The cloud has revolutionized everything about how we operate in today’s digital environment, including how apps are built, installed, and secured. This transformation is unquestionably for the better, but it presents new hurdles for businesses. The Azure solutions architect is the key to dealing with this, and the credential matches better with the capabilities of real-world solutions architects and the jobs they execute. However, passing the Microsoft Azure Architect Design AZ-304 Exam is one of the requirements for this position. Many applicants become stuck throughout the preparation phase, and some are unsure where to begin studying for the AZ-304 exam.
So, in order to find a solution to this challenge, we’ll go through all of the primary subject areas, exam structure, beneficial study materials, and exam-passing techniques. Let’s get started with our test preparation guide!
Study Guide for Microsoft Azure AZ-304 Exam
The very first step for the exam preparation of Microsoft AZ-304 is to learn about the knowledge you need to have.
A successful Azure solutions architect possesses a diverse set of abilities and expertise, including the ability to develop and design cloud solutions from beginning to end. The new certification defines, supports, and verifies both of these capabilities, as well as the requirements for each. Furthermore, given the expert level of the certification and the significant demands of the work, having the basis of an associate certification, as needed for our other expert certificates, is essential. Talking about the basic knowledge:
- Firstly, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or software engineering.
- However, while no prior experience is necessary, knowledge and understanding will be beneficial.
- Secondly, when it comes to Azure Solutions Architect architects,
- They have outstanding attention, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving ability, to begin with.
- Secondly, they’re in charge of advising stakeholders and translating company needs into safe, scalable, and dependable cloud solutions.
- Lastly, they could work with cloud administrators, cloud DBAs, and clients to put solutions in place.
Moving on to the exam!
1. Getting into the depth of Microsoft AZ-304 Exam Details
The Microsoft AZ-304 exam is for candidates who can build and deploy Microsoft Azure systems, which include capabilities like compute, networking, storage, and security. This exam necessitates intermediate-level Azure administrative skills as well as familiarity with Azure development and DevOps practices.
The following are the exam’s knowledge requirements:
You must have the following skills in order to pass the exam with a high grade.
- Firstly, strong knowledge and skills in IT operations, such as networking, virtualization, identity, and security, as well as business continuity disaster recovery data platform budgeting, and governance are required.
- Secondly, the capacity to control the impact of individual choices on the overall solution.
- Lastly, knowledge of Azure development and DevOps techniques, as well as Azure administration capabilities, is required.
2. Exploring the AZ-304 Exam Format
Microsoft AZ-304 is the prerequisite exam for becoming Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert. However, this exam will have 40-60 number questions. To pass this exam, it is necessary to obtain a score of a minimum of 700. And, the exam is available in English, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, German, and Chinese (Traditional) language. Lastly, you can schedule the exam at the cost of $165 USD*.
Before moving on to the exam topics for AZ-304, let’s take a look at the upcoming updates for this exam.
Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification Update:
- The AZ-303 exam will retire on MARCH 31, 2022. Exam AZ-305, a new exam, is now accessible. The following requirements must be met in order to receive the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification:
- Earning or having a current Azure Administrator Associate certification and pass Exam AZ-305.
- Pass the
- AZ-303 and AZ-305 exams, or
- AZ-303 and AZ-304 exams (before they retire on March 31, 2022)
3. Focus on the Exam Topics
Exam topics are a learning resource that will be useful during exam preparation. It’s recommended to start studying for the AZ-304 exam by going over all of the parts and subsections included in the exam objectives. This includes the following:
1. Design Monitoring
- Designing for cost optimization
- Design a solution for logging and monitoring
2. Design Identity and Security
- Designing authentication
- Connecting cloud sync and Azure AD Connect Health
- Designing authorization
- Design governance
- Designing security for applications
3. Design Data Storage
- Designing a solution for databases
- Design data integration
- Select an appropriate storage account
4. Design Business Continuity
- Designing a solution for backup and recovery
- Designing for high availability
5. Design Infrastructure
- Designing a compute solution
- Design a network solution
- Designing an application architecture
- Design migrations
4. Understand the concept with Microsoft Learning Paths
Candidates for the Microsoft AZ-304 exam can use Microsoft Learning Paths to assist them to understand the various concepts. Furthermore, you will be able to obtain skills and knowledge in a variety of areas by following the learning paths. You will get access to courses and modules for the Microsoft Azure AZ-304 exam, which will help you develop knowledge. The learning paths are:
Path 1: Architecting network infrastructure in Azure
Learn how to integrate on-premises networks to Azure resources and create a secure, flexible network infrastructure on Azure.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding of,
- network principles such as IP addressing and routing,
- Network access solutions, such as VPN.
