Microsoft Azure Certifications Path in 2021

In 2018 at the Ignite conference, Microsoft has announced significant changes to the Azure certification Path to make the Azure certifications more role-based. This blog has been designed to clear your confusion on different certifications available in Azure and helps you in finding the one which suits you from  Microsoft Azure Certification Path.

Cloud computing is one of the technological breakthroughs of the 21st century. It has completely transformed the storage system of the organizations. Prior to the invention of the cloud, there were a lot of limitations and security issues to store the ever-growing data of organizations. Cloud computing is an innovation in the computing world and freed organizations from all types of issues such as low storage capacity, huge investments, high operating costs, low security, huge maintenance, etc.

Microsoft Azure is one of the top cloud service providers in the market  & growing at a faster rate with its unique features. Constant innovativeness, high flexibility and easy to use approach have acquired its huge popularity in the cloud computing segment. Azure is one of the widely deployed tolls by many organizations and offering more employment opportunities.

If you are about to start your career in Microsoft Azure cloud computing or you are already working as an azure professional and wish to take your career to the next level then this blog is for you. To set yourself apart from the growing competition the best way is to have certifications. To certify the skill of a candidate azure is offering various certifications suitable to different roles and levels.

Why do you Need Azure Certification?

Certification demonstrates your skill and level of expertise in handling the complexities of Azure. Companies all over the world are looking for Azure certified professionals & with good paychecks. There are different certifications available in Azure, choose the one which suits you based on your level of expertise and background. By the end of this blog, you will get answers to your questions like types of certifications, which one is best for you, how much each certification costs, syllabus, etc.

Role Based Microsoft Azure Certification

 

The introduction of role-based certifications has created a simple learning road map from the fundamental stage to the associate stage and lastly to the expert stage. Microsoft Azure is offering below mentioned role-based certifications for different levels, which include:

Let us discuss each Certification in detail:

1. Azure Fundamentals

Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) is the first exam one should go for.  This certification would help you in demonstrating your fundamental knowledge of Cloud services in Azure. Azure fundamentals exam is even suitable for those who are from a non-technical background and possess a minimal understanding of the cloud concepts.

Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals:
This exam is considered as a first level in the azure certification path. It is treated as an optional step but completing this certification would be helpful to some extent for your career scope.

Prerequisites:

• Familiarity with the Azure platform
• Basic knowledge of cloud technologies

Exam fee: 99 USD.

Exam Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese,

Exam Modules & weightage:

• Cloud Concepts (15-20%)
• Security, Compliance, Privacy, and Trust (25-30%)
• Core Azure Services (30-35%)
• Azure Pricing and Support (25-30%)

2. Azure Administrator Associate: (AZ-103 )

This Azure Administrator associate manager certification is designed to test the ability and level of expertise in handling things like security, cloud computing capabilities, applications, operating systems, security, storage within the Microsoft Azure.

Exam AZ-103: Microsoft Azure Administrator

The candidates who are appearing for this exam should be familiarised with the concepts like Azure Portal,   ARM templates, Powershell, storage structures, virtualization, networking, and cloud infrastructure. To go for the Azure DevOps Engineer Expert exam you must complete Azure administrator manager certification first.

Prerequisites:

You should possess the knowledge of operating systems, cloud storage infrastructure, and azure applications.
Basic knowledge of virtualization tools and network components.
Having PowerShell and Command Line interface knowledge is an added advantage

Exam fee:  USD 165
Exam Languages: English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Japanese,

Exam Modules & weightage:

• Manage Azure resources and subscriptions (15-205)
• Implement and control virtual machines (VMS) (15-20%)
• Storage management (15-20%)
• Identity management (15-20%)
• Configure and maintain virtual networks (30-35%)

3. Azure Developer Associate:

Microsoft Azure developer is a candidate who has to look after things like design, develop, test, manage cloud solutions, services and applications. The candidate is required to associate with different candidates like cloud DBAs, cloud solution architects, cloud administrators, and clients to implement these solutions.

