My Journey to Passing the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam

As a Microsoft Azure Administrator, passing the AZ-104 exam was a significant milestone in my career. The exam is a prerequisite for many of Microsoft’s advanced certifications, and it validates crucial skills required to manage and monitor Azure environments. Here’s my experience and tips for anyone preparing for this important certification.

Why AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator?

The AZ-104: Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate exam is designed for system engineers and administrators who work with Azure cloud services. This intermediate-level exam tests your ability to implement, manage, and monitor identity, compute, storage, virtual networks, and governance in the Azure cloud. It also covers skills such as provisioning, sizing, monitoring, and adjusting resources for business requirements.

Skills Covered in AZ-104

The exam covers a broad range of topics, divided into several key areas:

1. Manage Azure Identities and Governance (20–25%)

Manage Microsoft Entra users and groups
Create users and groups
Manage user and group properties
Manage licenses in Microsoft Entra ID
Manage external users
Configure self-service password reset (SSPR)

Manage access to Azure resources
Manage built-in Azure roles
Assign roles at different scopes
Interpret access assignments

Manage Azure subscriptions and governance
Implement and manage Azure Policy
Configure resource locks
Apply and manage tags on resources
Manage resource groups
Manage subscriptions
Manage costs by using alerts, budgets, and Azure Advisor recommendations
Configure management groups

2. Implement and Manage Storage (15–20%)

Configure access to storage
Configure Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks
Create and use shared access signature (SAS) tokens
Configure stored access policies
Manage access keys
Configure identity-based access for Azure Files

Configure and manage storage accounts
Create and configure storage accounts
Configure Azure Storage redundancy
Configure object replication
Configure storage account encryption
Manage data by using Azure Storage Explorer and AzCopy

Configure Azure Files and Azure Blob Storage
Create and configure a file share in Azure Storage
Create and configure a container in Blob Storage
Configure storage tiers
Configure snapshots and soft delete for Azure Files
Configure blob lifecycle management
Configure blob versioning

3. Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources (20–25%)

Automate deployment of resources by using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates or Bicep files
Interpret an Azure Resource Manager template or a Bicep file
Modify an existing Azure Resource Manager template
Modify an existing Bicep file
Deploy resources by using an Azure Resource Manager template or a Bicep file
Export a deployment as an Azure Resource Manager template or convert an Azure Resource Manager template to a Bicep file

Create and configure virtual machines
Create a virtual machine
Configure Azure Disk Encryption
Move a virtual machine to another resource group, subscription, or region
Manage virtual machine sizes
Manage virtual machine disks
Deploy virtual machines to availability zones and availability sets
Deploy and configure an Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets

Provision and manage containers in the Azure portal
Create and manage an Azure container registry
Provision a container by using Azure Container Instances
Provision a container by using Azure Container Apps
Manage sizing and scaling for containers, including Azure Container Instances and Azure Container Apps

Create and configure Azure App Service
Provision an App Service plan
Configure scaling for an App Service plan
Create an App Service
Configure certificates and Transport Layer Security (TLS) for an App Service
Map an existing custom DNS name to an App Service
Configure backup for an App Service
Configure networking settings for an App Service
Configure deployment slots for an App Service

4. Implement and Manage Virtual Networking (15–20%)

Configure and manage virtual networks in Azure
Create and configure virtual networks and subnets
Create and configure virtual network peering
Configure public IP addresses
Configure user-defined network routes
Troubleshoot network connectivity

Configure secure access to virtual networks
Create and configure network security groups (NSGs) and application security groups
Evaluate effective security rules in NSGs
Implement Azure Bastion
Configure service endpoints for Azure platform as a service (PaaS)
Configure private endpoints for Azure PaaS

Configure name resolution and load balancing
Configure Azure DNS
Configure an internal or public load balancer
Troubleshoot load balancing

5. Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10–15%)

Monitor resources in Azure
Interpret metrics in Azure Monitor
Configure log settings in Azure Monitor
Query and analyze logs in Azure Monitor
Set up alert rules, action groups, and alert processing rules in Azure Monitor
Configure and interpret monitoring of virtual machines, storage accounts, and networks by using Azure Monitor Insights
Use Azure Network Watcher and Connection Monitor

Implement backup and recovery
Create a Recovery Services vault
Create an Azure Backup vault
Create and configure a backup policy
Perform backup and restore operations by using Azure Backup
Configure Azure Site Recovery for Azure resources
Perform a failover to a secondary region by using Site Recovery
Configure and interpret reports and alerts for backups

My Preparation Strategy

1. Study Materials

• I relied heavily on the latest Microsoft Azure Administrator AZ-104 Study Guide from Cert007. This guide provided comprehensive coverage of all exam objectives and included practice exams to test my knowledge.

• I also used the Microsoft Learn platform for hands-on labs and detailed learning paths tailored for the AZ-104 exam.

2. Practice Exams

• Taking practice exams was crucial. Cert007’s practice tests were particularly helpful in assessing my readiness and identifying areas where I needed more study. Regular practice helped me get familiar with the exam format and question types.

3. Hands-On Experience

• Nothing beats real-world experience. I spent a lot of time working in the Azure portal, setting up virtual machines, configuring networks, and managing storage. This hands-on practice reinforced the theoretical knowledge I gained from study materials.

4. Study Groups and Forums

• Engaging with study groups and forums like Reddit’s r/Azure or Microsoft’s Tech Community provided insights from other exam takers. These communities are great for tips, resources, and moral support.

5. Scheduling Study Time

• Consistency is key. I scheduled regular study sessions and stuck to them. Breaking down the study material into manageable chunks made the process less overwhelming.

Conclusion

Passing the AZ-104 exam was a rewarding experience that opened up new opportunities in my career as an Azure Administrator. With the right preparation strategy, including utilizing the latest study guides from Cert007, practice exams, and hands-on experience, you can achieve success too. Remember, consistency and practical experience are your best allies in this journey. Good luck!