Microsoft's certification portfolio moves quickly — objectives change, and older content ages fast. This guide focuses on the study habits that stay current across every Azure and Microsoft 365 path.
Azure Certifications
- Fundamentals: AZ-900, AI-900, DP-900, SC-900
- Associate: AZ-104 (Administrator), AZ-204 (Developer), AZ-500 (Security Engineer)
- Expert: AZ-305 (Solutions Architect), AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer)
Study Plans
- Start from the current Microsoft Learn learning path — it maps directly to exam objectives
- Block 30–45 minutes daily rather than long weekend sessions
- Keep an objective checklist and mark each one as read, practiced, and tested
Labs
- Build resources by hand in the portal, then rebuild them with Azure CLI, then Bicep or Terraform
- Break things intentionally — mis-scope RBAC, break a peering, mis-configure a firewall — and fix them
Practice Exams
- MeasureUp and Whizlabs practice exams are widely used
- Review every question you get wrong against Microsoft Learn documentation
- Target 85%+ consistency before booking the real exam
Learning Resources
- Microsoft Learn (official)
- Microsoft Docs for reference material
- John Savill's Technical Training on YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Microsoft cert should I start with?+
AZ-900 for cloud beginners; AZ-104 if you already work with Azure day to day.
Do Microsoft certifications expire?+
Role-based certifications require annual free renewal via a Microsoft Learn assessment.
Are Microsoft Learn labs enough?+
For fundamentals, yes. For associate and expert levels, add your own scenario-based labs.
Related Resources
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