The Microsoft Certified Associate Azure exam is the latest version of the Microsoft Cloud certification, tailored specifically for aspiring Microsoft Azure administrators. This certification is ideal for individuals with at least six months of hands-on experience managing Azure workloads. It requires a solid understanding of Azure's core services, workloads, security, and governance, focusing on optimizing performance and scalability.

Candidates pursuing this certification will be equipped to handle the management, implementation, and monitoring of cloud infrastructures. They are expected to perform tasks such as provisioning, adjustments, and monitoring to align with the specified infrastructure requirements. Preparing for the AZ-104 exam involves thorough study, and candidates can benefit from using resources like the AZ-104 study guide provided by XtremeLabs Marketplace.

Upon successfully passing this exam, candidates will gain proficiency in monitoring all Azure resources, encompassing areas like security, networking, and Azure virtual machines. This certification opens up career opportunities in several fields, including:

• Cloud Administration
• Azure Administration
• Network Administration
• Cloud Software Engineering
• System Administration

Prerequisites of AZ-104 Exam 

If you're considering enhancing your career with this certification, it's crucial to understand the exam criteria, which are outlined in the XtremeLabs Marketplace exam guide. While certain prerequisites aren't mandatory for taking the exam, possessing them can significantly increase your chances of passing. These advantages include:

• At least six months of practical experience in Azure administration services.
• A comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Azure services.
• Deep knowledge of security, governance, and Azure workloads.
• Familiarity with using commands, the Azure portal, PowerShell, and ARM templates.
• A solid grasp of networking, operating systems, virtualization, and storage structures.

Having expertise in these areas will substantially enhance your exam preparation.

Domains covered 

To excel in the exam, adopting a focused preparation strategy is essential. This involves concentrating solely on the domains included in the exam, allowing candidates to tailor their study schedules according to the coverage and weightage of each domain. Additionally, staying informed about the updates in the new version of the exam, and understanding how they differ from the previous version, is crucial.

The domains covered in the Microsoft Certified Associate Azure Administration exam include:

• Managing Azure identities and governance.
• Implementing and managing storage.
• Deploying and managing Azure compute resources.
• Configuring and managing virtual networks.
• Monitoring and backing up Azure resources.

Next, we will delve deeper into the sub-topics and the specific weightage of each domain, which will streamline your preparation for the AZ-104 exam and ensure thorough understanding.

Management of Azure Identities and Governance 

The first domain you need to focus on for this certification exam is managing Azure identities and governance, which constitutes approximately 25% of the exam. The critical subtopics within this domain that require close attention are:

• Understanding the management of Azure Active Directory objects.
• Ability to control and manage role-based access control.
• Capability to handle subscriptions and governance within Azure services.

Implementation and Management of Storage 

The second domain to focus on for the AZ-104 exam is the implementation and management of storage, which represents about 20% of the exam. To successfully address questions in this section, you should develop an in-depth understanding of the following subdomains:

• Understanding the management of storage accounts.
• Gaining knowledge and expertise in data management for Azure storage.
• Comprehending Azure blob storage and files.

Deploying and Managing Azure Compute Resources 

The third key domain for the AZ-104 exam is deploying and managing Azure compute resources, which comprises about 25% of the exam. To excel in this area, focus on the following sub-domains for thorough preparation and to successfully pass the exam:

• Configuring virtual machines for higher availability and scalability.
• Automating and configuring the deployment of virtual machines.
• Creating and configuring virtual machines.
• Configuring web apps.
• Automating the configuration of virtual machines.

Implementing and Managing Virtual Networks 

The fourth critical domain for the AZ-104 exam is implementing and managing virtual networks, which makes up about 20% of the exam. Candidates will encounter approximately 16 questions related to this domain. The essential sub-topics within this area that you need to master are:

• Managing and implementing virtual networks.
• Configuring name resolutions.
• Setting up load balancing.
• Creating secure access to virtual networks.
• Handling troubleshooting of virtual networks.
• Managing and integrating on-premises networks with Azure services.

Monitoring and Maintaining Azure Resources 

The final domain covered in the AZ-104 exam, as outlined in the AZ-104 study guide by XtremeLabs Marketplace, focuses on monitoring and maintaining Azure resources, which constitutes approximately 15% of the exam. A crucial aspect of this domain is the ability to implement backups. The key subtopics within this domain include:

• Managing resources using Azure Monitor.
• Implementing recovery and backup strategies.

FAQs

What is the AZ-104 exam, and who should take it?

The AZ-104 exam is the Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam. It is designed for individuals who manage cloud services that span storage, security, networking, and compute cloud capabilities. Candidates typically have at least six months of hands-on experience administering Azure, along with a strong understanding of core Azure services, Azure workloads, security, and governance.

What topics are covered in the AZ-104 exam?

The AZ-104 exam covers several key areas: managing Azure identities and governance, implementing and managing storage, deploying and managing Azure compute resources, configuring and managing virtual networks, and monitoring and backing up Azure resources. Each domain has a specific weightage that reflects its importance and depth in the exam.

How many times can I attempt the AZ-104 exam?

A candidate is allowed to attempt the AZ-104 exam up to five times within a 12-month period. If additional attempts are needed, candidates must wait until after the 12-month period to retake the exam. This policy ensures that candidates have ample opportunity to improve their knowledge and preparation before reattempting the exam.