Microsoft Azure Administrator AZ-104 exam has proved to be a brilliant stepping stone for aspirants who wish to make a career in Azure technologies. Moreover, the certification exam accords one with expertise and the skill set to utilize, manage, and oversee the Azure environment for their organization. Moreover, the professional will gain competence in terms of the following:
- Managing Azure identities and governance
- Deploying and managing Azure compute resources
- Implementing and managing storage
- Managing and configuring virtual networking
- Monitoring and backing up Azure resources
Above all, the AZ 104 certification course has become the benchmark for the professionals in the industry, esp. those who are in the initial phase of working with Azure technologies.
Who are eligible to take the exam?
The aspirants with a minimum of six months of experience(practical) along with a decent grasp of core Azure services, workloads, security, and governance are eligible to take the Microsoft Azure certification exam. Furthermore, the aspirants need to have experience in Azure CLI, portal, PowerShell, and Azure Resource Manager templates.
What exactly does the exam entail?
To crack the Microsoft certification exam, a candidate must first understand the structure of the Microsoft Azure certification exam; the duration of the exam is 120 minutes and comprises two sections consisting of 40 and 60 questions, which differ in their nature. Pearson VUE administers the exam, and the Azure certification costs 165 dollars for US applicants. The exam price, however, will differ according to the applicant’s nationality. Furthermore, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Arabic, and Indonesian are some of the various languages from which a candidate has the liberty to choose. The maximum score is 1000, and the least one must score to pass for the associated certification is 700, as mentioned on the official website.
Blueprint for preparation
A candidate must try to follow the below-mentioned steps to crack the exam:
- Downloading and understanding the entire outline of the Microsoft Cloud certification exam objectives from the official website will enable the assessment of work, allocation of study time, and obtaining relevant study materials. The official website updated the exam’s subject matter recently, i.e., on 24th September 2021; one needs to make sure to download the latest version.
- Utilizing the free and paid Azure certification training tools from the official platform, the paid training will help learn from an experienced instructor and provide easy learning paths for self-study.
- Practicing with AZ-104 practice tests will prove extremely beneficial for assessing one’s level of preparation and ability to manage time. These practice tests help fill the knowledge gaps for the Microsoft Azure Certifications during preparation. In effect, tests are directly proportional to improving your weak areas based on the results. By taking such practice tests, the aspiring candidate will also get accustomed to sitting for the needed 120 minutes in the actual exam.
Additional vital tips
- Ensure to write short notes at the last moment and avoid going through the syllabus.
- Include practical experience and labs for better performance.
- Make oneself familiar with the exam pattern; the AZ-104 exam comprises 60-odd MCQs or brief answer questions.
- Above all, a candidate must ensure that they are not stressed throughout the preparation phase and while taking the exam. A stress-free mind is a must for cracking the exam.
Benefits of clearing the exam
After taking the exam and obtaining the Azure certification, a candidate has a higher chance of yearly increment. For example – the annual median salary of Microsoft Azure Administrators is nearly 107 683 dollars. Moreover, if one adds international certification, the chances of working in a leading organization get even higher.
The hiring managers prefer those with international certification because such an accomplishment indicates the candidate’s level of expertise and skillset. As a result, Azure technology is one of the most sought-after, and organizations use it globally.
Conclusion
It is needless to say that in today’s time, professionals who work diligently to include international certification in their profiles gain a lot in the field. The AZ-104 certification exam is not a cakewalk, but the benefits are worth the time and money. Therefore, work smartly to crack the Microsoft AZ-104 exam and attain the useful certification – Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate.
