Mastering the Microsoft AZ 104 Exam

  • AZ 104
  • Published by: André Hammer on May 17, 2024

Are you preparing for your Microsoft AZ 104 exam? If you are, then this is the right decision for your career. The Microsoft AZ 104 certification can help you achieve growth in your Microsoft Azure career.

This article shares strategies and tips to help you ace the AZ 104 exam and get certified. Read on for steps to succeed in this important test.

Overview of the Microsoft AZ 104 Exam

Understanding the Structure of the AZ 104 Exam

The AZ 104 exam has sections covering various aspects of being an Azure administrator. These sections are structured into topics, including Azure Virtual Network, Network Security Group, Azure DNS, RBAC, Peering, Azure Firewall, Azure Policy, and more.

The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, case studies, and lab exercises. It is designed to assess your understanding of Azure services and your ability to apply technical knowledge.

The time allocated for each section varies, so you need to manage your time effectively to ensure you can complete all questions within the allocated time.

To become certified, you must achieve Microsoft's minimum passing score. The final result is based on your correct scores in each section. Each question contributes a certain percentage towards the final score. 

Benefits of Passing the AZ 104 Exam

If you are keen on becoming an Azure administrator, passing the AZ 104 Exam opens up more job opportunities.

The certification highlights that you have the skills to manage Azure services. Those skills could include Azure virtual networks, firewalls, RBAC, and Azure DNS. It also shows that you are proficient in network security groups, Azure private DNS, S2S VPN, and Azure Bastion.

The certification also validates your knowledge in other important areas, such as load balancing, Azure Traffic Manager, Azure Front Door, and storage accounts (blob tiering and object replication). 

Moreover, it proves that you have expertise in provisioning resources, virtual machines, containers, AKS, and monitoring tools like Log Analytics Workspace and Network Watcher.

 

Preparing for the AZ 104 Exam

Creating a Study Plan for AZ 104

Creating a study plan that helps you succeed is important, and it is essential when preparing for the AZ-104 exam. As you prepare your study plan, focus on the following areas:

  • Virtual networks
  • RBAC

  • Peering

  • Azure firewall

  • Azure policy

Try some hands-on practice in the following areas:

  • Azure virtual networks

  • Network security groups

  • Azure DNS

  • Private DNS

Also, try to learn about:

  • S2S VPN

  • ExpressRoute

  • Azure Virtual WAN

  • User-defined routes

  • Service endpoints

  • Private endpoints

  • Azure Bastion

  • Load balancing

  • Azure Load Balancer

  • Azure App Gateway

  • Azure Traffic Manager

  • Azure Front Door

And also understand the following:

  • Storage accounts

  • Blob tiering

  • Lifecycle management

  • Object replication

  • Azure Files

  • Managed disks

  • Provisioning resources

  • Virtual machines

  • Availability sets

  • VMSS

  • Containers

  • AKS

  • App service plans

  • Monitoring

  • Alerting

  • Log analytics workspace

  • Network Watcher

  • AZ-104 administrator responsibilities

Recommended Study Materials for AZ 104

If you are preparing for the AZ-104 exam, you will benefit from a study list that covers various topics. A good study list should feature the following:

  • Azure Administrator functionalities
  • Azure Virtual Network features include peering, network security groups, Azure DNS, S2S VPNs, and ExpressRoute.

In addition, try to focus on study crams that cover the following areas:

  • Azure Firewall configurations
  • Azure Policy implementations

  • RBAC

  • Azure Private DNS

  • User-defined routes

  • Service endpoints

  • Private endpoints

  • Azure Bastion services

And concepts such as load balancing using:

  • Azure Load Balancer

  • Azure App Gateway

  • Azure Traffic Manager

  • Azure Front Door

 

As well as storage functionalities like:

  • Blob Tiering

  • Lifecycle Management

  • Object Replication

  • Azure Files

  • Managed Disks

And efficiently provisioning resources using:

  • Virtual Machines

  • Availability Sets

  • VMSS

  • Containers

  • AKS

  • App Service Plan

Practising with AZ 104 Sample Questions

There are many benefits of practising with AZ 104 sample questions.

