Guy Hummel

Azure Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team?

Azure certification

Cloud computing is one of the fastest-growing segments of the technology industry. According to AAG, Microsoft Azure reached a market share of 23% in Q4 of 2022, beginning 2023 as the second-largest cloud service globally, with triple the revenues of Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and it’s rapidly closing the market share gap with its main rival, Amazon Web Service (AWS).

This rapid growth has led to a dramatic increase in the number of jobs requiring Azure skills. One of the best ways to prove that you have those skills is by obtaining certifications.

But as a tech leader, how do you know which certifications to guide your team towards, and how do you assess their skill level/efficiency?

In this article, we’ll cover the most popular Microsoft Azure certification exams and help you get started with choosing a learning path that best meets your cloud computing goals.

Whether you are looking for study materials for an Azure certification or simply want to find out more about what Azure can offer your enterprise, Cloud Academy’s Microsoft Azure Training Library is loaded with learning paths, courses, practice certification exams, hands-on labs, lab challenges, and lab playgrounds. Our learning paths are guided learning experiences that provide step-by-step training to build your technical knowledge and hands-on skills using actual Azure accounts in live environments.

Fill out the form to learn more about how our tech skills assessments can help you save time by identifying the exact skills your team needs.

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Choosing the right Azure certification: What’s the value?

Azure certifications stand out for their intense evaluation of a candidate’s expertise, focusing on practical experience and proven techniques. 

Executives in charge of an IT team will find that obtaining Azure certification can be an excellent way to not only build foundational knowledge of Azure services and solutions, but also assess the capabilities of more seasoned team members.

Are Azure certifications worth it?

Any certification that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise within the IT industry is certainly worth obtaining. In a market that is full of competition, being able to stand out above a crowd can help you get noticed and put you on your journey to achieve your professional goals.

If there are a number of candidates applying for a position, and all have the same credentials and experience, but one of them has a number of recognized Azure credentials to reinforce their knowledge, then this goes a long way in making you the chosen candidate.

It is not just about validating your knowledge however, it says a lot about you as a person. It shows commitment, dedication, the willingness to learn, the drive to stay at the forefront of innovation, and sometimes this demonstrates more to people than what the actual certification stands for.

How do I become Azure certified?

While no particular approach is necessary when it comes to studying for the Azure certification,  the following steps are a great starting point: 

  • Enroll in an Azure training class, such as any of the ones mentioned in this article. They will certainly increase your knowledge of cloud computing and Azure.
  • Review any study or exam guides available.
  • Read multiple Azure whitepapers. These hold some invaluable information, which may answer many of your questions.
  • Practice, practice, practice. Practice exams will help ease any worries or stress you may be having about the certification exam.
  • Schedule the exam once you are ready. It typically takes anywhere from 80-120 hours of practice/studying to be prepared for the exam based on experience and the certification you are pursuing.

Azure certifications: Which is best?

All Azure certifications are important and are a great asset to have from a professional standpoint. Deciding which one to take, or which one is ‘best’ largely depends on your interests, your role, and where you would like to take your career.

For example, If you are looking to move into application development, then the following route would be a great fit: 

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals  
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

So it really depends on what you are trying to achieve as an individual, and where you want to take your career.

Microsoft Azure currently offers 19 certifications. All certifications are role-based, with titles such as Azure Administrator, Azure Solution Architect, Azure Developer, and Azure AI Engineer. They’re organized into 4 levels: Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, and Specialty. These certifications focus on building knowledge and skills related to job roles. They were designed with the engagement of the community in identifying the requirements for each role. You can find a complete overview on Cloud Academy’s Azure certifications page.

Here are all the Azure certifications we’ll cover in this post:

Bringing your team up to speed on Azure can take time you may not have. But with our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. 

Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today to find out how the program works.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each exam.

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam. The Azure fundamentals certification is designed to validate a foundational knowledge level of Azure cloud services. It is intended for both technical and non-technical candidates.  

