A comprehensive guide to AZ-104 Certification for Azure Administrator

Cloud computing is in high demand, and so are IT professionals having the skills to handle the cloud. Industries need people who can efficiently use and manage a cloud environment. However, for companies to hire you, you must show your expertise and knowledge. And they want to know if you have the skills to implement cloud solutions with minimum resources. If you need to prove your Administration skills, you should have the Microsoft AZ-104 certification and become a Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate. Read on to understand all about this certification.

What is AZ-104 Certification?

AZ-104 is the Microsoft Azure Administrator certification and an intermediate-level certificate. It shows that you can implement, manage, and monitor the Microsoft Azure environment of an organization. To get certified, you should have at least six months of experience in Azure Administration. Additionally, candidates should understand its core services, workloads, security, and governance strongly.

You also must know PowerShell, Azure CLI, Azure Portal, and Azure Resource Manager Templates.

How to get AZ-104 certification?

1. Prepare for the exam.
   1. First, review the skills mentioned on the Azure AZ-104 certification page.
      1. Manage Azure Identities and Governance: Active Directory, Role-Based Access Control, Subscription.
      2. Implement and manage storage: Security, Configuration of Azure files, and Blob Storage.
      3. Deploy and Manage Azure Compute resources: Automation, Configure VMs, Containers, Azure App Services.
      4. Configure and Manage Virtual Networking: load balancing, security, monitoring, troubleshooting, on-premise networks
      5. Monitor and Backup Azure resources
   2. Get training
      1. Online Free Training
      2. Instruct-led paid training
      3. Do practice tests
2. Register for the Exam
   1. The second step is to register for the AZ-104 exam. You can either take the test online from your home or go to a local test center. You will get a secure environment with the local test center, and you don’t have to worry about system requirements. Online tests from home will save travel time; however, you must fulfill all the hardware requirements.
3. Your exam may be through Pearson VUE or Certiport, and you will get the results within a few minutes. Pearson VUE will take ten days to give you the results for beta exams. And Certiport will take six to eight weeks. You can download and share your certification after qualifying.

After getting a certification, you need to renew it every six months. You can do that online for free.

Who should take this exam?

You would be perfect for this exam:

1. If your job includes implementing, managing, and monitoring an Azure environment or provisioning, monitoring, and adjusting resources.
2. If you have or working towards

• MCSE: Core Infrastructure
• MCSA: Windows Server 2012
• MCSA Windows Server 2016

Why should you Certify?

With an AZ-104 certification, you can show that you have mastered Azure Administration. The certification proves that you have the skill to implement, manage, and monitor an Azure environment. And that you can provision, monitor, and adjust its resources.

Such certification can result in wages, a promotion, or both. Besides, the skills developed while training for the certificate will make you more productive. You can also benefit from this certification if you want to switch careers. As AZ-104 is an industry-reputed certification, you can immediately attract potential employers.

AZ-104 Certification Cost

This certification will cost you 165 USD in the US. However, it may vary based on your location. Additionally, you can take this exam in thirteen languages.

Microsoft AZ-104 Certification Tips

The exam is challenging. Even though all the questions will be choice-based, the questions will be lengthy. It would need a lot of practice and dedication to qualify for this exam. Here are some tips to successfully get the certification:

• You have to be willing to learn and not be afraid to lose.
• Pick a certification path recommended by Microsoft.
• Before preparing, schedule the exam. This method will motivate you to study harder and keep you on edge.
• You can get an Azure trial subscription for free and start doing as you learn.
• Schedule a time to learn every day.
• Do practice tests; these are paid, but they will give you a boost to your training. And it will make you confident.

Conclusion

Qualifying for the AZ-104 exam will give you an Azure Administrator Associate certification. It is an intermediate-level certification that highlights your proficiency in managing Azure identities and governance. It shows your expertise in implementing and managing storage and that you can deploy and manage Azure Compute resources. In addition, the certification may boost your career through higher pay or promotions. To get certified, you will likely need intense training. You can either self-train using Microsoft free resources or train from an instructor. Either way, you need to be dedicated and have a learner’s mindset.