Let’s discuss the Azure Fundamentals Microsoft Certification AZ-900 Exam Prep Guide. This exam prep guide helps users understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources.
AZ 900 Exam Fundamental is an entry-level certification exam designed to validate your foundational knowledge of cloud concepts and Microsoft Azure Services. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
It is the best guide for beginners to understand the basic knowledge of Microsoft Azure and is ideal for those beginning a cloud computing journey. As a beginner, you may have difficulties understanding the fundamentals.
This blog will help you learn more about the AZ-900 Exam Prep Guide and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. You will get an overall idea about the AZ exam and can easily prepare for the Azure Exams.
Table of Contents
What is the Difference between AZ-900 and AZ-500 Exams?
In contrast, the AZ-500 exam is the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, focusing specifically on security management and protection of Azure environments.
The AZ-900 exam is the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification, which provides a foundational understanding of Azure cloud concepts and services.
How Many Questions Are Included on the AZ-900 Exam?
The AZ-900 or the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam typically includes 40 to 60 questions.
Azure Fundamentals Microsoft Certification AZ-900 Exam Prep Guide
This certification is a great way to demonstrate your understanding of Azure and can be a stepping stone to more advanced certifications. By learning this Exam Prep guide of AZ-900, you will know how to approach the exam.
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of
the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources.
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Updates of the AZ-900 Exam
Microsoft periodically uploads exams to reflect the skills required to perform a role. Depending on the user taking the exam, you can see 2 versions of the Skills measured objectives.
Note: Microsoft always updates the English-language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages and updated approximately 8 weeks after the English version is updated.
Microsoft is dedicated to updating localized versions, as noted. However, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn’t available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete it.
Audience Profile
The Audience Profile in this exam guide refers to typical candidates who would benefit from taking the exam. This profile helps potential test-takers understand if the exam aligns with their background and career goals.
Suppose you want to demonstrate foundational knowledge of cloud concepts in general and Microsoft Azure in particular. In that case, this exam is a common starting point in a journey towards a career in Azure. The following table shows the topics that can describe Azure architectural components and services.
| Azure Architectural Components and Azure Services |
|---|
| Compute |
| Network |
| Storage |
More than this, you can describe features and tools to secure, govern, and administer Azure. You should have skills and experience working in an area of IT.
- Infrastructure management
- Database management
- Software development
Skills at a Glance in AZ-900 Exam Guide
This section provides a high-level overview of the main topics covered in the exam. As of January 23, 2024, different topics and their probability in the exam in percentage are also shown in this section.
- Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
- Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
- Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
Describe Cloud Concepts (25–30%)
As you know, the cloud is a global network of remote servers that operate as a single ecosystem. Understanding cloud concepts is crucial when working with Azure because it lays the foundation for effectively utilizing cloud services.
You can expect 25-30% of questions on the AZ-900 exam. You have to cover the Cloud Concepts to pass the exam. 25-30% is a significant part of an exam, so you should prioritise the Cloud Concepts on the exam. The list below shows the important topics in Cloud Concepts.
| Describe Cloud Computing | Describe the Benefits of Using Cloud Services | Describe Cloud Service Types |
|---|---|---|
| Define cloud computing | Describe the benefits of high availability and scalability in the cloud | Describe infrastructure as a service (IaaS) |
| Describe the shared responsibility model | Describe the benefits of reliability and predictability in the cloud | Describe platform as a service (PaaS) |
| Define cloud models, including public, private, and hybrid | Describe the benefits of security and governance in the cloud | Describe software as a service (SaaS) |
| Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud model | Describe the benefits of manageability in the cloud | Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud service type (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS) |
| Describe the consumption-based model | ||
| Compare cloud pricing models | ||
| Describe serverless |
Describe Azure Architecture and Services (35–40%)
The Azure Architecture and Services” section covers the core components and services Azure provides. You can expect 35-40% of questions related to Azure Architecture and Services in this exam. It is a huge percentage, and you should give priority to this topic. There are different sub-topics included in Azure Architecture and Service. The following table shows the sub-topics.
| Describe the Core Architectural Components of Azure | Describe Azure Compute and Networking Services | Describe Azure Storage Services | Describe Azure Identity, Access, and Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe Azure regions, region pairs, and sovereign regions | Compare compute types, including containers, virtual machines, and functions | Compare Azure Storage services | Describe directory services in Azure, including Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Entra Domain Services |
| Describe availability zones | Describe virtual machine options, including Azure virtual machines, Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets, availability sets, and Azure Virtual Desktop | Describe storage tiers | Describe authentication methods in Azure, including single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and passwordless |
| Describe Azure datacenters | Describe the resources required for virtual machines | Describe redundancy options | Describe external identities in Azure, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) |
| Describe Azure resources and resource groups | Describe application hosting options, including web apps, containers, and virtual machines | Describe storage account options and storage types | Describe Microsoft Entra Conditional Access |
| Describe subscriptions | Describe virtual networking, including the purpose of Azure virtual networks, Azure virtual subnets, peering, Azure DNS, Azure VPN Gateway, and ExpressRoute | Identify options for moving files, including AzCopy, Azure Storage Explorer, and Azure File Sync | Describe Azure role-based access control (RBAC) |
| Describe management groups | Define public and private endpoints | Describe migration options, including Azure Migrate and Azure Data Box | Describe the concept of Zero Trust |
| Describe the hierarchy of resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups | Describe the purpose of the defense-in-depth model | ||
| Describe the purpose of Microsoft Defender for Cloud |
Describe Azure Management and Governance (30–35%)
The “Azure Management and Governance” section covers the tools and features available in Azure to manage and govern resources effectively. You can expect 30-35% of questions related to Azure Management and Governance. The table below shows the subtopic in Azure Management and Governance.
