Tag: Certification

Mar302020March 30, 2020March 29, 20204Commentsby Thomas Maurer
AZ-900 Study Guide Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam Study Guide

AZ-900 Study Guide: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals 2020

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

The content of the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam will be updated on May 28, 2020. That is why I want to share my new updated AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam Study Guide for 2020 with you. To learn and prepare for the exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs and Microsoft Learn, which I am going to share with you. You can find more information about how I prepare for a Microsoft Certification exam on my blog post: How to prepare and pass Microsoft Certification Exam.

NOTE: This exam with the updated content will be available on May 28, 2020. If you want to see the differences between the old exam content and the new, check out the skills measured doc on the exam website.

Also, check out other Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guides:

I passed the AZ-900 exam awhile back, but now I am looking forward to refreshing it.

Here is my AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam Study Guide

It is essential to get familiar with the exam objectives and skills measured first. That is why I recommend reading the description of the exam and the skills measured.

Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals

This exam is designed for candidates who need to validate foundationallevel knowledge of cloud services and how those services are provided with Microsoft Azure.
The exam is intended for candidates who are just beginning to work with cloud-based solutions and services. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate a fundamental understanding of cloud concepts, Azure services, Azure workloads, security and privacy in Azure, as well as Azure pricing and support. Candidates should be familiar with the concepts of networking, storage, compute, application support, and application development.

This exam can be taken as a precursor to other Microsoft certifications, such as Azure Administrator. While it would be a beneficial first step, taking this exam is not a prerequisite before taking any other Azure-based certifications.

The high-level view of the skills measured in the exam:

  • Describe cloud concepts (20-25%)
  • Describe core Azure services (15-20%)
  • Describe Core Solutions and Management Tools on Azure (10-15%)
  • Describe General Security and Network Security Features (10-15%)
  • Describe Identity, Governance, Privacy and Compliance Features (20-25%)
  • Describe Azure Pricing and Support (10-15%)

You can find more information on the exam website.

Free Online Microsoft Learn AZ-900 Exam Study Guide resources

I personally believe is you are going through the Azure Fundamentals learning path on Microsoft Learn, you should be able to pass the exam. Microsoft Learn provides you with free online training and learning paths for different Microsoft technologies. They not just offer reading material, but also control questions and free online labs. Here are some relevant Microsoft Learn modules and learning paths for the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam. Microsoft Learn is an important part of my AZ-900 exam study guide.

Note: Not all modules are yet matching the new content of the exam. However, I believe that there is still a big value for learn that content.

Free Azure Account

I also highly recommend that you create a free Azure account to try out the Azure services and get familiar with the Azure platform.

Free Azure Account

Free Azure Account

If you don’t have an Azure account yet, you can sign up today for your free Azure account and receive 12 months of free popular services, $200 free credit, and 25+ always free services.

Microsoft Docs AZ-900 study guide resources

One thing I always used to prepare for my Microsoft exams is Microsoft Docs. Here are the relevant Microsoft Docs which I used to prepare and study for the AZ-900 exam.

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Mar202020March 20, 2020March 20, 20206Commentsby Thomas Maurer
How to take a Microsoft Certification Exam Online

How to take a Microsoft Certification Exam Online

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

Many people these days are looking in to taking Microsoft certification exams and get certified. You can take the Microsoft certification exam locally in an official test center, or online. In this blog post, I want to give you some tips and tricks on how to take a Microsoft certification exam online, from home or in the office. Since I have taken many Microsoft Azure exams online, so I want to share my experience with you. This includes:

  • How to schedule an online exam
  • Microsoft Online Exam Requirements
  • Online Exam check-in experience
  • During the exam
  • After the exam and retrieve score report
Read More

Mar162020March 16, 2020March 30, 202017Commentsby Thomas Maurer
AZ-303 Study Guide Azure Architect Technologies Exam Study Guide

AZ-303 Study Guide: Azure Architect Technologies

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

To get the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification, there are two new exams which you need to pass, the AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and the AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design exam. In this blog post, I am going to share my AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies Certification Exam Study Guide with you. To learn and prepare for the exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs and Microsoft Learn, which I am going to share with you. You can find more information about how I prepare for a Microsoft Certification exam on my blog post: How to prepare and pass Microsoft Certification Exam.

