The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam is a stepping stone into the dynamic world of cloud computing. After passing the exam and understanding the fundamental concepts for the AZ-900 exam, the question arises “What is the next step?”.
With several Azure career paths and an extensive network of certifications, choosing the next steps can be challenging. This blog serves as your roadmap, empowering you to navigate the exciting landscape of Azure career options beyond the AZ-900. We will focus on the diverse specializations available, from infrastructure management and development to your career. Also, we shall be focusing on the certification hierarchy, exploring Associate, Expert, and Specialty credentials and their relevance to each path.
Most importantly, we’ll guide you in aligning your aspirations and skillset with the perfect Azure certification. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of your ideal career trajectory, equipped with the knowledge and resources to start on your personalized Azure journey.
AZ-900 Exam Overview
If you’re preparing for the AZ-900 exam, it means you’re a tech pro aiming to show your basic understanding of cloud concepts and Microsoft Azure. This exam is often the first step in starting a career in Azure.
You need to be able to talk about different parts of Azure, like computing, networking, and storage. Also, you should be able to explain how to keep Azure safe, manage it properly, and take care of administrative tasks. You must have some skills and experience in IT areas like handling infrastructure, managing databases, or doing software development.
Exam Format:
- Exam Name: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
- Exam Code: AZ-900
- Passing Score: 700 and above (on a scale of 1000)
- Cost: $99 USD
- Language: English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Spanish, German, French, Indonesian (Indonesia), Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Chinese (Traditional), Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian
Who should take the AZ-900 Exam?
The AZ-900 certification is made for people who are new to cloud computing or don’t have a technical background. It’s meant for business folks, non-tech IT workers, students, and anyone looking to grasp the basics of Azure services.
This certification is for those interested in understanding the fundamentals of Azure and cloud computing, including:
- Business stakeholders: These are decision-makers in charge of choosing cloud-based solutions for their organizations. This could be executives, managers, and business analysts.
- Non-technical IT staff: People in IT roles without a technical background, like project managers, business analysts, and technical writers.
- Students: Those pursuing an IT career or wanting to learn about cloud computing and Azure services.
- Anyone seeking a basic understanding of Azure services: Individuals curious about how Azure services can benefit their organization or personal projects.
Moreover, the AZ-900 certification is a great starting point for anyone wanting to grasp the basics of Azure services and cloud computing, no matter their job or background.
Exam Topic Areas
- Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
- Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
- Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
Understanding Your Career Direction
The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam marked your entry into the world of cloud computing. This section serves as your compass, guiding you through introspective exercises and illuminating the diverse specializations that align with your innate talents and aspirations.
1. Understand your skills
As an Azure Administrator, you’ll navigate the complexities of deploying and managing cloud resources, ensuring seamless operation and performance. Or, delve deeper into the intricacies of network architectures with the Azure Network Engineer track, mastering routing, security, and connectivity within the Azure domain.
2. Working on the Cloud
Master the art of web and mobile development using Azure App Service and Azure Functions, or craft robust backend systems leveraging Azure Kubernetes Service and Service Fabric. Alternatively, explore the frontiers of artificial intelligence and machine learning with Azure Cognitive Services, building intelligent applications that revolutionize how we interact with the world.
3. Explore the world of Data
As an Azure Data Analyst, you’ll wield powerful tools like Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure Databricks to cleanse, transform, and analyze data, uncovering hidden patterns and driving data-driven decisions. Delve deeper into the realm of machine learning with the Azure Data Scientist role, where you’ll build and deploy advanced algorithms to unlock the transformative power of AI.
4. Understand the Security Area
As an Azure Security Engineer, you’ll become a guardian of the Azure ecosystem, deploying robust security controls and mitigating threats to protect sensitive data and applications. Master the art of identity and access management with Azure Active Directory, or delve into the intricacies of threat detection and incident response with Azure Sentinel.
Exploring Your Certification Options after Passing the AZ-900 Exam
With the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) under your belt, you’ve entered the cloud. Now, it’s time to start on the exciting journey of specializing your skills and advancing your expertise through Microsoft’s comprehensive certification program. But amidst the diverse array of available credentials, the question arises: Where do you begin?
