Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design
Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Solution Architect exam has been built for cloud administrators, cloud DBAs, and clients to implement solutions. The concept of survival of fittest rules the job market and to make yourself preferred candidate, one has to be updated in every domain. The certifications help to prove your skills to your superiors and stand out in the crowd. Certifications have now become an essential part of job culture in order to keep one updated and ahead of others. Let us get into the detail of this valuable credential.
Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design is retiring on 31 March 2022. AZ-305 replacement is available.
What is Exam AZ-304 Microsoft Azure Architect Design?
An Azure Solution Architect partners with cloud administrators, cloud DBAs, and clients to implement solutions. Responsibilities for an Azure Solution Architect include advising stakeholders and translating business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable cloud solutions. Candidates appearing for this exam should have subject matter expertise in designing and implementing solutions that run on Microsoft Azure, including aspects like compute, network, storage, and security.
Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design Interview Questions
Start preparing for your interview with AZ-304 Interview Questions
Microsoft Exam AZ-304 Overview
The Microsoft AZ-304 exam questions will range from 40-60 which have to be answered in the time duration of 150 minutes. the cost of taking the exam is $165 however, the prices may vary from place to place. Candidates must note that that the questions must be expected in different formats like multiple choice and multiple select.
The Exam AZ-304 is available in the English language. You can take the exam online mode by creating an account with Microsoft. However, there are no prerequisites for the exam. For the AZ-304 passing score, you must obtain at least 700 points on a scale of 1000 in order to pass the exam.
Look at the table for basic information regarding Exam AZ-304 exam-
| Name of the exam | Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design |
| Code of the exam | AZ-304 |
| No. of questions | 40-60 |
| Format of questions | multiple choice, multiple select |
| Cost of exam | $165 |
| Duration of exam | 150 minutes |
| Languages available | English |
| Scheduling platform | Pearson VUE |
Recommended Knowledge
A candidate for this exam should have advanced experience and knowledge of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platform, budgeting, and governance–this role should manage how decisions in each area affect an overall solution.
In addition, candidates in this role should have expert-level skills in Azure administration and have experience with Azure development and DevOps processes.
Scoring Policy for Exams
According to the Microsoft AZ-304 exam format, when you complete a beta exam, you do not receive a score immediately because the scoring model for the exam is not yet finalized. You usually receive your exam score within 2-3 weeks after the exam becomes available worldwide—this can be up to 16 weeks after you take the exam, depending on when in the beta period you took the exam.
Exam Retake Policy
Passing a beta exam in your certification path counts toward your certification. You do not need to retake the exam in its final version. Make sure that you take another exam within a year so you can take advantage of the 25% discount you earned for taking the beta exam.
If you do not pass the beta exam, you cannot retake the beta exam. If you are interested in earning a certification that requires successful completion of that exam, you must wait to retake the exam at regular cost when it’s live, or you can apply the 25% discount that you received for participating in the beta exam.
How to register for the AZ-304 exam?
Follow the steps written below to register for the exam:
- Go to the Microsoft site and find your certificate in the list. Then select schedule exam, to register.
- If the certificate will be available for your country then you will be able to select the exam during the registration process.
- You will also select the language of the greeter, proctor, and proctoring software.
Academic pricing on the certifications
Academic pricing on Microsoft Certified Professional exams is available in most countries (except India and China). You must verify your student status before scheduling your exam in order to be eligible for academic pricing.
Applying student status through your account profile
- Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.
- Select Profile settings from the Account menu at the top of the page.
- In the Job function menu, select, or ensure that you have selected, “Student.”
- Look for the academic pricing notice that appears next to the Job function menu. If your student status has not yet been validated, click “Get verified” to verify your status.
Applying student status when registering for an exam
- Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.
- On the exam for which you want to register, click Schedule exam.
- On the Confirm your exam registration details page, ensure that the Job function field displays “Student – Verified.” If it does not, click “Get verified” to validate your status, or click Edit to change your status.