Path 2: Architecting storage infrastructure in Azure
Learn the process of architecting storage solutions for your applications in Azure.
Path 3: Architecting compute infrastructure in Azure
Learn the process of architecting compute infrastructure and solutions for automating business processes in Azure.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding of,
- virtual machines,
- networking and storage concepts for virtual machines.
Path 4: Architecting infrastructure operations in Azure
Learn the process of checking, analyzing, and managing the ongoing operation of infrastructure in Azure.
Path 5: Architecting a data platform in Azure
Learn the process of architecting a data platform in Azure and creating solutions for storing relational and NoSQL data.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding of,
- relational databases
- NoSQL databases.
Path 6: Architecting message brokering and serverless applications in Azure
Learn the process of creating reliable messaging for your applications, and taking advantage of serverless application services in Azure.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding of C#.
Path 7: Architecting modern applications in Azure
Learn the process of creating modern applications using PaaS services for applications, caching, containers, and Kubernetes in Azure.
Path 8: Architecting API integration in Azure
Learn how to architect API integration in Azure and provide applications with safe, scalable API access.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding of,
- REST-based APIs.
- C#
For further guidance, check the Microsoft AZ-304 exam tutorial.
5. Using Microsoft Instructor-led Training: Level up preparation!
Microsoft Azure Architect Design
Solutions Architects will learn how to translate business needs into safe, scalable, and dependable solutions in this course. Design considerations for logging, cost analysis, authentication and authorization, governance, security, storage, high availability, and migration are among the topics covered in the lessons. Further, this position requires decisions in a variety of areas that have an impact on the overall design solution.
Target Audience:
- This course is for IT professionals who have experience creating and deploying Microsoft Azure solutions.
- Secondly, you should be well-versed in IT operations, such as networking, virtualization, identity management, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platform, budgeting, and governance.
- Lastly, you must have advanced Azure administrative skills as well as familiarity with Azure development and DevOps procedures.
6. Taking help from reference books
Books may be highly helpful while studying for any exam. This will aid in the development of your attention and self-study abilities. The finest books for Microsoft Azure Solution Architects are as follows:
- Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and Design Guide: Exams AZ-303 and AZ-304 Paperback by William Panek (Author), Benjamin Perkins
7. Using Practice Tests
Starting by evaluating yourself with practice exams is the most efficient way to enhance your preparation. You can take these tests once you’ve finished with the topics. This will not only assist you in improving your replying abilities but will also provide you with a rapid evaluation of your strengths and flaws. There are a few organizations, though, that provide one-of-a-kind and free practice exams to get you started.
While taking practice tests:
- Firstly, you may encounter instances in which the questions are challenging. However, it’s vital to focus on the question and read it thoroughly.
- Secondly, a single phrase may occasionally change the course of an examination. Assuming you’re taking the AZ-304 exam and you don’t know what the answer is to any of the questions, take a deep breath and try to rule out any erroneous answers.
- Lastly, one or two of the answers are frequently erroneous, leaving you with only two possibilities. Make a guess if you’re still stumped. So, never leave a question unanswered.
Final Words
Above, we covered every aspect of Microsoft Azure Architect Design, including its features, benefits, and how to get started as a solution architect. This position will put your knowledge, skill, and ability to do a range of tasks to the test. Moreover, if you want to improve your preparation, you must concentrate on all of the critical areas. Make a study timetable and pattern based on the material you’ve been given, and then start the preparation process step by step.