Areas Covered

  • Understand foundational cloud concepts such as high availability, scalability, reliability, cloud models, and cloud service types
  • Describe compute, networking, storage, and core architectural components of Azure
  • Describe identity, access, and security
  • Describe Azure management, governance, compliance, and monitoring tools

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 50
  • Duration: 60 Minutes
  • Passing Score Required: 700
  • Cost: $99

To prepare for this exam, check out the AZ-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AI-900 Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals exam. Candidates who are interested in earning this fundamental level certification must have a basic knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions on Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Describe AI workloads and considerations, including features of common AI workloads and guiding principles for responsible AI
  • Describe fundamental principles of machine learning on Azure, such as common machine learning types and scenarios
  • Describe features of computer vision workloads on Azure
  • Describe features of natural language processing (NLP) workloads on Azure, such as conversational AI

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 50 – 60
  • Duration: 60 Minutes
  • Cost: $99

To get ready for this exam, check out the AI-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-900 Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals exam. Candidates who want to earn this certification should understand core data concepts, relational and non-relational data, and analytics workloads on Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Describe core data concepts, such as common data workloads and ways to represent data
  • Identify considerations for relational data on Azure, including relational concepts and relational Azure data services
  • Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure, including capabilities of Azure Storage and Azure Cosmos DB
  • Describe analytics workloads on Azure, including large-scale analytics, real-time data analytics, data visualization in Microsoft Power BI

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 50
  • Duration: 60 Minutes
  • Cost: $99

If you want to get ready for this exam, go through the DP-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-900 Microsoft Azure Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals exam. Candidates who want to earn this certification should have a general knowledge of the security, compliance, and identity capabilities of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
  • Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), part of Microsoft Entra
  • Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
  • Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 60 Minutes
  • Cost: $99

To get ready for this exam, check out the SC-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Associate-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate exam. The AZ-104 exam is the replacement for the AZ-103 exam.

This exam will test the knowledge and capabilities of candidates in the configuration and management of compute, storage, virtual networking, and monitoring in an Azure environment.

An Azure Administrator is a subject matter expert (SME) who is responsible for implementing the Azure-based cloud infrastructure of an organization.

Areas Covered

  • Manage Azure identities and governance, including Azure AD objects, role-based access control (RBAC), and subscriptions and governance
  • Implement and manage storage, including Azure Files and Azure Blob Storage
  • Deploy and manage Azure compute resources, including virtual machines, containers, and Azure App Service
  • Configure and manage virtual networking, including virtual networks and load balancers
  • Monitor and maintain Azure resources

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, try the AZ-104 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Developer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-204 Microsoft Azure Developer Associate exam. The AZ-204 exam is the replacement for the AZ-203 exam.

Candidates for this certification should be familiar with designing, building, and testing Azure-based apps and services. Candidates should also have 1-2 years of development experience with proficiency in data storage and connections, Azure SDKs, debugging, monitoring, performance tuning, etc.

Areas Covered

  • Develop Azure compute solutions, including IaaS solutions, web apps, and Azure Functions
  • Develop for Azure storage, including Cosmos DB storage and blob storage
  • Implement Azure security, including authentication and authorization
  • Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions
  • Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services using API Management, event-based solutions, and message-based solutions

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, you should take the AZ-204 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate Certification

As a team leader, you are fully aware that the security concerns associated with cloud computing are one of the biggest impediments to its wide-spread adoption.
If you’re interested in understanding how to keep your cloud environment secure with Cloud Academy, contact us and request a free demo!

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for candidates who implement and manage security controls, identity, and access management and are responsible for securing cloud data, apps, and networks. As a Microsoft Azure security engineer, candidates are responsible for managing and securing cloud-based solutions and may also secure hybrid cloud solutions as part of an end-to-end infrastructure.

This exam requires strong skills in automation and scripting, a deep understanding of virtualization technology and virtual networking, and a strong familiarity with Microsoft cloud services and products.

Areas Covered

  • Manage identity and access using Azure Active Directory and role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Implement platform protection, including advanced security for compute and networks
  • Manage security operations, including policy management, threat protection, and security monitoring solutions
  • Secure data and applications

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, check out the AZ-500 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-700 Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for people who already have experience with Microsoft Azure networking.