Verifying your academic status
Select the method you wish to use to verify your status. The methods include:
- School-issued email account
- School network credentials
- International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
- Verification code from a Microsoft representative or your institution’s administrator
- Documentation
Other exam policies
You can refer to the official site of Microsoft for the exam policies and other terms and conditions. Make sure to properly read all the terms and conditions so that you do not miss out on anything important for taking the exam.
To know more, visit: Microsoft Exam AZ-304 FAQs
Microsoft AZ-304 Exam Course Outline
Microsoft AZ-304 Exam has updates in the course outline as on January 27, 2021.
The updated Microsoft AZ-304 exam topics include:
Design Monitoring (10-15%)
Design for cost optimization
- recommend a solution for cost management and cost reporting (Microsoft Documentation: Choose between Azure Cost Management and Cloudyn)
- recommend solutions to minimize costs (Microsoft Documentation: Optimize costs from recommendations)
Design a solution for logging and monitoring
- determine levels and storage locations for logs (Microsoft Documentation: Configure metrics alerts)
- plan for integration with monitoring tools including Azure Monitor and Azure Sentinel (Microsoft Documentation: Introducing Microsoft Azure Sentinel, intelligent security analytics for your entire enterprise)
- recommend appropriate monitoring tool(s) for a solution
- choose a mechanism for event routing and escalation
- recommend a logging solution for compliance requirements (Microsoft Documentation: Audit activity reports in the Azure Active Directory portal)
Design Identity and Security (25-30%)
Design authentication
- recommend a solution for single-sign on (Microsoft Documentation: What is single sign-on)
- recommend a solution for authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Choose the right authentication method for your Azure Active Directory hybrid identity solution)
- recommend a solution for Conditional Access, including multi-factor authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Common Conditional Access policies)
- recommend a solution for network access authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Azure network security overview)
- recommend a solution for a hybrid identity including Azure AD Connect and Azure AD (Microsoft Documentation: Choose the right authentication method for your Azure Active Directory hybrid identity solution)
- recommend a solution for user self-service (Microsoft Documentation: self-service sign-up for Azure Active Directory)
- recommend and implement a solution for B2B integration
Design authorization
- choose an authorization approach (Microsoft Documentation: Authorization behavior)
- recommend a hierarchical structure that includes management groups, subscriptions, and resource groups (Microsoft Documentation: What are Azure management groups?)
- recommend an access management solution including RBAC policies, access reviews, role assignments, Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Azure AD (Microsoft Documentation: Grant user access to Azure resources using the Azure portal)
- Identity Protection, Just In Time (JIT) access (Microsoft Documentation: Identity Protection policies, Secure your management ports with just-in-time access)
Design governance
- recommend a strategy for tagging (Microsoft Documentation: Resource naming and tagging decision guide)
- recommend a solution for using Azure Policy (Microsoft Documentation: Enabling and managing a Key Vault policy through the Azure portal)
- recommend a solution for using Azure Blueprint
Design security for applications
- recommend a solution that includes KeyVault (Microsoft Documentation: About keys, secrets, and certificates)
- recommend a solution that includes Azure AD Managed Identities (Microsoft Documentation: Use a Windows VM system-assigned managed identity to access Resource Manager)
- recommend a solution for integrating applications into Azure AD (Microsoft Documentation: Integrating Azure Active Directory with applications getting started guide)
Design Data Storage (15-20%)
Design a solution for databases
- select an appropriate data platform based on requirements
- recommend database service tier sizing (Microsoft Documentation: Service tiers in the DTU-based purchase model)
- recommend a solution for database scalability (Microsoft Documentation: Dynamically scale database resources with minimal downtime)
- recommend a solution for encrypting data at rest, data in transmission, and data in use Design data integration
Design data integration
- recommend a data flow to meet business requirements
- recommend a solution for data integration, including Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Bricks, Azure Data Lake, Azure Synapse Analytics (Microsoft Documentation: Copy and transform data in Azure Synapse Analytics)
Select an appropriate storage account
- choose between storage tiers (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Blob storage: hot, cool, and archive access tiers)