Exam AZ-203: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure

The Azure Developer Associate exam is designed to measure a candidate’s ability in accomplishing these tasks such as develop Azure IaaS compute solution, develop a PaaS computation solution, implement Azure security, develop for Azure storage, troubleshoot,  monitor, optimize solutions, and integration with third-party connections.
It acts as a prerequisite for attending the Azure DevOps Engineer certification exam.  After qualifying the AZ-203  exam you will receive a badge of Microsoft Certified Developer Associate.

Prerequisites for AZ-203 Exam:

• The candidate should possess the ability to develop apps and services using Azure tools and technologies.
• The candidate should have minimum one year experience in developing solutions
• The candidate should have complete proficiency in at least one cloud- supportive programming language.
• Exam fee:  USD 165
• Exam Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese,

Exam Modules & weightage:

• Azure Infrastructure as a service compute solutions (10-15%)
• Azure Platform as a Service solution (20-25%)
• Develop Azure storage (15-20%)
• Optimize, monitor and troubleshoot Azure solutions (15-20%)
• Azure Security Implementation (10-15%)
• Connect & consume Azure & third party services (20-25%)

4. Azure Solutions Architect Expert:

Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect should possess the expertise in various concepts like compute, storage, network and security. All these skills together will help the candidate in designing the solutions that can be executed on Azure.

Based on the recent changes and introduction of role-based certifications from the Azure one should pass two exams namely Microsoft Azure Architect Design and Microsoft Azure Architect. Once you qualify these two certifications you will get a badge of Azure Solution Architect Expert.

Exam AZ-300: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies

This certification exam is designed to test the ability of a candidate in the technical tasks such as implementing security and workloads, deploy and configure infrastructure,  implement authentication and data protection, develop and deploy apps, develop azure cloud and storage. You have to pass this exam to get a badge of  Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Prerequisites:

• Candidate should possess knowledge of identity, security, IT operations, and data management.
• you should have one year’s experience.
• Candidate should have knowledge of Azure development, Azure administration, and DevOps.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Implement and Configure Infrastructure (25-30%)
• Architect Cloud Technology Solutions (5-10%)
• Implement Security and Workloads  (20-25%)
• Develop and Implement Apps (5-10%)
• Develop for the Cloud (20-25%)
• Implement  and Secure Data (5-10%)

Exam Fee:  $165 USD*

Exam Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

Exam AZ-301: Microsoft Azure Architect Design

This exam is conducted to test your capability in accomplishing the technical tasks such as a design for security and identity, determine workload requirements, design a business continuity strategy, design a data platform solution, design for deployment, integration, and migration, and an infrastructure strategy.  You should pass the AZ-301 to become an Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Prerequisites:

The pre-requisites are the same as Azure Architect technologies exam AZ-300. But the only criteria is that you need to pass the AZ-300 to take AZ-301 exam.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Determine Workload Requirements (10-15%)
• Design a Data Platform Solution (15-20%)
• Design for Deployment, Integration, and Migration (10-15%)
• Design for security and Identity (20-25%)
• Develop a Strategy for Business Continuity (15-20%)
• Design and Infrastructure Strategy (15-20%)

Exam Fee:  $165 USD*

Exam Languages: English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

5. Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

The candidates who can take certification are DevOps professionals who combine technologies, people, and processes with an aim to constantly deliver high-quality products and services that are capable enough to meet the end-user requirements.

Exam: AZ-400: Azure DevOps Solutions

Azure DevOps Solutions AZ-400 exam is designed to test your ability in DevOps strategies: DevOps development processes, application infrastructure, dependency management, continuous integration, and delivery. To become an Azure DevOps Engineer Expert one should have already received the badge of either Azure Developer Associate or Azure Administrator Associate.