Areas Covered

  • Design, implement, and manage hybrid networking
  • Design and implement core networking infrastructure
  • Design and implement routing
  • Secure and monitor networks
  • Design and implement private access to Azure services

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, you should take the AZ-700 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AI-102 Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate exam. This associate-level certification is designed for candidates who implement Microsoft AI solutions like natural language processing, knowledge mining, speech, computer vision, bots, and agents using Cognitive Services, Cognitive Search, and the Bot Framework.

Candidates for this exam should have at least a general knowledge of IT architecture and software development experience, especially using REST APIs.

Areas Covered

  • Plan and manage an Azure Cognitive Services solution
  • Implement Computer Vision solutions
  • Implement natural language processing solutions
  • Implement knowledge-mining solutions
  • Implement conversational AI solutions

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, you should check the AZ-102 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate Certification

The demand for this certification has increased significantly. As data sets grow, companies are looking to data scientists to uncover hidden trends and extract value from complex sets of data that will help inform business decisions.

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-100 Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate exam. This certification is focused on designing and implementing a data science solution on Azure. You will learn how to apply Azure machine learning approaches in training, evaluation, and deployment of models that are used to solve business problems.

Areas Covered

  • Design and prepare a machine learning solution
  • Explore data and train models
  • Prepare a model for deployment
  • Deploy and retrain a model

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 180 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, check out the DP-100 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification

To get this certification and become an Azure Data Engineer, you need to pass the DP-203 Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for people who know how to implement systems for exploring, processing, and analyzing data on Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Design and implement data storage on Azure
  • Design and develop data processing on Azure
  • Design and implement data security on Azure
  • Monitor and optimize data storage and data processing on Azure

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, take the DP-203 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-300 Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate exam. This is a role-based Azure certification exam that would be ideal for candidates who are interested in administering cloud-based database systems. By achieving this certification, candidates prove they can manage Azure SQL Database and Microsoft SQL Server.

Areas Covered

  • Plan and implement data platform resources
  • Implement a secure environment
  • Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
  • Configure and manage automation of tasks
  • Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, you should check out the DP-300 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security Operations Analyst Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-200 Microsoft Azure Security Operations Analyst Associate exam. This certification is designed for IT professionals who are familiar with threat mitigation using Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft Sentinel.

Areas Covered

  • Mitigate threats using Microsoft 365 Defender
  • Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
  • Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, you should take the SC-200 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Identity and Access Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-300 Microsoft Azure Identity and Access Administrator Associate exam. This certification is designed for IT professionals who know how to manage identity and access on Microsoft 365 and Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Implement identities in Azure AD
  • Implement authentication and access management
  • Implement access management for applications
  • Plan and implement identity governance in Azure AD

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the SC-300 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Expert-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass both the AZ-305 Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert exam and the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate exam.

This certification is designed for candidates who have advanced knowledge of Azure architecture. You don’t have to take the AZ-104 exam before taking AZ-305, but you have to pass both of them to get the certification.

Areas Covered

  • Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions
  • Design data storage solutions
  • Design business continuity solutions
  • Design infrastructure solutions

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: AZ-104 exam (or you can take the AZ-104 exam after AZ-305)
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, take the AZ-305 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-400 Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert exam as well as either the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate exam or the AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate exam. This certification is designed for DevOps professionals who bring people, processes, and technologies closer to deliver valuable services and products that meet business requirements and objectives. DevOps engineers are responsible for delivering cloud services by improving collaboration and communications, designing, and implementing strategies for app coding, and creating automation, continuous delivery, monitoring, and feedback. For this job role, candidates should be proficient with Agile practices and familiar with both Azure development and operations processes.

Areas Covered

  • Configure processes and communications
  • Design and implement source control
  • Design and implement build and release pipelines
  • Develop a security and compliance plan
  • Implement an instrumentation strategy

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate certification
  • Number of Questions: 50 – 70
  • Duration: 180 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-400 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Specialty certifications

Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-120 Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who have familiarity with SAP components and a general understanding of computing architecture such as networking, databases, and computer hardware.