NOTE: This exam will be available on or around April 28, 2020.

Also, check out other Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guides:

Here is my AZ-303 Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies Certification Exam Study Guide

It is essential to get familiar with the exam objectives and skills measured first. That is why I recommend reading the description of the exam and the skills measured.

Exam AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies

Candidates for this exam are Azure Solutions Architects who advise stakeholders and translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions. Candidates should have advanced experience and knowledge of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platform, budgeting, and governance. This role requires managing how decisions in each area affects an overall solution.

Candidates must have expert-level skills in Azure administration and have experience with Azure development processes and DevOps processes.

The high-level view of the skills measured in the exam:

  • Implement and Monitor an Azure Infrastructure (50-55%)
  • Implement Management and Security Solutions (25-30%)
  • Implement Solutions for Apps (10-15%)
  • Implement and Manage Data Platforms (10-15%)

You can find more information on the exam website.

Free Online Microsoft Learn AZ-303 Exam Study Guide resources

Microsoft Learn provides you with free online training and learning paths for different Microsoft technologies. They not just offer reading material, but also control questions and free online labs. Here are some relevant Microsoft Learn modules and learning paths for the AZ-303 Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies Certification Exam. Microsoft Learn is an important part of my AZ-303 exam study guide.

Microsoft Docs AZ-303 study guide resources

One thing I always used to prepare for my Microsoft exams is Microsoft Docs. Here are the relevant Microsoft Docs which I used to prepare and study for the AZ-303 exam.

Read More

Mar032020March 3, 2020March 30, 202020Commentsby Thomas Maurer
AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam Study Guide

AZ-204 Study Guide: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

Besides preparing for AZ-104, I am also preparing for the new AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam, which was announced to replace the AZ-203 Azure Developer exam. There are many great resources out there to prepare for the exam, that’s why I want to share my AZ-204 Microsoft Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guide with you. To learn and prepare for the exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs and Microsoft Learn, which I am going to share with you. You can find more information about how I prepare for a Microsoft Certification exam on my blog post: How to prepare and pass Microsoft Certification Exam.

Also, check out other Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guides:

Here is my AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guide

It is essential to get familiar with the exam objectives and skills measured first. That is why I recommend reading the description of the exam and the skills measured.

Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

Candidates for this exam are cloud developers who participate in all phases of development from requirements definition and design, to development and deployment, and maintenance. They partner with cloud DBAs, cloud administrators, and clients to implement solutions.

Candidates should be proficient in Azure SDKs, data storage options, data connections, APIs, app authentication and authorization, compute and container deployment, debugging, performance tuning, and monitoring.Candidates must have 1-2 years professional development experience and experience with Microsoft Azure. They must be able to program in an Azure Supported Language.

The high-level view of the skills measured in the exam:

  • Develop Azure compute solutions (25-30%)
  • Develop for Azure storage (10-15%)
  • Implement Azure security (15-20%)
  • Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (10-15%)
  • Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (25-30%)

You can find more information on the exam website.

Free Online Microsoft Learn AZ-204 Exam Study Guide resources

Microsoft Learn provides you with free online training and learning paths for different Microsoft technologies. They not just offer reading material, but also control questions and free online labs. Here are some relevant Microsoft Learn modules and learning paths for the AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Certification Exam. Microsoft Learn is an important part of my AZ-204 exam study guide.

Microsoft Docs AZ-204 study guide resources

One thing I always used to prepare for my Microsoft exams is Microsoft Docs. Here are the relevant Microsoft Docs which I used to prepare and study for the AZ-204 exam.

Read More

Mar022020March 2, 2020April 5, 202017Commentsby Thomas Maurer
AZ-104 Azure Administrator Exam Study Guide

AZ-104 Study Guide: Azure Administrator

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

I am currently preparing for the new Microsoft exam AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator, which was announced to replace the AZ-103 exam. There are many great resources out there to prepare for the exam, that’s why I want to share my AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Exam Study Guide with you. To learn and prepare for the exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs and Microsoft Learn, which I am going to share with you. You can find more information about how I prepare for a Microsoft Certification exam on my blog post: How to prepare and pass Microsoft Certification Exam.