Practice answering questions on topics such as Azure virtual networks, network security groups, RBAC, and Azure DNS. This will help you understand the critical concepts tested in the exam.

This will reinforce knowledge and identify areas that need further study. Simulating exam conditions also improves your time management and builds confidence.

 

Key Topics Covered in the AZ 104 Exam

Managing Azure Subscriptions and Resources (AZ 104)

You need to understand the concepts listed below to effectively manage Azure subscriptions and resources for the AZ 104 exam:

  • RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
  • Peering

  • Azure Virtual Network

Studying lists such as John Savill's technical training can help you gain a good understanding of Azure services like:

  • Azure DNS

  • Azure Firewall

  • Azure Policy

  • Network security groups

 

Implementing and Managing Azure Storage (AZ 104)

The following best practices and strategies can help you implement and manage Azure Storage in the AZ-104 exam, and that involves several steps.

Professional Azure administrators must:

  • Understand technical training resources like John Savill's study cram.
  • Effectively configure storage accounts, blob tiering, and lifecycle management.

Additionally, they should be able to use:

  • Azure Firewall

  • Azure Policy

  • RBAC

  • Peering in the virtual network

This ensures that network security group settings are optimised, along with the following:

  • Azure DNS

  • Azure Private DNS

For data protection and disaster recovery, administrating:

  • S2S VPN

  • ExpressRoute

  • Azure Bastion

To establish secure connections is essential. To do that, you must use

  • Azure Load Balancer

  • Azure App Gateway

  • Azure Traffic Manager

  • Azure Front Door

You must also be able to perform load balancing and manage web traffic efficiently by employing:

  • Object replication in Azure Files

  • Utilising Managed Disks for provisioning resources

A professional should also be able to monitor performance through:

  • Log Analytics Workspace

 

Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks for AZ 104

You need technical training to be able to configure and manage virtual networks for AZ 104. The essential topics that can help you achieve that include the following:

  • Azure firewall
  • Azure policy

  • RBAC

  • Peering

  • Azure virtual network

  • Network security group

  • Azure DNS

  • Azure private DNS

  • S2S VPN

  • ExpressRoute

  • Azure Virtual WAN

  • User-defined routes

  • Service endpoints

  • Private endpoints

  • Azure Bastion

  • Load balancing with Azure Load Balancer

  • Azure App Gateway

  • Azure Traffic Manager

  • Azure Front Door

To ensure network security, understanding Azure's storage accounts is crucial. That means understanding features such as:

  • Blob tiering

  • Lifecycle management

  • Object replication

  • Azure Files

  • Managed disks

Setting up resources like virtual machines in a group or a virtual machine scale set is important. For modern applications, you can easily monitor containers in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) or an App Service Plan using these methods:

  • Alerting via Log Analytics Workspace

  • Network Watcher

Securing Identities and Azure Governance (AZ 104)

Azure Identity Protection offers features like risk detection, automated responses, and remediation to boost security in Azure Governance. An example of an application is it identifies potential vulnerabilities in user identities and protects against them.

Another way to secure identities is to use Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM). This includes RBAC activation, access assignments, and security reviews. It allows temporary access on a need-to-know basis for better governance.

You can also secure identities using Azure Policy. This approach helps enforce rules and regulations across Azure environments for compliance and security. An example of a use case is setting policies for virtual network configurations, security groups, Azure DNS, and storage accounts.

Tips for Success on the AZ 104 Exam

Understanding Azure Active Directory for AZ 104

Azure Active Directory is essential if you are an Azure administrator preparing for the AZ-104 exam.

So, understanding RBAC, user-defined routes, and service endpoints helps you manage identities and access within Azure.

Knowledge of Azure Active Directory is also essential for configuring network security groups, Azure Firewall, and Azure DNS to boost network security.

In addition, it is important to be familiar with Azure private DNS, Azure Bastion, and Azure Load Balancer. These offer the tools you need to secure and efficiently provision resources, such as virtual machines, containers, and storage accounts.

