Are you an Azure Administrator preparing for the AZ-104 exam? Then, follow this comprehensive AZ-104 study guide and get ready for the exam.

In today’s modern world, technology is bringing advancements rapidly and revolutionizing the technology landscape.

Microsoft Azure is the first name that will come to your mind when it comes to cloud computing.

Today, more and more businesses are switching to Azure’s trusted cloud platform to ensure easier operations. This, in turn, increases the demand for professionals to manage and administer the Azure implementations. 

The Azure Administrator role is currently trending in the industry. 

For this reason, more individuals are showing an interest in the Azure Administrator certification.

However, to get certified and avail of the position, you need to qualify for the AZ-104 certification exam. 

This AZ-104 study guide will provide you with all the details and help you prepare better for the certification exam. 

Enroll Now: AZ-104 Free Practice Test

Why Choose Azure Administrator Certification? 

Qualifying the AZ-104 certification exam of Azure will enable you to kickstart your professional career and explore lucrative opportunities. Moreover, you can also get a chance to earn about $100,000 in the US.

You need to understand why you must pursue the Microsoft Azure Administrator certification. Businesses around the globe are increasingly becoming dependant on the Azure platform.

However, the process of shifting to the cloud is daunting. In order to ensure a smooth and effective transition, businesses look for great skills, knowledge, and experience in administering the process. 

By availing of the professional Azure certification, you can be considered as an ideal person for the job. 

Now that you know the reason for pursuing this certification, keep reading this AZ-104 study guide to learn more about the exam. 

Overview of AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification

AZ-104 is an improved version of the Azure AZ-103 exam 

The AZ-104 exam mainly aims to measure individuals’ capability to accomplish technical tasks such as managing Azure identities, managing and configuring virtual networks, managing the compute resources of Azure, monitoring Azure resources, and implementing and managing storage.

Exam objectives- Moreover, the exam mainly focuses on governance, identities, deployment, and management of different computing resources. 

The examination determines and validates whether a candidate has the right skills for the Azure Administrator role or not. Qualifying for the exam will ensure that you will secure a well-established position in the tech industry.

Prerequisites of AZ-104 – Azure Administrator Certification 

This exam is specifically designed for individuals looking forward to working as Azure administrators in top organizations. Moreover, this exam is also meant for experienced Azure administrators who want to upgrade their existing skill sets.

Here are some of the important prerequisites of the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator exam:

  • Candidates should have hands-on experience of at least 6 months in administering Azure.
  • Candidates should have a good knowledge and understanding of Azure workloads, Azure services, governance, and security.
  • Candidates should have prior experience using Azure portal, PowerShell, Azure Resource Manager templates, and Azure CLI. 

What are the Basic Details of the AZ-104 Exam?

Often individuals overlook the small details of the certification exam. However, being well aware of every single piece of information on the exam is vital. 

Knowing the AZ-104 basic details will enable you to avoid any confusion while preparing for the exam. 

Here are some of the basic details of the AZ-104 exam that you need to know:

  • The AZ-104 exam is related to the Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate certification.
  • The exam will consist of 40 to 60 odd questions.
  • The time duration of the AZ-104 certification exam is three hours or 180 minutes.
  • The level of difficulty of the exam is considered to be intermediate.
  • Candidates need to score at least 700 on a scale of 1 to 1000 to qualify or pass the examination.
  • The examination will be conducted in the English language.
  • The type of questions that a candidate may face in the certification exam includes multiple-choice questions, yes or no type questions, and case study and short answer type questions.
  • The examination fee is USD 165.

Learn from the experience of other exam takers and check out their AZ-104 exam preparation journey.

What are the Topics Covered in Azure Administrator Certification (AZ-104)?

Now that you know the basics of the certification exam, let’s learn about the important topics covered in the examination. 

The AZ-104 exam consists of five different domains:

AZ-104 Domains
AZ-104 Domains

Domain 1: Manage Azure identities and governance

This domain includes the hybrid identity in which candidates will be tested about the Azure Active Directory and on-premise Active Directory.

You will also be asked questions relating to role-based access control (RBAC) and efficiency in the management of Azure subscriptions, security, alerts, and usage optimization. 

The domain includes 15 to 20 percent(%) of weightage in the exam. This means that nearly 10 to 12 questions will come from this module. The main subtopics of this module are:

  • Management of Azure AD Objects
  • Management of role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Management of governance and subscription

Domain 2: Implement and manage storage

In this domain, you will be asked questions relating to the technical aspects of management of the storage solutions. This domain consists of 10 to 20 percent of questions in the exam. 

The subtopics of the Implement and manage storage module are:

  • Secure storage
  • Manage storage
  • Configuration of azure blob storage and azure files

Domain 3: Deploy and manage Azure compute resources

This is one of the essential modules of the AZ-104 certification exam as it carries 25 to 20 percent(%) of weightage. 

In this domain, you are likely to come across a number of questions relating to configuring containers. 

The subtopics of the domain are:

  • Automate deployment of VMs with the use of Azure Resource Manager templates
  • Configuration of VM
  • Creation and configuration of containers
  • Creation and configuration of Azure App Service

Domain 4: Configure and Manage Virtual Networking

In the AZ-104 exam, a maximum of the questions will come from this domain only

The questions will be related to virtual networking. The domain constitutes 30 to 35 percent(%) of weightage in the exam. 

The subtopics in this domain include:

  • Implementation and management of virtual networking
  • Securing access to the virtual networks
  • Configuration of load balancing
  • Monitoring and troubleshooting virtual network
  • Integration of on-premises network with the use of Azure virtual network

Domain 5: Monitor and back up Azure Resources

This domain makes up about 10 to 15 percent of weightage in the certification exam. In this domain, you will most likely encounter questions relating to monitoring resources. 

