Updated 2020-06-25!

As Microsoft progresses it’s new strategy of role based certification, they are constantly updating the exams required for certification. As the Azure Administrator Role was the first to launch back in 2018, it’s no surprise to see it being updated again. If you’re interested in the exam, here is what Microsoft have to say about it:

The Azure Administrator implements, manages, and monitors identity, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networks in a cloud environment. The Azure Administrator will provision, size, monitor, and adjust resources as appropriate. Candidates should have a minimum of six months of hands-on experience administering Azure. Candidates should have a strong understanding of core Azure services, Azure workloads, security, and governance. Candidates for this exam should have experience in using PowerShell, the Command Line Interface, Azure Portal, and ARM templates.

As the exam is still in beta, if you take it, it will not be scored immediately. However, if you pass the exam, it will count towards certification and you will receive a Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification.

As always, a great place to start is Microsoft Learn. There are several interactive learning paths that are free that you can work through at your own pace. I find this a great way to study and gain greater understanding of the services by actually using them and you will need to have used Azure to pass this exam.

Below I’ve put together a collection of links relevant to the sections Microsoft have highlighted as being part of the skills measured for this exam. These are only guide links, sometimes you need to explore a topic much more deeply if you are not familiar with it. Hopefully these study materials will help guide you to successfully passing AZ-104!

Manage Azure identities and governance (15-20%)

Manage Azure AD objects

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/add-users-azure-active-directory
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/active-directory-groups-create-azure-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/active-directory-groups-create-azure-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/b2b/user-properties
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/b2b/what-is-b2b
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/device-management-azure-portal

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/quickstart-sspr
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/concept-sspr-licensing

Manage role-based access control (RBAC)

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/custom-roles
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/role-assignments-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/troubleshooting
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/role-definitions

Manage subscriptions and governance

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/tutorials/create-and-manage
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/tutorials/create-custom-policy-definition
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/lock-resources
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/decision-guides/resource-tagging/?toc=/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/toc.json
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/tag-resources
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/manage-resource-groups-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/move-resource-group-and-subscription
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/cost-management-billing-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/management-groups/manage

Implement and manage storage (10-15%)

Manage storage accounts

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-network-security
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-account-create
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-sas-overview?toc=/azure/storage/blobs/toc.json
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-account-keys-manage
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/redundancy-migration
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-auth-aad

Manage data in Azure Storage

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-import-export-data-from-blobs
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-import-export-data-to-blobs
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-quickstart-blobs-storage-explorer
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azcopy-migrate-on-premises-data

Configure Azure files and Azure blob storage

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-how-to-use-files-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-sync-files-extend-servers
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blobs-introduction ( go deeper, each config section)
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-performance-tiers

Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (25-30%)

Configure VMs for high availability and scalability

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-availability-sets
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machine-scale-sets/overview

Automate deployment and configuration of VMs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/infrastructure-automation
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/marketplace/cloud-partner-portal/virtual-machine/cpp-deploy-json-template
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/template-tutorial-create-first-template?tabs=azure-powershell

Create and configure VMs

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/security/fundamentals/azure-disk-encryption-vms-vmss
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/move-vm
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/resize-vm
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-manage-data-disk
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-virtual-network
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/troubleshooting/redeploy-to-new-node-windows

Create and configure containers

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/kubernetes-walkthrough
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-instances/container-instances-quickstart-portal

Create and configure Web Apps

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/overview (pick any language, go a bit deeper)
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/overview-hosting-plans
• Reminder, web apps only, not Functions

Configure and manage virtual networking (30-35%

Implement and manage virtual networking

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/quick-create-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/tutorial-filter-network-traffic
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/tutorial-create-route-table-portal

Configure name resolution

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/dns/dns-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/dns/private-dns-getstarted-cli

Secure access to virtual networks

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/security-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-vnet-plan-design-arm
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/diagnose-network-traffic-filter-problem
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-firewall-deploy-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-create-host-portal

Configure load balancing

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/load-balancer/tutorial-load-balancer-basic-internal-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/load-balancer/tutorial-load-balancer-standard-manage-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-troubleshoot

Monitor and troubleshoot virtual networking

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/networking/network-monitoring-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-monitoring-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-troubleshoot-connectivity-problem-between-vms
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/insights/network-performance-monitor

Integrate an on-premises network with an Azure virtual network

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-tutorial-create-gateway-powershell
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-tutorial-vpnconnection-powershell
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/expressroute/expressroute-about-virtual-network-gateways
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-troubleshoot
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-wan/work-remotely-support

Monitor and back up Azure resources (10-15%)Manage Identities

Monitor resources by using Azure Monitor

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/data-platform-metrics
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/log-query/get-started-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/metrics-getting-started
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/learn/quick-create-workspace
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/workbooks-overview (go deeper on views, dashboards)
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-troubleshoot
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/action-groups
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-managing-alert-instances
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/app-insights-overview

Implement backup and recovery

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/configure-reports
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/quick-backup-vm-portal
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/tutorial-restore-disk
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-recovery-services-vault-overview
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-arm-userestapi-createorupdatepolicy
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/azure-to-azure-tutorial-dr-drill