This section serves as your compass, guiding you through the Azure certification hierarchy and highlighting relevant options that align with your chosen career path.
Understanding the Credentialing Tiers
Microsoft’s Azure certifications are meticulously classified into three tiers, each catering to distinct levels of proficiency and career aspirations:
- Associate-Level:
- These introductory certifications signify core competency in specific roles, equipping you with hands-on skills and practical knowledge to excel in entry-level positions.
- Expert-Level:
- Demonstrating in-depth knowledge and solution design proficiency, these advanced credentials position you for leadership roles and complex technical challenges.
- Specialty-Level:
- Tailored to niche areas of expertise, these credentials validate your mastery in specific domains, enhancing your value proposition and career flexibility.
Navigating the Career Paths
Now, let’s begin on a guided tour of relevant certifications within each major career path, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed choices for your future:
1. IT Operations:
– Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104):
To succeed in the AZ-104 exam, you need to be well-versed in implementing, managing, and overseeing a Microsoft Azure environment for an organization. This includes handling aspects like virtual networks, storage, compute resources, identity management, security, and governance.
As an Azure administrator, your role is often part of a team dedicated to establishing the cloud infrastructure of an organization. Collaboration with other roles is crucial to deliver solutions in areas such as Azure networking, security, databases, application development, and DevOps.
Having a good understanding of operating systems, networking, servers, and virtualization is essential for this role. Additionally, hands-on experience with tools like PowerShell, Azure CLI, the Azure portal, Azure Resource Manager templates, and Microsoft Entra ID is necessary.
– Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500):
As the Azure security engineer, you implement, manage, and monitor security for resources in Azure, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure. You recommend security components and configurations to protect the following:
- Identity and Access
- Data
- Applications
- Networks
Your responsibilities as an Azure security engineer include:
- Managing the security posture.
- Identifying and remediating vulnerabilities.
- Performing threat modeling.
- Implementing threat protection.
You may also participate in responding to security incidents. As an Azure security engineer, you work with architects, administrators, and developers to plan and implement solutions that meet security and compliance requirements.
You should have:
- Practical experience in the administration of Microsoft Azure and hybrid environments.
- Strong familiarity with compute, network, and storage in Azure and Microsoft Entra.
– Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400):
In the role of a DevOps engineer, you’re not just a developer or infrastructure administrator; you’re someone with expertise in coordinating people, processes, and products to ensure continuous delivery of value within organizations.
Your responsibilities involve creating and implementing strategies for collaboration, code management, infrastructure handling, source control, security, compliance, continuous integration, testing, delivery, monitoring, and feedback.
As part of a DevOps engineer’s role, you collaborate with cross-functional teams comprising developers, site reliability engineers, and Azure administrators. It’s essential to have hands-on experience in administering and developing Azure, demonstrating strong skills in at least one of these domains. Additionally, familiarity with tools such as Azure DevOps and GitHub is a key requirement.
2. Cloud Development:
– Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204):
As an AZ-204 exam candidate, your role encompasses active participation in all stages of development, from gathering requirements and design to deployment, security, maintenance, performance tuning, and monitoring.
Proficiency in various aspects of Azure is crucial, including the SDK, data storage options, data connections, APIs, app authentication and authorization, as well as compute and container deployment. Debugging skills are also essential.
Collaboration is key in implementing solutions, and you’ll work closely with cloud solution architects, database administrators (DBAs), DevOps professionals, infrastructure administrators, and other stakeholders. To qualify for this role, you should possess a minimum of two years of professional development experience, including hands-on experience with Azure. Additionally, you should be adept at programming in an Azure-supported language and demonstrate proficiency in using Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, and other relevant tools.
– Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100):
If you’re preparing for the DP-100 exam, it’s essential to have expertise in applying data science and machine learning to execute machine learning workloads effectively on Azure.
Your responsibilities in this role encompass designing and establishing an appropriate environment for data science workloads, exploring data, training machine learning models, implementing pipelines, running jobs for production preparation, and managing, deploying, and monitoring scalable machine learning solutions.
To succeed in the exam, you should possess knowledge and experience in data science, utilizing tools such as Azure Machine Learning and MLflow.