The subtopics of this domain are:

  • Monitoring resources with the use of Azure monitor
  • Implementation of backup and recovery

If you want to gain more detailed information about the different domains of the AZ-104 exam and its subtopics, you can explore the exam skills outline on the official website.

Now that you have a good idea about the different domains covered in the certification exam and the topics, it’s time to get into the preparation details. 

In this preparation guide for the AZ-104 exam, we will explore the best practices to help you succeed in the certification exam.

Check now the detailed Guide on the Important Topics and Docs for the AZ-104 exam preparation.

Best Practices for Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam Preparation

When you plan to appear for the Azure Administrator exam, it is important to remember that only studying the theoretical concepts of cloud services won’t help. But you also need to have a good strategy and keep practicing. 

Visit the Official Page of the Certification

One of the best practices when preparing for the AZ-104 exam is visiting the AZ-104 official page. In addition, Microsoft has different web pages for all the certification exams that it offers. 

The web pages of the exams can be easily accessed from the official website. 

Visiting the certification page will enable you to get a detailed insight into the exam with much clarity. Starting from the registration fee to the date of availability and language, you can find all the details on the page. It will allow you to overcome all apprehensions relating to the exam and prepare better.

Leverage Microsoft Learning Path

Microsoft offers valuable learning paths for different exams, such as the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Certification exam. It can provide you with ideal information about finding the best sources for preparation. 

Moreover, it can also help you explore the different learning resources ideal for your exam preparation. The Microsoft Learn platform will enable you to find several learning paths as well as free online training. You can even access the online Hands-On labs and lab guide via the platform without paying anything for it. 

Leveraging Microsoft Learn will make your preparation easy and increase the chances of success in the exam.

Make Use of Microsoft Documentation

When you are preparing for the AZ-104 exam, Microsoft’s official documentation can be helpful. 

Many candidates find it quite challenging to understand the theoretical aspects relating to the subtopics of the AZ-104 exam. 

Exploring the Microsoft documents of each of the subtopics can help them overcome such difficulties. 

Avail Online Training Courses

It is quite challenging to ace the Azure AZ-104 exam without the help of online training courses. A number of training courses for the exam are available online. However, make sure to choose an authentic and reliable one.

To be on the safe side, you can go for the renowned names only. Make sure the certification training course you choose is perfectly aligned with the objective of the exam. 

Moreover, ensure that the course offers you expert-level assistance along with the best study materials to make your preparation more manageable and smoother.

 John Savill’s material on YouTube is completely free and he does free exam prep in his YouTube videos.

Enroll in the AZ-104 online course and start your preparation now!

If you prefer to attend an online course or watch related videos, you can easily subscribe to AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Complete Course.

Here is a preview:

AZ-104 Full Course

Join Study Groups and Online Forums

If you want to connect with individuals having similar interests and determination to succeed in the exam, you can join the study groups. Being involved in the discussion of the groups will give you an opportunity to expand your knowledge, resolve your doubts, and ensure better preparation.

Take Practice Tests

Without practice tests, your AZ-104 exam preparation is incomplete. 

Practical experience – practice exams will enable you to become familiar with the actual exam pattern and provide you with a better hold on the topics. 

It will also help you become familiar with the exam environment and enable you to overcome all your fears. It will also provide you with an idea of your strengths and weaknesses and ensure better planning for the exam day. Moreover, you can learn time management better by taking the practice tests.

Enroll Now: Azure administrator AZ-104 Practice Test

Beginner-level AZ-104 practice tests

Intermediate-level AZ-104 practice tests

Expert Tips for AZ-104 Certification Exam

Here are some expert tips for the AZ-104 exam preparation that you must follow on the exam day to ace the certification exam on the first attempt-

  • Understand Powershell and CLI as you may get questions from this. Plus understanding these would help you in real time projects.
  • Make sure you complete your preparation before the exam date so you could get enough time to revise important topics.
  • Practice is very important, so don’t miss practice tests. Also, gain enough hands-on experience by spending quality time in Azure Console. Hands-on labs from MS Learn is the key to passing this certification.
  • Focus on the Azure Virtual Machine, Azure VPN Gateway, Azure Key Vault, Azure DNS, Azure AD, Azure App Service, and RBAC.
  • If you are taking the exam at an exam center, then arrive early at the to avoid a last-minute rush and ensure better focus on the exam.
  • Stay relaxed and calm during the exam.
  • Manage time effectively and avoid spending too much time on a single question.
  • Revise your answers before the final submission.
  • Use the elimination process to remove wrong choices and make better guesses. 

PS: You should sign up on Azure Portal to avail Free $200 credits. Spend them on your labs.

Are you a beginner aspiring to become Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator? We recommend you enroll in the AZ-900 and AZ-104 bundle to take AZ-900 first and then move to AZ-104.

Final Words

Qualifying for the Azure administration exam is not that difficult. All it needs is the use of the right learning resources and appropriate strategy for exam preparation. If you are pretty serious about the Microsoft Azure Administrator exam, this AZ-104 study guide will help you prepare well. Consistent practice and sheer dedication can be your key to success. So, if you are determined to succeed in the exam, nothing can hold you back. Go ahead and get ready to become a Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator.

Good Luck!

And DO NOT use Dumps for AZ-104!

Although nothing is stopping you from using dumps, it all comes down to what is your end goal!

Remember, dumps will not help you in your real job or clear an interview or, for that matter, give you an understanding of the concepts. If you do not put in your 100%, you will not succeed long term. So, say no to dumps and use Practice Exams instead.

Check out marketplace.reviewnprep.com for all your Azure Practice Exams needs. 

Don’t forget to check out Our Preparation Journeys that are contributed by certified professionals aka community members to help each other – You can be a part of it as well!

Have questions? Participate in discussions on our Forums.

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