Areas Covered

  • Migrate SAP Workloads to Azure
  • Design and implement an infrastructure to support SAP workloads on Azure
  • Design and implement high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR)
  • Maintain SAP Workloads on Azure

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-120 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-140 Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who have experience administering Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Areas Covered

  • Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
  • Plan and implement identity and security
  • Plan and implement user environments and apps
  • Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-140 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure IoT Developer Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-220 Microsoft Azure IoT Developer Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who want to become Azure IoT developers and already have experience with software development and Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

  • Set up the Azure IoT Hub solution infrastructure
  • Provision and manage devices
  • Implement IoT Edge
  • Implement business integration
  • Process and manage data
  • Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize IoT solutions
  • Implement security

Exam Information

  • Prerequisites: None
  • Number of Questions: 40 – 60
  • Duration: 120 Minutes
  • Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-220 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

How to renew Azure certification and stay up to date

Microsoft role-based (associate and expert) and specialty certifications are valid for one (1) year from the date that you complete all requirements to earn that certification.

To prevent your certification from expiring you must renew the certification before the expiration date. 

Renewals are free 

There’s no cost to renew your certification, just make sure you pass the online assessment before your certification expires. Fundamentals certifications do not expire.

Six-month renewal window

You can take the renewal assessment any time during your six-month eligibility window, via Microsoft Learn. Once you pass, your certification will be extended one year from the expiration date.

Assessments are short and unproctored

Assessments focus on recent technological and industry updates, so they’re shorter than the original exam(s) and are open-book. You can take the assessment as many times as you need as long as you pass before your certification expires.

If you are a tech team leader, you want to make sure your tech talents stay up to date with the latest releases and certifications. But bringing your team up to speed on AWS can take time you may not have. With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today and request a free demo to find out how the program works.

Conclusion

Microsoft is one of the largest and fastest-growing players in the public cloud market. If you are interested in making a career using Microsoft Azure technologies, I highly recommend choosing one or more of the above-mentioned certifications.

These role-based certifications include configuration and management of compute, storage, networking, security, reliability, integration, development, and operations capabilities. Organizations are rapidly adopting Microsoft Azure cloud services, and the demand is growing for certified Azure administrators, solution architects, developers, and security engineers. To become certified and successfully land a job, you’ll not only need to learn how to configure, manage, and secure Azure cloud environments, but you’ll also need practical, hands-on experience. Cloud Academy offers Microsoft Azure Certifications Learning Paths that not only help you pass the Azure certification exams but also allow you to test your skills in real-world environments with hands-on labs, lab challenges, and lab playgrounds. From configuring Azure infrastructure for cloud administrators to integrating Azure services for cloud architects, these learning paths fully prepare you with the knowledge and experience you need to start or advance your Azure career.

To learn more about how we help companies go beyond training to upskill, reskill, and retain proven tech talent through our platform, contact us.

Good luck and Happy learning!

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

What are the top 3 certifications in Azure?

Some of the top Azure certifications include: 

  • Azure Fundamentals
  • Azure Administrator Associate
  • Azure Developer Associate

What are the different levels of Azure certification?

Azure certifications are organized into 4 levels: Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, and Specialty. These certifications focus on building knowledge and skills related to specific job roles. 

How much does Azure certification cost?

The prices of the exams are different based on the level of the certification:

  • Fundamentals = $99
  • Associate = $165
  • Expert = $165
  • Specialty = $165

Can I get Azure certification online?

Yes! You can find Azure courses and training online from a variety of providers. Cloud Academy’s Microsoft Azure Training Library allows teams to access vital resources and education from anywhere.

How long does Azure certification last?

Microsoft role-based (associate and expert) and specialty certifications are valid for one (1) year from the date of completion.

Want to understand how Cloud Academy can help your team get Azure certified and always stay up to date?

With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Fill out the form to get a free demo and find out how the program works.

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