In order to start on a career in cloud computing, you must begin with the foundational step of earning certifications that validate one’s understanding of fundamental concepts. In this journey, the Microsoft AZ-900 exam stands as a important entry point into the Azure Microsoft’s cloud computing platform.
Many a times aspiring cloud professionals often find it hard to understand the significance of AZ-900 exam, the challenges it presents, and its role in shaping their expertise. In this blog, we shall focus on the basics of Microsoft AZ-900 exam, understanding its importance as the cornerstone certification in Azure, and addressing the common questions and concerns that candidates frequently encounter on their path to certification success.
Whether you are planning to take the AZ-900 exam or seeking insights into its details, this guide aims to provide valuable perspectives on what to expect and how to navigate this foundational step in Azure certification.
Overview of Microsoft AZ-900
The Microsoft AZ-900 exam, more formally known as the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification, serves as a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts of Microsoft Azure. Designed to validate foundational knowledge of cloud services and Azure’s core offerings, this exam sets the stage for individuals venturing into the dynamic landscape of cloud computing.
AZ-900 holds a distinctive position as an entry-level certification, emphasizing comprehension rather than deep technical expertise. It acts as a gateway, welcoming individuals with varying backgrounds into the Azure ecosystem. Aspiring cloud enthusiasts can consider AZ-900 as the initial step on the ladder of Azure certifications, offering a solid groundwork for future professional growth and specialization.
Objectives and Scope
The AZ-900 exam covers a broad range of topics, providing candidates with a well-rounded understanding of essential Azure concepts. These include cloud concepts, Azure services, security, privacy, compliance, and Azure pricing and support. Candidates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in grasping the basic principles that underpin cloud computing and how Azure services align with these principles.
Target Audience
The AZ-900 certification is crafted for a diverse audience, ranging from IT professionals to business stakeholders who desire a foundational understanding of Azure’s capabilities. Specifically, individuals aiming to explore cloud computing, IT administrators considering a shift to the cloud, and business professionals seeking insights into the advantages of Azure for their organizations are prime candidates for this certification.
Who should consider taking the AZ-900 Exam?
- IT Professionals: Those looking to establish a solid foundation in Azure, making it an ideal starting point for further, more specialized Azure certifications.
- Business Decision Makers: Individuals involved in decision-making processes within organizations, providing them with a holistic understanding of the benefits and possibilities offered by Azure.
- Students and Enthusiasts: Aspiring cloud professionals and students can leverage AZ-900 to kickstart their cloud journey, gaining a competitive edge in the evolving tech landscape.
Is the AZ-900 Exam Hard?
The Microsoft AZ-900 exam is generally regarded as having a moderate difficulty level, positioned as an entry-level certification to introduce individuals to the fundamental concepts of cloud computing and Microsoft Azure. While it covers a broad spectrum of topics, including cloud principles, core Azure services, security, privacy, compliance, and pricing, its emphasis is on assessing foundational understanding rather than advanced technical skills.
The AZ-900 Exam is suitable for professionals, including IT professionals, business decision-makers, and students, contributes to its approachability for those with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. Success in the AZ-900 exam is attainable through comprehensive study, hands-on experience, and engagement with community resources, making it an accessible starting point for individuals looking to embark on their journey into the world of Azure certifications.
AZ-900 Exam Format
Understanding the format of the Microsoft AZ-900 exam is crucial for effective preparation. The structure, question types, and any practical components contribute to the overall testing experience.
Number of Questions and Time Allotted
The AZ-900 exam typically consists of around 40-60 questions, with the exact number subject to periodic updates by Microsoft. Candidates are allotted a specific time frame to complete the exam, usually ranging from 60 to 90 minutes. Time management is a critical aspect of success, requiring candidates to balance accuracy with efficiency.
Types of Questions: The AZ-900 exam incorporates various question types to assess candidates’ understanding of Azure fundamentals. These may include:
- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): Candidates choose the correct answer from a list of options. These questions often cover a spectrum of Azure concepts, from basic to more intricate scenarios.
- True/False Statements: Candidates evaluate the accuracy of statements related to Azure services, pricing models, and fundamental cloud principles.
- Scenario-Based Questions: Candidates are presented with real-world scenarios or case studies. They must apply their knowledge to analyze situations and choose the most appropriate Azure solutions.