Maximising Points on Performance-based Tasks in AZ 104

If you are a candidate preparing for the AZ-104 exam, focusing on John Savill's technical training can help you excel in performance-based tasks. Master concepts like Azure Administrator duties, virtual network configurations, and Azure policies to succeed.

For a high score, create a study list and use study cram techniques for topics such as RBAC, peering, and Azure Virtual Network setups. Also, it is vital to learn and understand network security basics, including Azure Firewall, Azure DNS, Azure Private DNS, S2S VPNs, and ExpressRoute.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on the AZ 104 Exam

Be careful when managing Azure subscriptions and resources on the AZ 104 exam.

You are likely to struggle with implementing the following:

  • Azure Firewall
  • Azure Policy

  • RBAC

  • Peering correctly

This could result in issues with network security groups and Azure DNS. Another area of concern is configuring:

  • S2S VPN

  • ExpressRoute within Azure Virtual Network

  • Azure Virtual WAN

  • User-defined routes

When it comes to Azure storage, you are likely to make errors in:

  • Setting up storage accounts

  • Blob tiering

  • Lifecycle management

  • Object replication

This is especially true in within:

  • Azure Files

  • Managed disks

So, properly provisioning the following resources is important :

  • Virtual machines

  • Availability sets

  • VMSS

  • Containers

  • AKS

  • App Service Plan

 

Lastly, pay attention to monitoring and alerting using:

  • Log Analytics Workspace

  • Network Watcher

  • AZ-104 Administrator

Resources for Further AZ 104 Exam Preparation

Do the following to prepare for the AZ 104 exam effectively:

  • Engage with Azure Load Balancer, Azure App Gateway, Azure Front Door, Storage Accounts, and other relevant subjects with resources.
  • Use mock exams to practice, assess your knowledge, and identify areas for further focus.
  • Adopt a comprehensive approach involving online resources and practical exercises to succeed in the AZ 104 exam.

Over to you

The Microsoft AZ-104 exam is essential to becoming a certified Microsoft Azure Administrator. To excel in this exam, focus on managing Azure subscriptions, setting up and managing virtual networks, and securing identities.

Hands-on experience with Azure services and resources can also help you succeed. The other thing you can do is study diligently and practice with Azure tools to improve your chances of passing the AZ-104 exam and further your career in cloud computing.

Readynez offers a 4-day AZ-104 Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Course and Certification Program, providing the learning and support you need to successfully prepare for the exam and certification. The AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate course and all our other Microsoft courses are also included in our unique Unlimited Microsoft Training offer, where you can attend the Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate and 60+ other Microsoft courses for just €199 per month, the most flexible and affordable way to get your Microsoft Certifications.

Please contact us with any questions or if you would like to discuss your opportunity with the Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate certification and how you can best achieve it.

FAQ

What are the prerequisites for taking the Microsoft AZ 104 exam?

Before taking the Microsoft AZ 104 exam, you should have experience with Azure services, knowledge of basic Azure concepts, and familiarity with networking, security, and management. 

Specifically, you should know how to manage virtual networks, implement security measures, and administer Azure resources. These skills are essential for successfully understanding and applying the material covered in the exam.

What topics are covered in the Microsoft AZ 104 exam?

The Microsoft AZ-104 exam includes topics like managing Azure user accounts and rules, handling storage, setting up and managing virtual machines, and setting up and managing virtual networks.

What study resources are recommended for preparing for the Microsoft AZ 104 exam?

To prepare for the Microsoft AZ-104 exam, you can use several helpful resources. Try reading the official Microsoft documents, taking online courses on sites like Pluralsight or Udemy, and taking practice exams from ExamTopics or MeasureUp. Getting hands-on experience with Azure services through free trials or your subscription is also a good idea.

How much does it cost to take the Microsoft AZ 104 exam?

The Microsoft AZ-104 exam costs £165. You might have to pay more if you need to retake the exam or buy study materials.

What is the passing score for the Microsoft AZ 104 exam?

To pass the Microsoft AZ-104 exam, you need to score at least 700 out of 1000. If you get 700 or more, you will pass and get your certification.

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