3. Data and AI:
– Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102):
To excel in the AI-102 exam, you need the capability to leverage Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs and Software Development Kits (SDKs) for constructing secure solutions in image processing, video processing, natural language processing, knowledge mining, and generative AI on Azure. Your proficiency should extend to understanding the components within the Azure AI portfolio and being familiar with available data storage options. Additionally, a key requirement is the ability to apply responsible AI principles.
– Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203):
If you’re gearing up for the DP-203 exam, it’s crucial to have expertise in integrating, transforming, and consolidating data from diverse structured, unstructured, and streaming data systems. Serving as an Azure data engineer, your role involves aiding stakeholders in comprehending data through exploration, constructing, and maintaining secure and compliant data processing pipelines using varied tools and techniques.
Your proficiency extends to utilizing Azure data services and frameworks to store and generate cleansed and enhanced datasets, with flexibility in designing data stores based on business needs, including Modern Data Warehouse (MDW), Big Data, and Lakehouse architecture.
As part of your responsibilities, you ensure that operationalizing data pipelines and data stores meets high-performance, efficiency, organization, and reliability standards, considering business requirements and constraints. Identifying and troubleshooting operational and data quality issues, as well as designing, implementing, monitoring, and optimizing data platforms to meet pipeline needs, are all integral aspects.
To succeed in this exam, you must possess a robust knowledge of data processing languages like SQL, Python, and Scala, and understand parallel processing and data architecture patterns. Proficiency in using tools such as Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Event Hubs, Azure Data Lake Storage, and Azure Databricks is also essential for creating effective data processing solutions.
4. Cloud Security:
– Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500):
As an Azure security engineer, your role involves implementing, managing, and overseeing security measures for resources in Azure, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments within an end-to-end infrastructure. Your recommendations cover security components and configurations for safeguarding identity and access, to data, applications, and networks.
Key responsibilities include managing the overall security posture, identifying and fixing vulnerabilities, performing threat modeling, and implementing threat protection. Additionally, you may actively participate in responding to security incidents. Collaboration is crucial, and you work closely with architects, administrators, and developers to plan and execute solutions aligned with security and compliance requirements.
To excel in this role, practical experience in administering Microsoft Azure and hybrid environments is vital. You should also possess a strong understanding of compute, network, and storage in both Azure and Microsoft Entra.
– Microsoft Certified: Azure Cyber Security Architect Expert (SC-100):
In the role of a Microsoft cybersecurity architect, you play a pivotal role in transforming a cybersecurity strategy into capabilities that effectively shield an organization’s assets, business, and operations. Your responsibilities encompass designing, guiding implementation, and maintaining security solutions aligned with Zero Trust principles and industry best practices. This includes developing security strategies for identity, devices, data, applications, network, infrastructure, and DevOps.
Furthermore, your role involves crafting solutions for Governance and Risk Compliance (GRC), security operations, and security posture management. As a cybersecurity architect, continuous collaboration with leaders and practitioners in IT security, privacy, and other roles throughout the organization is crucial to plan and implement a cybersecurity strategy tailored to meet business needs.
As an exam candidate for this role, your experience should include implementing or administering solutions in areas such as identity and access, platform protection, security operations, data security, application security, and hybrid/multi-cloud infrastructures.
AZ-900 Exam: Career Path and Opportunities 2024
You’ve unlocked a gateway to exciting career opportunities in the ever-expanding world of Microsoft Azure cloud. But where do you go from here? This section will delve into various career paths and possibilities that open up after successfully conquering the AZ-900, helping you chart your course to cloud success in 2024.
Immediate Next Steps:
- Build Foundation: While the AZ-900 provides a solid foundation, it’s a springboard, not the final destination. Consider further exploring Azure through hands-on experience, pursuing intermediate certifications like AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) or AZ-204 (Azure Developer), or taking specialized courses.
- Network and Connect: Join online communities like Azure User Groups, engage with mentors and experienced professionals, and build your network within the Azure ecosystem. This opens doors to career insights, job opportunities, and valuable support.
