Exam AZ-203: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Developing Solution for Microsoft Azure (AZ-203) exam is for candidates who perform the role of Azure Developers with the ability to design and build cloud solutions such as applications and services. Moreover, they participate in all phases of development, from solution design to development and deployment, to testing and maintenance. They also partner with cloud solution architects, cloud DBAs, cloud administrators, and clients to implement the solution.

Microsoft AZ-203 is retired. A new replacement exam Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (AZ-204) is available.

Knowledge Required for the Exam

• Candidates applying for the exam must have knowledge and understanding of developing apps and services by using Azure tools and technologies, including storage, security, compute, and communications.
• They must have at least one year of experience in developing scalable solutions with knowledge of all phases of software development
• Candidates should be familiar with at least one cloud-supported programming language.

Microsoft Learning Path

Microsoft provides exam learning paths that help the candidates to understand and know about the concepts during the preparation. Moreover, these exam concepts are provided with sections and subsections to make you learn about it in depth. Microsoft provides candidates access to the learning path that helps them to understand the concepts in a step by step format. However, these learning paths include modules that help candidates to enhance their skills and knowledge in:

• Creating serverless applications
• Connecting the services together
• Working with relational data in Azure
• Storing data in Azure
• Deploying a website with Azure virtual machines
• Managing resources in Azure
• Deploying a website to Azure with Azure App Service
• Extracting knowledge and insights from your data with Azure Databricks
• Securing cloud data

Exam Format

Developing Solution for Microsoft Azure (AZ-203) exam consists of 40-60 questions. To complete the exam, candidates will get 150 minutes. The types of questions that candidates can face in the exam include scenario-based single answer questions, multiple-choice questions, arrange in the correct sequence type questions, drag & drop questions, mark review, drag, and drop, etc. However, to pass the exam, a candidate has to score a minimum of 700 or more. To apply for the exam, the examination fee is $165 USD including taxes. And, candidates can give the exam in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified) and Korean languages. 

Exam Scheduling

Microsoft Azure AZ-203 exam measures the ability to perform technical tasks for developing Azure infrastructure as a compute solution with implementing Azure Security. Candidates must also know how to monitor, optimize, and troubleshoot the solutions. However, candidates can schedule their exam with the

Microsoft AZ-203 Exam Course Outline

Topic 1: Develop Azure Infrastructure as a Service Compute Solution

1.1 Implementing solutions that uses virtual machines (VM)

• provisioning VMs (Microsoft Documentation: Create a Windows virtual machine in Azure)
• creating ARM templates (Microsoft Documentation: Create and deploy ARM templates)
• configuring Azure Disk Encryption for VMs (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Disk Encryption)

1.2 Implementing batch jobs by using Azure Batch Services

• managing batch jobs by using Batch Service API (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Batch Service REST API)
• running a batch job by using Azure CLI, Azure portal, and other tools (Microsoft Documentation: Azure portal, Azure CLI)
• writing code to run an Azure Batch Services batch job (Microsoft Documentation: .NET API)

1.3 Creating containerized solutions

• developing an Azure Managed Kubernetes Service (AKS) cluster (Microsoft Documentation: Deploy an Azure Kubernetes Service)
• creating container images for solutions (Microsoft Documentation: Create an Azure Container Registry)
• publishing an image to the Azure Container Registry
• running containers by using Azure Container Instance or AKS (Microsoft Documentation: Run applications in Azure Kubernetes Service)

Topic 2: Develop Azure Platform as a Service Compute Solution

2.1 Creating Azure App Service Web Apps

• creating an Azure App Service Web App (Microsoft Documentation: Create an ASP.NET Core web app in Azure)
• developing an Azure App Service background task by using WebJobs (Microsoft Documentation: Run background tasks with WebJobs)
• enabling diagnostics logging (Microsoft Documentation: Enable diagnostics logging for apps)
• creating an Azure Web App for Containers (Microsoft Documentation: Deploy a custom Linux container)
• monitoring service health by using Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Service Health overview)

2.2 Creating Azure App Service mobile apps

• adding push notifications for mobile apps (Microsoft Documentation: Add push notifications)
• enabling offline sync for mobile app (Microsoft Documentation: Enable offline sync)
• implementing a remote instrumentation strategy for mobile devices

2.3 Creating Azure App Service API apps

• developing an Azure App Service API app
• creating documentation for the API by using open source and other tools (Microsoft Documentation: Generate the OpenAPI definition)

