Microsoft Azure is a fast-growing cloud platform that gives lots of services to businesses and people. Because more and more individuals want cloud solutions, Azure is a top pick for many companies. This means there’s a higher need for pros who know Azure and have certifications. If you’re new to cloud careers and want to start, getting a Microsoft Azure certification is a great way to learn what you need. But since there are a few options for Azure certifications, it might be tough for beginners to know which one to pick.
In this article, we’re going to look into the various Microsoft Azure certification choices that beginners can go for. We’ll help you figure out which certification works best for you based on your career goals, experience, and skills. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know which Azure certification to aim for to move forward in your cloud computing career.
The Market value of Microsoft Azure Certifications
Microsoft Azure certifications are highly valued in the IT industry, particularly as the demand for cloud computing continues to grow. The market value of these certifications varies depending on the specific certification and the level of expertise it represents. According to data from Payscale, the average salary for professionals holding a Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification is around $85,000 per year. Those holding the higher-level Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification can earn an average salary of around $125,000 per year.
In addition to salary increases, obtaining Microsoft Azure certifications can also lead to job promotions and new job opportunities. According to a survey conducted by Microsoft, 53% of IT professionals said that obtaining a Microsoft certification helped them land a new job or promotion, while 23% said it led to a salary increase.
Overall, Microsoft Azure certifications are highly valued in the IT industry and can lead to increased job opportunities and higher salaries for professionals with the necessary skills and expertise.
Microsoft Azure Certification – Role-Based 
Microsoft has a certification system for Azure that’s based on roles – there are basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. You can pick the certification that matches the kind of job you want in the market. Microsoft has come up with nine Azure certifications and a total of eleven exams, all divided into these three levels.
- First and Foremost, Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
- Second, Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
- Thirdly, Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)
- Next, Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-200, DP-201)
- Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
- Also, Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
- Further, Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
- Next, Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-303, AZ-304)
- Lastly, Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)
Beginners Guide – Microsoft Azure Fundamental AZ-900 Exam
For beginners, it’s a good idea to start with the Microsoft AZ-900 certification exam. This exam checks your basic knowledge of Azure cloud services. Even people who aren’t very tech-savvy can take the AZ-900 exam to understand how cloud services work, especially for jobs in sales, buying, and marketing these services. Now that you’ve chosen to dive into cloud computing for your career, let’s start step by step and go through all parts of the Microsoft Azure AZ-900 exam.
How to prepare for Microsoft Azure AZ-900 Exam?
Before you start getting ready for the AZ-900 exam, it’s super important to know what AZ-900 means. As the name hints, AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals is a basic exam that covers some basic info about Microsoft Azure. The Microsoft AZ-900 exam is about knowing the basics of cloud stuff, like main Azure services, safety, privacy, rules, trust, and also how Azure’s pricing and support work. Now, let’s give you a quick look at what this exam is all about.
Exam Overview
- Prerequisites: No prerequisites
- Number of Questions: 40 – 60 Questions
- Exam Duration: 85 Minutes
- Passing Score Required: 700 Score
- Exam Price Cost: $99 USD
Who should take the exam?
The AZ-900 certification exam is suitable –
- Even if you’re not into tech stuff, if you deal with buying and selling cloud services, this exam can really help you.
- It’s also good for people who want to show they know the basics of cloud services.
- Plus, if you’ve got some basic IT knowledge, the AZ-900 exam could be useful for you.
- Doing well in the AZ-900 exam means you’re good at the basic ideas of Azure. This can make it easier for you to take more advanced Azure certifications later on.
Exam Course Outline
In the Microsoft AZ-900 exam, you can expect questions from the following defined modules. It is important to have a fair knowledge about these modules before your AZ-900 exam preparation.
- Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
- Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
- Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
For complete study guide: AZ-900 Exam tutorial
Important Note: The content of the AZ-900 exam is updated on July 31, 2023.
Preparation Guide for Microsoft Azure Fundamental AZ-900 Exam
Your process of preparation for the exam determines your exam result. So, it becomes very important to prepare well, if you want to really pass the AZ-900 certification exam. You need to follow the right preparation steps to pass the exam in the first attempt.
Learning Resource 1 – Microsoft Learning Platform
The Microsoft portal acts as a command center for all of Microsoft’s exams and certifications. We can find the listing of all the Microsoft certifications in the Microsoft Learning Page. You can easily find the page for AZ-900 in this portal which should be the starting point of your AZ-900 exam preparation.
Learning Resource 2 – Microsoft Documentation
Don’t mix up the Microsoft Documentation page with Microsoft’s Learning portal – these are different sections for learning. Use the Microsoft Azure Documentation page to find the part that’s all about Azure Fundamentals. This page covers important basics like Agility, Disaster Recovery, Elasticity, Fault Tolerance, High Availability, and Scalability – things that really matter in any cloud setup. Once you understand these ideas, you’ll be able to compare and see the basic steps for moving to Azure cloud.
Learning Resource 3 – Instructor-led Training
When you’re getting ready for your Microsoft Azure certification exam, it’s a good idea to use the links in the Microsoft learning portal to find instructor-led training. The training for the Microsoft AZ-900 exam is called “Course AZ-900T01-A: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals.” This learning stuff has the same parts as the core AZ-900 exam syllabus. Just like the main exam, you don’t need to have done anything specific before taking this course, but it’s suggested you have a general understanding of IT.
Learning Resource 4 – Forums and Study Groups
You can discover study groups for many of the Azure role-based exams on the Microsoft Learning portal. However, for the AZ-900 exam, this feature isn’t there. There are also well-known forums where you can find study materials and practice tests. You can post questions about Azure services and solutions in these forums. Experienced folks will reply, and if you know the answer, you can help out other members too.
Learning Resources 5 – Books and Periodicals
You can also check out a trustworthy book about Azure, and it can really make a difference in preparing for the AZ-900 exam. There are some Azure books out there that are really useful when you’re getting ready for the AZ-900 exam.
- First – Microsoft Azure For Beginners by Adney Ainsley
- Second – Microsoft Azure Ultimate Beginners Guide by Kennan Bismar
- Third – Microsoft Azure Tutorial for Beginners by Dennis Hutten
- Fourth – Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Azure
Learning Resource 6 – Practice Tests
Practice exams are really great for learning – they’re the best way to see how good you are in a certain area. There are many websites that offer practice tests for the AZ-900 exam. You can pick practice tests or sample papers from different places, but it’s better to avoid using brain dumps for your preparation.
Expert Corner
Unlike some other Azure exams, the AZ-900 exam doesn’t need you to have done similar stuff before. So, even if you just have basic skills and good thinking, you can pass this exam without spending too much time on preparation. But it’s still important to find good resources for AZ-900 exam preparation. They can help you understand how to get ready for the exam in a better way.
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Get ready to boost your chances to qualify the Microsoft Azure AZ-900 exam with AZ-900 real-time exam questions. Stay Tuned for more such updates.