Career Path Options:
1. Cloud Administrator:
Cloud Administrators are the conductors of the cloud, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They play a crucial role in managing, securing, and supporting cloud infrastructure and resources. The demand for skilled Cloud Administrators is booming and expected to continue growing in the coming years. As businesses increasingly move to the cloud, they need talented professionals to manage their cloud infrastructure effectively. This presents a fantastic opportunity for career growth and advancement in a dynamic and rapidly evolving field. Here’s a closer look at their responsibilities and potential earnings:
Responsibilities:
- Provisioning and managing: They set up and configure cloud resources like virtual machines, storage, and networks.
- Monitoring and troubleshooting: They keep a watchful eye on performance, troubleshoot issues, and maintain system health.
- Security and compliance: They implement security measures, enforce compliance policies, and protect against cyber threats.
- Backup and disaster recovery: They manage backups, disaster recovery plans, and ensure business continuity.
- Cost optimization: They monitor cloud spending, optimize resource usage, and keep costs under control.
- Automation and scripting: They automate routine tasks and leverage scripting to improve efficiency.
- User support: They provide technical support to users and collaborate with other IT teams.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of cloud computing concepts and services, preferably Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Technical skills in networking, operating systems, and virtualization.
- Problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Salary:
The salary range for Cloud Administrators can vary depending on several level, including:
- Entry-level: $60,000 – $80,000 per year
- Mid-level: $80,000 – $110,000 per year
- Senior-level: $110,000 – $145,000 per year
2. Cloud Support Specialist:
Cloud Support Specialists are the frontline heroes of the cloud, solving user issues and ensuring smooth sailing in the digital sky. They’re the first line of defense when things go wrong and play a vital role in keeping cloud users happy and productive. Here’s a closer look at their responsibilities and potential earnings:
Responsibilities:
- Technical support: Provide technical assistance to cloud users experiencing issues with platform functionalities, applications, and integrations.
- Problem-solving and troubleshooting: Investigate technical problems, diagnose the root cause, and implement solutions to resolve issues.
- User communication and education: Explain technical concepts in clear and concise language, offer guidance, and train users to navigate the cloud platform effectively.
- Log analysis and documentation: Analyze system logs to identify trends and patterns, document issues and resolutions, and maintain knowledge base resources.
- Collaboration with other teams: Work with developers, system administrators, and other IT professionals to escalate complex issues and find collaborative solutions.
- Staying up-to-date: Continuously learn new technologies and stay updated on cloud platform changes and advancements.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of cloud computing concepts and services, preferably Microsoft Azure, AWS, or GCP.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Active listening and empathy to understand user concerns.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Familiarity with basic IT troubleshooting and technical procedures.
Salary:
The salary range for Cloud Support Specialists can vary on various levels:
- Entry-level: $45,000 – $65,000 per year
- Mid-level: $65,000 – $85,000 per year
- Senior-level: $85,000 – $110,000 per year
3. Cloud Developer:
Cloud Developers are the architects and engineers of the digital skyline, constructing and maintaining applications and services that power the cloud ecosystem. They combine their programming skills with cloud expertise to craft innovative solutions that keep businesses humming. Let’s dive deeper into their fascinating role and the potential rewards it offers:
Responsibilities:
- Designing and developing cloud applications: Build scalable, secure, and reliable applications using cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, or GCP.
- Integrating cloud services: Leverage APIs and connectors to integrate various cloud services seamlessly into applications.
- DevOps principles: Implement DevOps practices for continuous integration, continuous delivery, and infrastructure as code to ensure agile development and deployments.
- Security and compliance: Build secure applications that adhere to data privacy regulations and cloud security best practices.
- Performance optimization: Monitor and optimize applications for performance and resource utilization.
- Collaboration and communication: Work effectively with other developers, architects, and product teams to translate business needs into functional applications.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong programming skills in languages like Python, Java, or C#, depending on the chosen cloud platform.
- Understanding of cloud platforms and their core services (e.g., Azure App Service, AWS Lambda, GCP Cloud Functions).
- Familiarity with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
- DevOps principles and tools like Git and CI/CD pipelines.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Salary:
Cloud Developer salaries are among the highest within the IT sector, reflecting the demand for their specialized skills and the strategic nature of their role.