2.4 Implementing Azure functions

• implement input and output bindings for a function (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Functions triggers and bindings concepts)
• executing function triggers by using data operations, timers, and webhooks (Microsoft Documentation: Timer trigger for Azure Functions)
• implementing Azure Durable Functions (Microsoft Documentation: Create Durable Functions)
• creating Azure Function apps by using Visual Studio (Microsoft Documentation: Creating the first function in Azure using Visual Studio)
• applying Python Azure Functions (Microsoft Documentation: Python function for Azure Functions)

Topic 3: Develop for Azure storage

3.1 Developing solutions that use storage tables

• designing and implementing policies for tables (Microsoft Documentation: Define a stored access policy)
• querying table storage by using code (Microsoft Documentation: Query Azure Cosmos DB)
• implementing partitioning schemes (Microsoft Documentation: Partitioning and horizontal scaling in Azure)

3.2 Developing solutions that use Cosmos DB storage

• creating, reading, updating, and deleting data by using appropriate APIs 
• implementing partitioning schemes (Microsoft Documentation: model and partition data on Azure Cosmos DB )
• setting the appropriate consistency level for operations (Microsoft Documentation: consistency level )

3.3 Developing solutions that use a relational database

• provisioning and configuring relational databases (Microsoft Documentation: Create an Azure SQL Database )
• configuring elastic pools for Azure SQL Database (Microsoft Documentation: Creating a new SQL Database elastic pool)
• creating, reading, updating, and deleting data tables by using code (Microsoft Documentation: Use .NET Core (C#) to query a database in Azure SQL Database)
• provisioning and configuring Azure SQL Database serverless instances (Microsoft Documentation: Azure SQL Database serverless)
• configuring Azure SQL and Azure PostgreSQL Hyperscale instances (Microsoft Documentation: Hyperscale service tier)

3.4 Developing solutions that use blob storage

• moving items in Blob storage between storage accounts or containers (Microsoft Documentation: Move Azure storage blobs from the command line)
• setting and retrieving properties and metadata (Microsoft Documentation: Setting properties and metadata)
• implementing blob leasing
• executing data archiving and retention 
• implementing Geo Zone Redundant Storage (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Storage redundancy)

Topic 4: Implement Azure security

4.1 Implementing authentication

• executing authentication by using certificates, forms-based authentication, or tokens (Microsoft Documentation: Forms Authentication in ASP.NET Web API)
• applying multi-factor or Windows authentication by using Azure AD (Microsoft Documentation: Multi-Factor Authentication, Integrated Windows Authentication)
• implementing OAuth2 authentication (Microsoft Documentation:  Add sign-in to Microsoft)
• applying Managed identities/Service Principal authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Use a Windows VM system-assigned managed identity)
• executing Microsoft identity platform (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft identity platform (v2.0) overview)

4.2 Implementing access control

• applying CBAC (Claims-Based Access Control) authorization (Microsoft Documentation: Implement Claims Authorization in a Claims-Aware ASP.NET Application)
• implementing RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) authorization 
• creating shared access signatures (Microsoft Documentation: Grant limited access to Azure Storage resources)

4.3 Implementing secure data solutions

• encrypting and decrypting data at rest and in transit
• creating, reading, updating, and deleting keys, secrets, and certificates by using the KeyVault API (Microsoft Documentation: Create Key, Get Key, Delete Key)

Topic 5: Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions

5.1 Developing code to support scalability of apps and services

• implementing auto-scaling rules and patterns (scheduling, operational/system metrics, singleton applications) (Microsoft Documentation: Autoscale in Azure)
• executing code that handles transient faults (Microsoft Documentation: Transient Fault Handling)
• implementing AKS scaling strategies (Microsoft Documentation: Scaling options for applications)

5.2 Integrating caching and content delivery within solutions

• storing and retrieving data in Azure Redis cache (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Cache for Redis)
• developing code for implementing CDN in solutions (Microsoft Documentation: Azure CDN development)
• invalidating cache content (CDN or Redis) 

5.3 Instrumentation 0f solutions to support monitoring and logging

• configuring instrumentation in an app or service by using Application Insights (Microsoft Documentation: Start monitoring in the Azure portal)
• analyzing and troubleshooting solutions by using Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Troubleshooting no data)
• implementing Application Insights Web Test and Alerts 