NOTE: This exam will be available on or around March 31, 2020.

Also, check out other Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guides:

Here is my AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Exam Study Guide

It is essential to get familiar with the exam objectives and skills measured first. That is why I recommend reading the description of the exam and the skills measured.

Exam AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator

The Azure Administrator implements, manages, and monitors identity, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networks in a cloud environment. The Azure Administrator will provision, size, monitor, and adjust resources as appropriate.

Candidates should have a minimum of six months of hands-on experience administering Azure. Candidates should have a strong understanding of core Azure services, Azure workloads, security, and governance. Candidates for this exam should have experience in using PowerShell, the Command Line Interface, Azure Portal, and ARM templates.

The high-level view of the skills measured in the exam:

  • Manage Azure identities and governance (15-20%)
  • Implement and manage storage (10-15%)
  • Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (25-30%)
  • Configure and manage virtual networking (30-35%)
  • Monitor and back up Azure resources (10-15%)

You can find more information on the exam website.

Free Online Microsoft Learn AZ-104 Exam Study Guide resources

Microsoft Learn provides you with free online training and learning paths for different Microsoft technologies. They not just offer reading material, but also control questions and free online labs. Here are some relevant Microsoft Learn modules and learning paths for the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Exam. Microsoft Learn is an important part of my AZ-104 exam study guide.

Microsoft Docs AZ-104 study guide resources

One thing I always used to prepare for my Microsoft exams is Microsoft Docs. Here are the relevant Microsoft Docs which I used to prepare and study for the AZ-104 exam.

Read More

Feb132020February 13, 2020March 15, 20200Commentby Thomas Maurer
Microsoft Certification Transcript

How to Share your Microsoft Certification Transcript

Posted in Certification, Cloud Advocate, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure

If you have done your Microsoft Certification exams, you will get a Microsoft Certification Transcript attached to your Microsoft Certification ID and account. In this transcript, you will find all the exams you have taken, active certifications and certification history. In the case you want or need to share Microsoft Certification Transcript with your employer, friends, and colleagues, you can follow the steps I listed here.

This Microsoft transcript is the official record of your exam and certification achievements. You can email yourself a copy of the transcript, share your transcript with your employer, friends, and colleagues, and download a copy.

Please note it can take up to 48 hours after passing an exam for an exam or certification to appear on your transcript.

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Jan282020January 28, 2020January 28, 20200Commentby Thomas Maurer
MCT Microsoft Certified Trainer 2020

MCT Microsoft Certified Trainer 2020

Posted in Certification, Cloud, Cloud Advocate, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, Thomas Maurer

I am happy to let you know that I just got the confirmation that I requalified as a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) in 2020. After being a Microsoft Certified Trainer in 2017 and in 2019, I am happy to be part of this community again. Being an MCT again is a great honor and I am happy to be part of this community, even I am now working for Microsoft.

Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) are the premier technical and instructional experts in Microsoft technologies. Join this exclusive group of worldwide Microsoft technical training professionals and reap the benefits of MCT training certification and membership. You will get exclusive benefits as an MCT including access to the complete library of official Microsoft training and certification products, substantial discounts on exams, books, and Microsoft products. In addition, you will be able to use Microsoft readiness resources to help you enhance your training career and engage with other MCT members in an online community forum. You will also receive invitations to exclusive Microsoft and local MCT community events.

Microsoft Certified Trainer MCT 2020-2021

Microsoft Certified Trainer MCT 2020-2021

If you want to know more about the Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) program, you can have a look at the following resources and pages:

If you want to know more about the latest Azure Certification and exams like AZ-103, AZ-30X or AZ-900, check out my blog posts.

You can find a general overview of the new Azure Certifications here. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments.



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    Thomas Maurer

    My name is Thomas Maurer. I am a Senior Cloud Advocate at Microsoft. I am part of the Azure engineering team (Cloud + AI) and engage with the community and customers around the world. I am located in Switzerland. I am focusing on Microsoft technologies, especially cloud and datacenter solutions based on Microsoft Azure, Azure Stack and Windows Server. Opinions are my own.

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