Passing AZ-104 depends on more than knowing Azure services; the Microsoft exam tests practical day-to-day operational judgment across identity, governance, storage, compute, networking, monitoring, and backup.
Its difficulty is usually moderate for candidates who already work with Azure, but it can feel demanding for those who have only studied cloud concepts. The exam rewards people who can recognise what should be configured, where it should be configured, and how Azure services interact when a tenant, subscription, network, or workload is already in production.
How hard is AZ-104 in practice?
AZ-104 is harder than a fundamentals exam because it assumes the candidate can administer Azure resources rather than describe them at a high level. It is less design-led than AZ-305, which focuses on architecting solutions, but it is more operationally detailed because it asks administrators to reason through configuration choices, dependencies, and troubleshooting symptoms.
A useful decision lens is the candidate’s normal work. AZ-900 is a better fit when the goal is to understand cloud terminology, billing models, and Microsoft Azure at a non-technical or early technical level. AZ-104 fits administrators who expect to manage Microsoft Entra ID permissions, role-based access control, storage accounts, virtual machines, virtual networks, monitoring, backup, and governance. AZ-305 is more suitable when the daily responsibility is designing target architectures and making platform-wide design decisions rather than handling administration tickets.
The candidates who underestimate AZ-104 often assume that general Azure familiarity is enough. In practice, weak areas tend to be virtual networking, RBAC, policy, monitoring, and backup because these topics require an understanding of cause and effect across several Azure services. By contrast, many candidates spend too much time on virtual machines because they are visible and familiar, while giving too little time to access control, network security groups, private connectivity concepts, and diagnostic data.
Exam facts to verify before booking
Microsoft publishes the authoritative AZ-104 exam page on Microsoft Learn, along with the Skills Measured document and Microsoft Exam Policies. This draft reflects Microsoft Learn information checked for 2026 publication, but candidates should always verify the current exam page before booking because skills, weighting, item types, delivery rules, prices, and policy wording can change.
The exam is associated with the Microsoft Azure Administrator certification. Microsoft uses a scaled scoring model, and the passing score is 700 out of 1000. A scaled score does not mean every question has equal weight or that the candidate needs to answer a fixed percentage correctly, so the practical implication is simple: avoid spending too long on one difficult item when several faster questions may still be available.
The exam may include different question formats, such as multiple choice, drag-and-drop, case studies, and interactive scenario-style questions. Microsoft can adjust the experience over time, so candidates should treat third-party descriptions of item counts or exact timing as less reliable than the current Microsoft Learn exam page.
Delivery is available through Microsoft’s authorised exam delivery options, including online proctored testing where eligible. Online testing requires a suitable device, webcam, microphone, identity checks, and a controlled testing space. If a candidate does not pass, Microsoft’s exam retake policy applies; waiting periods and attempt limits should be checked directly in Microsoft Exam Policies before scheduling a second attempt.
What the AZ-104 domains look like at work
The AZ-104 blueprint is easier to understand when the domains are connected to ordinary administrator work. Identity and governance questions resemble tickets about access, least privilege, resource locks, policy assignments, and subscription controls. Storage questions often resemble projects involving replication, lifecycle management, access methods, and data protection.
Compute work usually appears as VM operations, image choices, scale sets, availability, extensions, containers, or app hosting decisions. Networking work maps to virtual networks, peering, route tables, DNS considerations, network security groups, VPN concepts, and connectivity troubleshooting. Monitoring and backup questions connect to Azure Monitor, alerts, Log Analytics, Recovery Services vaults, backup policies, and recovery planning.
| AZ-104 area |
Practical lab example |
What the lab teaches |
| Identity and governance |
Create a resource group, assign a least-privilege Azure RBAC role to a test user, apply a policy assignment, and confirm what the user can and cannot do. |
This builds the habit of testing permissions rather than assuming access works because a role name sounds appropriate. |
| Storage |
Create a storage account, configure redundancy and lifecycle management, upload test data, then review access options and logging. |
This shows how storage settings affect durability, cost control, security, and operational visibility. |
| Compute |
Deploy a small test VM or scale set, attach monitoring, review identity settings, and test a planned stop, start, resize, or image-based change. |
This connects compute configuration to maintenance tasks that administrators handle after deployment. |
| Virtual networking |
Build two virtual networks, configure peering, apply network security groups, and test whether expected traffic is allowed or blocked. |
This develops the troubleshooting mindset needed for routing, segmentation, and access control questions. |
| Monitoring and backup |
Enable diagnostic settings, create an alert, configure backup for a test workload, and confirm where restore options and logs appear. |
This reinforces that administration includes detection and recovery, not only deployment. |
These labs do not need to be large, but they should be deliberate. A disposable Azure lab with budget alerts and spending controls is safer than practising in a shared production subscription. Alternating between the Azure portal, Azure CLI, and PowerShell also helps, because exam questions may describe a task from more than one operational angle even when the underlying concept is the same.
A realistic 6–8 week study plan
A 6–8 week preparation window is realistic for many candidates who already understand basic cloud concepts and can practise several times each week. Candidates with little networking or identity experience may need longer, while those already administering Azure every day may compress the plan after a diagnostic practice test.