- recommend a storage access solution (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft client tools for working with Azure Storage)
- recommend storage management tools
Design Business Continuity (10-15%)
Design a solution for backup and recovery
- recommend a recovery solution for Azure hybrid and on-premises workloads that meets recovery objectives (RTO, RLO, RPO) (Microsoft Documentation: Reduce disaster recovery time with Azure Site Recovery)
- design and Azure Site Recovery solution (Microsoft Documentation: Replication policy)
- recommend a solution for recovery in different regions (Microsoft Documentation: Plan capacity for Hyper-V VM disaster recovery)
- recommend a solution for Azure Backup management (Microsoft Documentation: About on-premises disaster recovery failover/failback)
- design a solution for data archiving and retention
Design for high availability
- recommend a solution for application and workload redundancy, including compute, database, and storage (Microsoft Documentation: Make all things redundant, Azure Storage redundancy)
- recommend a solution for autoscaling (Microsoft Documentation: Autoscaling)
- identify resources that require high availability
- identify storage types for high availability (Microsoft Documentation: Introduction to the core Azure Storage services)
Design Infrastructure (25-30%)
Design a compute solution
- recommend a solution for compute provisioning (Microsoft Documentation: Choose an Azure compute service for your application)
- determine appropriate compute technologies, including virtual machines, App Services, Service Fabric, Azure Functions, Windows Virtual Desktop, and containers
- recommend a solution for containers
- recommend a solution for automating compute management
Design a network solution
- recommend a network architecture (hub and spoke, Virtual WAN)
- recommend a solution for network addressing and name resolution (Microsoft Documentation: Public IP addresses)
- recommend a solution for network provisioning
- recommend a solution for network security (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Private Endpoint)
- recommend a solution for network connectivity to the Internet, on-premises networks, and other Azure virtual networks (Microsoft Documentation: Connectivity services)
- recommend a solution for automating network management
- recommend a solution for load balancing and traffic routing (Microsoft Documentation: Traffic Manager routing methods, Load balance Windows virtual machines in Azure to create a highly available application with Azure PowerShell)
Design an application architecture
- recommend a microservices architecture including Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus, Storage Queues, Logic Apps, Azure Functions, and webhooks (Microsoft Documentation: Building serverless microservices in Azure – sample architecture, Building microservices on Azure)
- recommend an orchestration solution for the deployment of applications including ARM templates, Logic Apps, or Azure Functions (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Automation runbook types)
- recommend a solution for API integration
Design migrations
- assess and interpret on-premises servers, data, and applications for migration (Microsoft Documentation: Assess VMware VMs with Server Assessment, Migrate SQL Server to Azure SQL Database offline using DMS)
- recommend a solution for migrating applications and VMs
- recommend a solution for migration of databases (Microsoft Documentation: Migration of virtual machines)
- determine migration scope, including redundant, related, trivial, and outdated data
- recommend a solution for migrating data (Storage Migration Service, Azure Data Box, Azure File Sync-based migration to a hybrid file server)
Microsoft Exam AZ-304 Study Guide
Out of the unlimited available resources, you need to choose the resources that are best suited to you and can help you ace the exam easily. Let us look handful of resources –
Microsoft learning paths
Microsoft AZ-304 exam learning paths are the official resources mainly the online classes which are made available by Microsoft for the candidates of Exam. These are made available absolutely free of cost and can help in preparing by developing crystal clear concepts for the exam topics. There are many resources that are made available for preparing for the exam. there are many online sites too that provide reliable online classes which can serve as a good source. You can access them on the official site or through the links mentioned below –
- Architect network infrastructure in Azure
- Architect storage infrastructure in Azure
- Architect compute infrastructure in Azure
- Architect infrastructure operations in Azure
- Architect a data platform in Azure
Instructor led training
You can also refer to Microsoft’s instructor-led training for preparation or there are many educational sites that provide instructor-led training courses that are prepared by world-class experts on the subject matter. The instructor-led training can be the right choice for you if you are an inquisitive person and encounter so many doubts.