- Entry-level: $75,000 – $95,000 per year
- Mid-level: $95,000 – $125,000 per year
- Senior-level: $125,000 – $160,000 per year
4. Cloud Solution Architect:
Cloud Solution Architects are the masterminds behind the cloud, strategizing and designing optimal cloud-based solutions for businesses. They bridge the gap between business needs and technical implementation, weaving a path for organizations to leverage the cloud’s agility and scalability. Let’s delve into their responsibilities and the impressive earning potential this role holds:
Responsibilities:
- Cloud strategy and consulting: Analyze business requirements, conduct cloud feasibility studies, and recommend optimal cloud strategies aligned with organizational goals.
- Solution design and architecture: Design secure, scalable, and cost-effective cloud architectures using relevant cloud services and technologies.
- Migration planning and execution: Develop and execute cloud migration plans, ensuring smooth transition of workloads and data to the cloud.
- Security and compliance: Design and implement security measures, ensure compliance with data privacy regulations, and address security concerns throughout the cloud journey.
- Cost optimization: Monitor cloud spending, develop cost optimization strategies, and identify potential cost reduction opportunities.
- Collaboration and communication: Work closely with stakeholders, developers, IT teams, and business leaders to translate concepts into practical solutions.
- Staying up-to-date: Continuously learn new cloud technologies, stay current with industry trends, and adapt strategies to emerging advancements.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of cloud computing concepts, services, and architectures, preferably across multiple platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Expertise in networking, security, storage, and other core IT infrastructure domains.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.
- Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
- Problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Project management and leadership skills.
Salary:
Here’s a general salary range for Cloud Solution Architects in the United States as of January 2024:
- Entry-level: $95,000 – $120,000 per year
- Mid-level: $120,000 – $150,000 per year
- Senior-level: $150,000 – $190,000 per year
4. Cloud Sales Specialist:
The Cloud Sales Specialist is the bridge builder, connecting businesses with the transformative power of the cloud. They’re the persuasive voice, the strategic advisor, and the problem solver who helps organizations unlock new opportunities and achieve their goals through cloud solutions. Let’s dive into their fascinating role and the lucrative potential it offers:
Responsibilities:
- Identifying and qualifying leads: Research potential customers, understand their needs and challenges, and identify opportunities for cloud solutions.
- Developing relationships: Build strong relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders within target organizations.
- Presenting and demonstrating solutions: Create compelling presentations and demonstrations that showcase the value proposition of cloud solutions, addressing specific business needs and pain points.
- Negotiating and closing deals: Negotiate contracts, overcome objections, and close deals that deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Supporting customers: Provide ongoing support and guidance to customers after the sale, ensuring successful implementation and ongoing satisfaction.
- Market research and analysis: Stay current with industry trends, competitor offerings, and customer needs to inform sales strategies and target the right opportunities.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Strong understanding of cloud computing concepts, services, and benefits, preferably across multiple platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to build rapport and trust with diverse stakeholders.
- Problem-solving and analytical skills to understand customer needs and propose effective solutions.
- Sales experience and a proven track record of success.
- Knowledge of relevant industry trends and competitive landscape.
- Strong time management and organizational skills.
Salary:
Here’s a general salary range for Cloud Sales Specialists in the United States as of January 2024:
- Base salary: $70,000 – $100,000 per year
- Commission and bonuses: Up to 50% of base salary, depending on performance and company structure
- Total potential earnings: $105,000 – $200,000 per year and beyond
Skills to work on:
- Hybrid and multi-cloud environments: Businesses are increasingly adopting hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, creating increased demand for professionals who can manage across platforms.
- Edge computing: With its growing prominence, Azure skills relevant to edge computing will be highly sought-after.
- AI and machine learning: As Azure integrates more AI and ML capabilities, professionals with skills in these areas will be in high demand.
- Security and compliance: As cloud security is paramount, skilled professionals with Azure security expertise will be crucial.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Azure certification is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It’s a unique and personal journey driven by your individual goals, skills, and aspirations. Remember, the most valuable certification is the one that empowers you to achieve your career ambitions in the dynamic Azure cloud landscape.
Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional seeking to broaden your expertise or a new entrant eager to break into the cloud domain, there’s an Azure certification waiting to unlock your potential. Take your time, explore your options, and choose the path that resonates with your aspirations.
