it doesn’t include the task of setting up Azure backup in the part about implementing and managing Azure Storage.
- Thirdly, a new domain for backup and recovery. The new domain deal with using Azure Monitor for monitoring resources and the implementation of backup and recovery.
- Lastly, moving from virtual machines to compute resources. In the AZ-104 exam, the main focus in the third section is on setting up and handling Azure Compute resources, not just virtual machines.
Candidates who are looking for preparation ways for the AZ-104 exam must have confusion about changes happening in the exam pattern. Also, the prerequisite requirement and the exam topics. So, no need to worry, below we will talk about the AZ-104 in-depth exam detail.
Exam Details: AZ-104
For every exam it is important to understand and get familiar with the exam pattern before starting preparing. As this will help you in creating an overview of the exam and makes it easier to have a good study schedule.
- Firstly, the exam code is AZ-104.
- Secondly, the time duration for the exam is 120 minutes.
- Talking about the AZ-104 exam questions, there will be 40-60 questions in the exam.
- The AZ-104 exam fee is $165 USD.
- Lastly, the passing score for the AZ-104 exam is 700 (on a scale of 1-1000)
Knowledge required for the exam
Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) exam is designed to test and validate the expertise and skills of an Azure Administrator. Candidates planning to take the AZ-104 exam should also have a strong understanding of core Azure services, workloads, security, and governance. The Azure AZ-104 exam is good for those who want to become Azure Administrators. But, for every exam, there are some requirements that must be covered before taking the exam.
- Have worked with Azure for at least 6 months.
- Knowledge in core Azure services, governance, workloads, and security.
- Be really good at virtualization, networking, operating systems, cloud tech, and storage.
- Be experienced with tools like PowerShell, Command Line, Azure Portal, and ARM templates.
AZ-104 Exam Course Outline
The exam course outline plays an important role during the time of preparation. As Microsoft provides the exam topics with the weightage percentage that removes a lot of search work. That is to say, this will help the candidate to get a smooth start for preparation as well they will understand the concepts more accurately.
Module 1: Manage Azure identities and governance (20-25%)
1.1 Manage Microsoft Entra users and groups
- Create users and groups (Microsoft Documentation: Add or delete users using Azure Active Directory)
- Manage user and group properties
- Manage licenses in Microsoft Entra ID
- Manage external users
- Configure self-service password reset (SSPR) (Microsoft Documentation: Tutorial: Enable users to unlock their account or reset passwords using Azure Active Directory self-service password reset)
1.2 Manage access to Azure resources
- Manage built-in Azure roles
- Assign roles at different scopes
- Interpret access assignments
1.3 Manage Azure subscriptions and governance
- Implementing and managing Azure policy (Microsoft Documentation: Create and manage policies to enforce compliance)
- Configuring resource locks (Microsoft Documentation: Lock resources to prevent unexpected changes)
- Apply and manage tags on resources (Microsoft Documentation: Use tags to organize your Azure resources and management hierarchy)
- Managing resource groups (Microsoft Documentation: Move resources to a new resource group or subscription)
- Managing subscriptions (Microsoft Documentation: Organize and manage multiple Azure subscriptions)
- Manage costs by using alerts, budgets, and Azure Advisor recommendations (Microsoft Documentation: Use cost alerts to monitor usage and spending)
- Configuring management groups (Microsoft Documentation: Create management groups for resource organization and management)
Module 2: Implement and manage storage (15-20%)
2.1 Configure access to storage
- Configure Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks
- Create and use shared access signature (SAS) tokens
- Configure stored access policies
- Manage access keys (Microsoft Documentation: Manage storage account access keys)
- Configure identity-based access for Azure Files
2.2 Configure and manage storage accounts
- Create and configure storage accounts
- Configure Azure Storage redundancy (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Storage redundancy)
- Configure object replication (Microsoft Documentation: Configure object replication for block blobs)
- Configure storage account encryption
- Manage data by using Azure Storage Explorer and AzCopy (Microsoft Documentation: Get started with AzCopy)
2.3 Configure Azure files and Azure blob storage
- Create and configure a file share in Azure Storage (Microsoft Documentation: Create an Azure file share)
- Create and configure a container in Blob Storage
- Configure storage tiers (Microsoft Documentation: Hot, Cool, and Archive access tiers for blob data)
- Configure snapshots and soft delete for Azure Files
- Configure blob lifecycle management (Microsoft Documentation: Configure a lifecycle management policy)