- Drag-and-Drop Questions: Candidates arrange elements in a particular order or match items based on their relevance to specific Azure services or concepts.
Practical Components or Hands-on Labs
As of the last available information, the AZ-900 exam does not typically include practical components or hands-on labs. However, Microsoft frequently updates its certification exams, and recent modifications may introduce new elements. Candidates are advised to check the official Microsoft documentation for the most up-to-date information on the exam structure.
For hands-on experience and practical application of Azure concepts, Microsoft offers separate resources such as the Azure portal and various sandbox environments. These resources allow candidates to explore Azure services, implement solutions, and gain practical insights into the functionalities covered in the exam.
It’s essential for candidates to familiarize themselves with the exam format, practice different question types, and simulate time-constrained conditions to enhance their readiness for the AZ-900 exam.
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam AZ-900 Updated Course Outline
The content includes updates of English version of the exam as of July 31, 2023
Module 1 – Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam cover the latest and updated exam guide including –
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 serverless
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, and functions (Choose an Azure compute service, Azure Container Instances, Introduction to Azure virtual machines, Introduction to Azure Functions)
- Describe Virtual Machine 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 Web Apps, containers, and 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 part of Microsoft Entra and Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS)
- Describe authentication methods in Azure, including single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication (MFA), and passwordless (Passwordless authentication options for Azure Active Directory, authentication and verification methods are available in Azure Active Directory)
- Describe external identities in Azure, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C)
- Describe Conditional Access in Azure AD (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 Cost Management capabilities in Azure
- 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 Microsoft Purview in Azure
- Describe the purpose of Azure Policy (What is Azure Policy?)
- Describe the purpose of resource locks (Lock resources to prevent unexpected changes)
Describe features and tools for managing and deploying Azure resources
- Describe the Azure portal (Azure portal overview)
- Describe Azure Cloud Shell, including Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) and Azure PowerShell (Overview of Azure Cloud Shell)
- Describe the purpose of Azure Arc (Azure Arc overview)
- Describe infrastructure as code (IaC) (IaC on Azure)
- Describe Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and 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)
Challenges Faced when preparing for Microsoft AZ-900 Exam
Preparing for the Microsoft AZ-900 exam comes with its set of challenges, often encountered by candidates as they navigate through the foundational concepts of cloud computing and Azure.
Diverse Backgrounds
Candidates with diverse professional backgrounds may find it challenging to bridge the gap between their existing knowledge and the foundational cloud concepts covered in the exam. This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of cloud principles, which might be unfamiliar territory for some.
Complex Terminology
The exam introduces a wide range of Azure-specific terminologies and services. Understanding and memorizing these terms can be challenging, especially for those new to cloud computing. Candidates may struggle with differentiating between services and comprehending their specific use cases.
Abstract Concepts
Cloud computing often involves abstract concepts such as virtualization, elasticity, and scalability. Grasping these abstract ideas and understanding how they are implemented in Azure can be a hurdle for candidates not well-versed in these foundational cloud principles.
Pricing Models
The pricing models for cloud services can be intricate, posing a challenge for candidates attempting to comprehend the cost structures associated with various Azure services. This challenge is exacerbated by the dynamic nature of cloud pricing.
Limited Practical Experience
Candidates who lack hands-on experience with Azure services may face challenges in applying theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios. This hands-on aspect is crucial, and candidates may find it challenging to simulate real-world situations without practical experience.
Tips for Successfully passing the AZ-900 Exam
- Comprehensive Study: Cover all exam objectives thoroughly, focusing on core concepts and services outlined in the official documentation.
- Hands-on Experience: While not a requirement, hands-on experience with Azure services can enhance comprehension and confidence.
- Practice Exams: Utilize practice exams to simulate the exam environment, identify weak areas, and refine time management skills.
- Community Engagement: Participate in online forums, discussions, and study groups to gain insights from individuals who have successfully passed the AZ-900 exam.
Begin your AZ-900 journey armed with these expert tips, and confidently overcome the exam’s challenges. Remember, the AZ-900 certification is not just a stepping stone; it’s showcases your foundational understanding of Azure, setting the stage for a rewarding career in cloud computing.