The first stage should establish the baseline. Candidates should review the Microsoft Learn AZ-104 exam page, download or read the Skills Measured document, and take a diagnostic practice assessment without trying to optimise the score. The goal is to identify weak domains early rather than to feel ready too soon.
The next stage should pair each domain with hands-on work. Identity and governance should be studied alongside RBAC, Microsoft Entra ID, management groups, subscriptions, locks, tags, and Azure Policy. Storage study should include access control, redundancy, lifecycle management, file shares, blob tiers, and data movement. Compute should be tied to VM administration, availability choices, scale sets, images, and operational maintenance.
Networking deserves protected time because it is one of the areas where candidates often lose marks through partial understanding. A learner who can create a virtual network but cannot reason through peering, network security groups, route tables, DNS, or VPN concepts will struggle with scenario questions. Monitoring and backup should be practised after resources have been deployed, because logs, alerts, metrics, backup jobs, and restore points make more sense when attached to real test resources.
In the final two weeks, the study plan should shift from content coverage to exam readiness. Candidates should retake practice assessments, review incorrect answers by objective area, revisit the Skills Measured document, and check Microsoft Learn for recent changes. If the blueprint has changed, the final review should follow the current version rather than an older course outline or cached study guide.
A structured course can help when a candidate wants guided labs, instructor-led pacing, and a defined route through the exam objectives. Readynez offers a Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator course for learners who prefer a coached preparation path after they understand the scope and difficulty of the exam.
Practice tests: useful, but only when used correctly
Practice tests are valuable because they reveal timing issues, weak domains, and gaps between recognition and application. They should not be treated as memorisation material, and candidates should avoid brain dumps because they undermine learning and may breach exam rules.
The most useful review happens after the score is shown. A wrong answer should be traced back to the objective it belongs to, then reproduced in a lab where possible. For example, if an RBAC question was missed, the candidate should create a test assignment and verify the actual permissions. If a networking question was missed, the candidate should draw the intended configuration in notes, build a small version in Azure, and test the traffic path.
Practice testing also helps with the scaled score. Because not every item carries the same apparent difficulty, candidates should build a habit of timeboxing difficult questions and protecting time for easier ones. Guessing after eliminating unlikely answers is usually better than leaving an item unresolved because too much time was spent chasing certainty on a single scenario.
Exam-day approach that reduces wasted time
Exam-day performance is partly technical knowledge and partly process discipline. A candidate who understands the content can still lose momentum by over-reading every question, panicking during a case study, or spending too long on one unfamiliar feature.
- Complete check-in early enough to resolve identity, room, webcam, microphone, or system-test issues without rushing.
- Read each question for the task first, then examine the details that affect the answer.
- Answer quick, high-confidence items promptly so early time is not consumed by complex scenarios.
- Flag longer or uncertain questions and return to them after the first pass if the exam interface allows it.
- Use remaining time to revisit flagged items, check for wording traps, and make a reasoned choice rather than leaving uncertainty unmanaged.
After the score is displayed, the next step depends on the result. A pass should be followed by saving the score report and planning how to apply the skills at work, because certification value increases when the knowledge is used. A failed attempt should be treated as diagnostic feedback: compare the weaker areas with the current Skills Measured document, rebuild the labs around those domains, and check the Microsoft Exam Policies before booking another attempt.
Where AZ-104 fits next
AZ-104 is worthwhile when the candidate wants to administer Azure environments rather than merely understand cloud concepts. The exam is demanding because it covers a broad operating surface, but it becomes manageable when preparation combines Microsoft Learn, small labs, practice assessments, and a disciplined review of weak domains.
Candidates planning a wider Microsoft certification path can review the broader Microsoft training catalogue and, where multiple courses are likely, the Readynez Unlimited Microsoft Training option. Questions about choosing a route to the Microsoft Azure Administrator certification can also be sent through the contact page.
FAQ
What topics are covered in the Microsoft AZ-104 exam?
AZ-104 covers Azure administration across identity and governance, storage, compute, virtual networking, monitoring, and backup. Candidates should verify the current Skills Measured document on Microsoft Learn because objective wording and weighting can change.
Is AZ-104 difficult?
AZ-104 is usually moderately difficult for people with hands-on Azure experience and harder for candidates who have only studied theory. The challenge is breadth: the exam expects administrators to connect permissions, networks, workloads, storage, monitoring, and recovery decisions in practical scenarios.
How long should someone study for AZ-104?
A 6–8 week plan is a realistic starting point for candidates with basic cloud knowledge and regular lab time. More time may be needed if networking, Microsoft Entra ID, RBAC, or monitoring are new topics.
Should a beginner take AZ-104 or AZ-900 first?
AZ-900 is usually the better starting point for someone who needs cloud fundamentals and Microsoft Azure terminology. AZ-104 is more appropriate when the candidate is ready to configure and manage Azure resources directly.
What is the best way to prepare for AZ-104?
The strongest preparation combines the current Microsoft Learn objectives, hands-on labs, practice assessments, and targeted review of weak domains. Candidates should practise in a safe lab subscription, use budget controls, and avoid relying on memorised question dumps.