- Configure blob versioning
Module 3: Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20-25%)
3.1 Automate deployment of resources by using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates or Bicep files
- Interpret an Azure Resource Manager template or a Bicep file
- Modify an existing Azure Resource Manager template
- Modify an existing Bicep file
- Deploy resources by using an Azure Resource Manager template or a Bicep file
- Export a deployment as an Azure Resource Manager template or convert an Azure Resource Manager template to a Bicep file
3.2 Create and configure Virtual Machines
- Create a Virtual Machine (Microsoft Documentation: Create a Windows virtual machine)
- Configure Azure Disk Encryption (Microsoft Documentation: Create and encrypt a Windows virtual machine with the Azure portal)
- Move a virtual machine to another resource group, subscription, or region (Microsoft Documentation: Move a Windows VM to another Azure subscription or resource group)
- Manage virtual machines sizes (Microsoft Documentation: Sizes for virtual machines in Azure)
- Add virtual machines disks
- Deploy virtual machines to availability zones and availability sets
- Deploy and configure an Azure Virtual Machines scale sets (Microsoft Documentation: Create a virtual machine scale set in the Azure portal)
3.3 Provision and manage containers in the Azure portal
- Create and manage an Azure container registry
- Provision a container by using Azure Container Instances
- Provision a container by using Azure Container Apps
- Manage sizing and scaling for containers, including Azure Container Instances and Azure Container Apps
3.4 Create and configure Azure App Service
- Provision an App Service plan
- Configure scaling for an App Service plan
- Create an App Service (Microsoft Documentation: App Service overview)
- Configure certificates and Transport Layer Security (TLS) for an App Service
- Map an existing custom DNS name to an App Service
- Configure a backup for an App Service (Microsoft Documentation: Back up and restore your app in Azure App Service)
- Configuring networking settings for an App Service (Microsoft Documentation: Configuring the Network)
- Configure deployment slots for an App Service
Module 4: Implement and manage virtual networking (15–20%)
4.1 Configure and manage virtual networks in Azure
- Create and configure virtual networks and subnets (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Virtual Network)
- Create and configure virtual network peering (Microsoft Documentation: Virtual network peering)
- Configure public IP addresses
- Configure user-defined network routes (Microsoft Documentation: Virtual network traffic routing)
- Troubleshoot network connectivity
4.2 Configure secure access to virtual networks
- Create and configure network security groups (NSGs) and application security groups (ASGs) (Microsoft Documentation: Network security groups)
- Evaluate effective security rules in NSGs (Microsoft Documentation: Effective security rules view in Azure Network Watcher)
- Implement Azure Bastion (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Bastion)
- Configure service endpoints for Azure platform as a service (PaaS)
- Configure private endpoints for Azure PaaS(Microsoft Documentation: private endpoint)
4.3 Configure name resolution and load balancing
- Configure Azure DNS
- Configure an internal or public load balancer (Microsoft Documentation: Create an internal load balancer)
- Troubleshoot load balancing (Microsoft Documentation: Troubleshoot Azure Load Balancer)
Module 5: Monitor and Maintain Azure resources (10-15%)
5.1 Monitor resources in Azure
- Interpret metrics in Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Metrics in Azure Monitor)
- Configure log settings in Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Monitor Logs overview)
- Query and analyze logs in Azure Monitor(Microsoft Documentation: Get started with log queries in Azure Monitor)
- Set up alert rules, action groups, and alert processing rules in Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Create, view, and manage metric alerts using Azure Monitor)
- Configure and interpret monitoring of virtual machines, storage accounts, and networks by using Azure Monitor Insights (Microsoft Documentation: VM insights)
- Use Azure Network Watcher and Connection Monitor
5.2 Implement backup and recovery
- Create a Recovery Services vault (Microsoft Documentation: Create and configure a Recovery Services vault)
- Create Azure backup vault (Microsoft Documentation: Backup vaults overview)
- Create and configure backup policy
- Perform backup and restore operations by using Azure Backup (Microsoft Documentation: restore Azure VM data in Azure portal)
- Configure Azure Site Recovery for Azure resources (Microsoft Documentation: Azure to Azure disaster recovery architecture)
- Perform failover to a secondary region by using Site Recovery (Microsoft Documentation: Failover Azure VMs to a secondary region)
- Configure and interpret reports and alerts for backups (Microsoft Documentation: Configure Azure Backup reports)
Now, coming on to the core part of the article that is the preparation of ways and methods.