Books
Books are indeed the best-valued resource for preparation. you can refer to multiple books of your choice and can also pick the books from libraries or book stores. You can also go for e-books at your convenience. Make sure that the book has covered all the necessary points of the AZ-304 syllabus and is according to your level of understanding. You can also choose the book recommended by MS for Exam AZ-304. You can refer to the following Microsoft AZ-304 exam books –
- Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and Design Complete Study Guide Exams AZ–303 and AZ–304 Paperback
- Azure for Architects Paperback
Practice papers and sample papers
Practicing as much as possible will help you to ace the exam in a better way. They help you in identifying your loopholes and weak portions. By taking every Microsoft AZ-304 practice test you get to know about the improvement in your performance that is likely to decrease your chances to pass the exam. Try a free AZ-304 exam practice test now. You can find various reliable sites that can serve you with quality content and good quantity of practice papers too.
Validate your skills and get ready to qualify Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design. Start preparing AZ-304 now!
Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-304) Online Tutorial
Testprep Training provides Online Tutorials to assist you during the preparation for Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design. These online tutorials are built to help you acquire the required knowledge of the domain areas and structure the learning path to support your preparation. The online tutorial covers the learning objectives including –
- Design monitoring
- Design identity and security
- Design data storage
- Design business continuity
- Design infrastructure
However, for this exam a candidate should have high level knowledge and experience in IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, budgeting,etc. So, let’s get into the details for achieving the required skills and knowledge.
Topic 1: Design Monitoring
1.1 Design for cost optimization
1.2 Design a solution for logging and monitoring
- Verifying the levels and storage locations for logs
- Planning for integration using Azure Monitor and Azure Sentinel
- Auditing report logs in the Azure Active Directory portal
Topic 2: Design Identity and Security
2.1 Design authentication
- Single-sign-on (SSO) process and Methods
- Methods for authentication in Azure Active Directory
- Common Conditional Access Policies
- Overview of Azure Network Security
- Methods for hybrid identity solution with Azure AD Connect Health
- Self-service sign-up for Azure Directory
2.2 Design authorization
- Authorization Approach in Azure App Service
- Explaining the hierarchy of Azure management groups and subscriptions
- Access management solution with RBAC policies and access reviews
- Adding or removing role assignments using Azure Portal
- Using Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
- Azure Identity Protection and securing management with Just In Time (JIT)
2.3 Design governance
- Tagging decision guide
- Managing Azure key vault using Azure Policy
- Working with Azure Blueprint in Azure Portal
2.4 Design security for applications
- Overview of Azure KeyVault and KeyVault operations
- Using VM System Assigned Managed Identity in Azure Active Directory
- Integrating applications into Azure AD
Topic 3: Design Data Storage
3.1 Design a solution for databases
- Service tiers in the DTU-based purchase model for Sizing
- Solution for database scalability
- Encryption for data at rest, data in transmission, and data in use
3.2 Design data integration
3.3 Select an appropriate storage account
Topic 4: Design Business Continuity
4.1 Design a solution for backup and recovery
- Minimizing disaster recovery time with Azure Site Recovery
- Designing an Azure Site Recovery solution:
o Site recovery replication policy
o Azure Site recovery capacity
o On-premises disaster recovery failover and failback
o Site recovery network in Azure VM
o Disaster recovery for different Azure regions
4.2 Design for high availability
- Solution for Azure Storage and Application Redundancy
- Solution for Autoscaling in Azure
- Concepts of Azure high availability
- Overview of Azure storage services
- Using geo-redundancy for designing highly available applications
Topic 5: Design Infrastructure
5.1 Design a compute solution
5.2 Design a network solution
- Solution for Name Resolution and Network addressing
- Recommendation for a solution for network security
- Overview of Azure Network Connectivity Services
- Solution for Load balancing and Traffic routing methods
5.3 Design an application architecture
- Building microservices on Azure
- Recommending an orchestration solution for the deployment of applications including ARM templates, Logic Apps, or Azure Functions
o Connecting Azure with ITSM tools using ITSM Connector
o Solution for Monitoring with Metric Alerts
- Suggesting a solution for API integration
o Azure API Management Policies
5.4 Design migrations
- Understanding Migration and assessing VMware VMS
- Recommending a solution for migration of databases