Topic 6: Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services

6.1 Developing an App Service Logic App

• creating a Logic App (Microsoft Documentation: workflow by using Azure Logic Apps)
• develop a custom connector for Logic Apps (Microsoft Documentation: Create a custom connector)
• creating a custom template for Logic Apps (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Resource Manager templates) 

6.2 Integrating Azure Search within solutions

• creating an Azure Search index (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Cognitive Search)
• importing searchable data (Microsoft Documentation:  Import data wizard)
• querying the Azure Search index (Microsoft Documentation: Query types and composition)
• applying cognitive search (Microsoft Documentation: Create an Azure Cognitive Search)

6.3 Implementing API management

• establishing API Gateways (Microsoft Documentation: Provision a self-hosted gateway)
• creating an APIM instance (Microsoft Documentation: Azure API Management service instance)
• configuring authentication for APIs (Microsoft Documentation: secure APIs using client certificate authentication)
• defining policies for APIs

6.4 Developing event-based solutions

• implementing solutions that use Azure Event Grid (Microsoft Documentation: Automate resizing uploaded images)
• executing solutions that use Azure Notification Hubs (Microsoft Documentation: Send notifications to Universal Windows Platform apps)
• implementing solutions that use Azure Event Hub (Microsoft Documentation: Visualize data anomalies in real-time)

6.5 Developing message-based solutions

• applying solutions that use Azure Service Bus (Microsoft Documentation: Update inventory using PowerShell)
• implementing solutions that use Azure Queue Storage queues (Microsoft Documentation: Work with Azure storage queues in .NET)

Exam Policies

Microsoft provides exam policies to help the candidates to plan and manage a positive outcome. Microsoft Certification exam policies give candidates access to all the exam-related details, accompanying the before and after exam procedures. These exam policies are the inclusion of certain rules that need to be followed during the exam time or at testing centers. On this page, the candidates will get information about after the exam or before exam procedures. This includes the exam retaking process, rules to be followed during the exam time, and other information about the exams and its testing centers.

For More Visit: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (AZ-203) Exam FAQs

Microsoft Azure AZ-203 Exam Preparation Guide

Microsoft Learning Platform

The learning resource that will be beneficial during the exam preparation is the Microsoft learning platform. However, make sure to go through the official website of Microsoft.  For the AZ-203 exam, it would be best to first go through the Microsoft official website to get authentic information about the exam. You can easily locate the AZ-203 page where you can just go through all the necessary information about the AZ-203 exam. 

Microsoft Docs

After that, you can move on to Microsoft documentation where you can easily understand the Microsoft AI solutions and Machine learning concepts. Moreover,  you also get to know the different scales of different Azure services. Microsoft Docs consists of modules that will help you gain a lot of knowledge about AI and the different services in a sequence.

Instructor-led Training

Microsoft has given an advantage to candidates providing instructor-led training. In this, the candidates will learn how developers use Azure services, with additional focus on features and tasks that differ from AWS. And, also help in learning about developing applications that will be hosted by using Azure services. However, this is a three-day course designed to help candidates in:

• Constructing Azure App Service Web App solutions and Azure Functions
• Using blob or Cosmos DB storage in solutions
• Implementing secure cloud solutions that include user authentication and authorization
• Implementing API management
• Developing event and message-based solutions
• Monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing Azure solutions

Reference Books

Those who are dedicated to passing the exam know the importance of books during the time of preparation. However, while studying for the exam books can be really helpful to understand the core of the topics. Candidates can take the books available in the market that will help in studying for the AZ-203 exam. For example,

: AZ-203 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Online Study Groups

One thing that will be beneficial during the exam preparation time is to join study groups. As these groups will help you to stay connected with the other people who are on the same pathway as yours. Moreover, here you can start any discussion about the issue related to the exam or any query. By doing so, you will get the best possible answer to your query.

Practice Tests

This can be a very essential part that can help you to prepare better for the exam. That is to say, practice tests are important as by assessing yourself with these tests you will know about your weak and strong areas.  However, by practicing you will be able to improve your answering skills that will result in saving a lot of time. Moreover, the best way to start doing practice tests is after completing one full topic as this will work as a revision part for you. So, make sure to find the best practice sources. 

Prepare and pass the Developing Solution for Microsoft Azure (AZ-203) Exam.