Preparation Guide for the AZ-104 Exam
Preparation and planning are crucial for success on the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Exam. Here are some reasons why:
- Understand Exam Format and Topics: Before you can start studying for the exam, it’s important to understand its format and the topics covered. This information will help you develop a study plan and prioritize your preparation efforts.
- Avoid Unnecessary Stress: Getting ready early can prevent you from feeling stressed on exam day. If you prepare well ahead of time, you’ll go into the exam feeling sure of yourself and able to concentrate better.
- Save Time: Effective preparation and planning can save you time in the long run. For example, by identifying your weak areas early on, you can devote extra time to those topics to ensure that you’re fully prepared on exam day.
- Build Confidence: When you’re well-prepared, you’ll feel more confident and less anxious on exam day. This can help you perform better and make it easier to recall information during the exam.
- Increase Chances of Passing: By planning and preparing effectively, you’ll increase your chances of passing the exam and achieving the AZ-104 Azure Administrator certification. This can lead to better job opportunities and career advancement.
Before starting preparing for the exam it’s best to visit the AZ-104 exam certification page to get an overview of the exam. Moreover, there you will get the important details about the exam including exam cost, language, and status.
Microsoft Learning Paths
Microsoft provides AZ-104 exam learning paths so that the candidates get the ideal learning resources and information about the exam. As having the best resources can help you understand the concepts easily. Moreover, these learning paths and online training are free of cost. Some of the recommended learning paths by Microsoft includes:
- Administer infrastructure resources in Azure
- Architecture storage infrastructure in Azure
- Architect network infrastructure in Azure
- Architecture infrastructure operations in Azure
- Architect compute infrastructure in Azure
Exam Study Guide
For every exam it is necessary to know about the exam concepts and the various sections. Having an accurate AZ-104 exam study guide it will be helpful during the preparation. As with sections and subsections divided it will become easy to know about the weak and strong areas. Below, there are important objectives listed for the AZ-104 exam.
- Managing Azure identities and governance.
- Implementing and managing storage.
- Deploying and managing Azure compute resources.
- Configuring and managing virtual networking.
- Monitoring and backing up Azure resources.
Check out the AZ-104 study guide for better preparation!
Online Courses
Studying online for the AZ-104 exam using reliable training sources can be an advantage. As there are many top names out there which are providing best training courses. Not to mention, they provide the best study material including the expert level assistance to help you during the preparation of the Microsoft AZ-104 exam.
Practice Exams
The practice exams play a vital role in the exam preparation time. However, the AZ-104 exam being in the beta stage creates difficulty to find good resources. But there are websites out there that provide free AZ-104 exam practice tests. The AZ-104 exam practice exam will help candidates familiarize themselves with the topics in the exam, format of the exam, and to get a clear impression of their strengths and weaknesses.
You should know that the last date to take the AZ-103 exam is June 30, 2020. So, start your preparation for the exam now and get ready to take the exam.
Microsoft Azure Administrator: Market Value
There is no doubt, Microsoft’s name itself creates a big impact on the market. However, talking about the Microsoft Azure Administrator, according to an annual survey the average salary for an Azure Administrator in the US is $100,000.
Top Companies
The top most companies hiring for Microsoft Azure Administrator includes:
- Accenture
- Capgemini
- Aptean
- Wipro
- ICS Consultancy Services
Final Words
If you want to build a career in cloud administration or already do this job, taking the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Exam is a smart move. It shows that you know how to handle Azure resources and services. This certification can lead to better job options, more money, and a step up in your career.
However, preparing for the AZ-104 exam takes time and effort, so it’s important to start as soon as possible. By starting your preparation early, you’ll have more time to study, practice, and master the exam topics. You’ll also have a better chance of identifying your weak areas and addressing them before the exam.
Additionally, the exam format and content may change over time, so it’s important to stay up to date and ensure that your preparation is aligned with the latest exam objectives. Starting early gives you more time to research and understand the exam format and topics, and to access the latest study materials and resources.
So, prepare well and stay safe!
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