Prerequisites:

• A candidate should have knowledge of Azure development and Azure administration and also requires expertise in one of these two areas.
• Expertise in the design and development of practices for version control, compliance, configuration management, compliance,  infrastructure as code, develop, release, and test with the help of Azure technologies.
• Proficiency in Agile practices.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Design a DevOps strategy (20-25%)
• Implement continuous integration (10-15%)
• Implement dependency management (5-10%)
• Implement continuous feedback (10-15%)
• Implement DevOps development processes (20-25%)
• Implement continuous delivery (10-15%)
• Implement application infrastructure (15-20%)

Exam Fee:  $165 USD

Exam Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

6. Azure Security Engineer Associate

Azure Security engineer is a candidate who is skilled and looks after security controls, threat protection, data protection, identity access, networks in the cloud, and end-to-end infrastructure.

Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies

Microsoft Azure Security Technologies AZ-500 exam measures your ability in accomplishing technical tasks such as implementing platform protection, manage identity and access, security operations, secure data, and applications. To take this exam you need not have passed any other certification.

Prerequisites:

• Prior experience in implementing security controls on the Microsoft Azure platform.
• Expertise in areas like cloud N-tier architecture, virtualization, networking, and Amazon Kubernetes Services.
• Capability to identify and address vulnerabilities for protecting networks, data, and applications.
• Expertise in identity and access management, scripting, automation, and maintaining security status.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Manage identity and access 20-25%
• Manage security operations 15-20%
• Implement platform protection 35-40%
• Secure data and applications 30-35%

Exam Fee:  $165 USD

Exam Languages: English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

7. Azure Data Engineer Associate

 

Azure data Engineers are responsible for designing and implementing the management, security,  monitoring and data privacy using a full stack of Azure data services to meet the business requirements.

One has to qualify two exams to get a Data Engineer Associate certification which are DP-200, DP201. Let’s look into the further details of each exam.

Exam DP-200: Implementing an Azure Data Solution:

This examination is designed to test the candidate’s abilities in areas like implement data storage solutions, monitor and optimize data solutions, and develop data processing.

You are required to qualify the DP-200 exam to take the DP-201.

Prerequisites:

• The skillset to implement data solutions using Azure services.
• No need to have any other Azure certification to take this exam.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Implement data storage solutions (40-45%)
• Monitor and optimize data solutions (30-35%)
• Manage and develop data processing (25-30%)

Exam Fee:  $165 USD

Exam Languages: English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

Exam DP-201: Designing an Azure Data Solution

This exam is designed to test your ability to accomplish the technical tasks like design data processing solutions, design Azure data storage solutions, and design for data security and compliance.

Prerequisites:

Ability to develop solutions with the help of Azure services.
No prior certification is required.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Designing Azure data storage solutions (40-45%)
• Designing for data security and compliance (25-30%)
• Designing Azure data processing solutions (25-30%)

Exam Fee:  $165 USD

Exam Languages: English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

8. Azure AI Engineer Associate

Azure AI engineer Associate is a professional who uses his cognitive ability, mining knowledge, machine learning skills, to implement Microsoft AI solutions that involve computer vision, natural language processing, Speech, bots, and agents.

Designing and Implementing an Azure AI Solution (AI-100)

This exam is designed to test the knowledge of the candidate in accomplishing the technical tasks like analyzing solution requirements,  design solutions, integrate models into AI solutions, deploy and monitor solutions.

Exam Fee:  $165 USD

Exam Languages: English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

Exam Modules & Weightage:

• Analyze solution requirements (25-30%)
• Implement and Monitor AI solutions (25-30%)
• Design AI solutions (40-45%)

Certification is the best available option to fast forward in your career as an Azure professional. Certification builds your strength and adds value to your resume. So, go and pic the certification that suits you. I hope this blog would have helped you in gaining complete knowledge of the Azure certification path. If you have any comments, feel free to comment post them in the comment section. We are happy to help you. Happy learning!