| Describe Cost Management in Azure | Describe Features and Tools in Azure for Governance and Compliance | Describe Features and Tools for Managing and Deploying Azure Resources | Describe Monitoring Tools in Azure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe factors that can affect costs in Azure | Describe the purpose of Microsoft Purview in Azure | Describe the Azure portal | Describe the purpose of Azure Advisor |
| Compare the pricing calculator and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator | Describe the purpose of Azure Policy | Describe Azure Cloud Shell, including Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) and Azure PowerShell | Describe Azure Service Health |
| Describe cost management capabilities in Azure | Describe the purpose of resource locks | Describe the purpose of Azure Arc | Describe Azure Monitor, including Log Analytics, Azure Monitor alerts, and Application Insights |
| Describe the purpose of tags | Describe infrastructure as code (IaC) | ||
| Describe Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and ARM templates |
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Audience Profile
The Audience Profile includes typical candidates who would benefit from taking the exam. This profile helps potential test-takers understand whether the exam aligns with their background and career goals. This certification is a common starting point in a journey towards a career in Azure.
These professionals can describe Azure architectural components and services, such as computing, networking, and storage. They can also explain features and tools to secure, govern, and administer Azure. The table below shows that the candidates for this exam have skills and experience working in an information area.
| Skills |
|---|
| Infrastructure Management |
| Database management |
| Software development |
This section provides a high-level overview of the main topics the exam covers before January 23, 2024. It also shows different topics and their probability of appearing in the exam in percentage.
- Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
- Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
- Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
Describe Cloud Concepts (25–30%)
Cloud Concepts are a vital topic in the AZ-900 exam, and around 25-30% of questions can be expected on the exam. So you should give priority to Cloud Concept. There are different sub-topics included in Cloud Concept.
| Describe Cloud Computing | Describe the Benefits of Using Cloud Services | Describe Cloud Service Types |
|---|---|---|
| Define cloud computing | Describe the benefits of high availability and scalability in the cloud | Describe infrastructure as a service (IaaS) |
| Describe the shared responsibility model | Describe the benefits of reliability and predictability in the cloud | Describe platform as a service (PaaS) |
| Define cloud models, including public, private, and hybrid | Describe the benefits of security and governance in the cloud | Describe software as a service (SaaS) |
| Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud model | Describe the benefits of manageability in the cloud | Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud service (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS) |
| Describe the consumption-based model | ||
| Compare cloud pricing models | ||
| Describe serverless |
Describe Azure Architecture and Services (35–40%)
The Azure Architecture and Services section covers the tools and features available in Azure to manage and govern resources effectively. This section can be used for around 35-40% of questions. Some subtopics are included in the Azure Architecture and Services section, and the table below shows that.
| Describe the Core Architectural Components of Azure | Describe Azure Compute and Networking Services | Describe Azure Storage Services | Describe Azure Identity, Access, and Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe Azure regions, region pairs, and sovereign regions | Compare compute types, including containers, virtual machines, and functions | Compare Azure Storage services | Describe directory services in Azure, including Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), part of Microsoft Entra and Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS) |
| Describe availability zones | Describe virtual machine options, including Azure virtual machines, Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets, availability sets, and Azure Virtual Desktop | Describe storage tiers | Describe authentication methods in Azure, including single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and passwordless |
| Describe Azure datacenters | Describe the resources required for virtual machines | Describe redundancy options | Describe external identities in Azure, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) |
| Describe Azure resources and resource groups | Describe application hosting options, including web apps, containers, and virtual machines | Describe storage account options and storage types | Describe Conditional Access in Azure AD |
| Describe subscriptions | Describe virtual networking, including the purpose of Azure virtual networks, Azure virtual subnets, peering, Azure DNS, Azure VPN Gateway, and ExpressRoute | Identify options for moving files, including AzCopy, Azure Storage Explorer, and Azure File Sync | Describe Azure role-based access control (RBAC) |
| Describe management groups | Define public and private endpoints | Describe migration options, including Azure Migrate and Azure Data Box | Describe the concept of Zero Trust |
| Describe the hierarchy of resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups | Describe the purpose of the defense-in-depth model | ||
| Describe the purpose of Microsoft Defender for Cloud |
Describe Azure Management and Governance (30–35%)
Azure Management and Governance encompasses a set of tools and practices designed to help organizations manage their Azure resources effectively and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations. Candidates can expect 30-35% of questions from this section on the exam. The table below shows the details of the sub-topics.
| Describe Cost Management in Azure | Describe Features and Tools in Azure for Governance and Compliance | Describe Features and Tools for Managing and Deploying Azure Resources | Describe Monitoring Tools in Azure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe factors that can affect costs in Azure | Describe the purpose of Microsoft Purview in Azure | Describe the Azure portal | Describe the purpose of Azure Advisor |
| Compare the pricing calculator and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator | Describe the purpose of Azure Policy | Describe Azure Cloud Shell, including Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) and Azure PowerShell | Describe Azure Service Health |
| Describe cost management capabilities in Azure | Describe the purpose of resource locks | Describe the purpose of Azure Arc | Describe Azure Monitor, including Log Analytics, Azure Monitor alerts, and Application Insights |
| Describe the purpose of tags | Describe infrastructure as code (IaC) | ||
| Describe Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and ARM templates |
Resource
Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
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Author
Anoop C Nair has been Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for 10 consecutive years! He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is also a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His primary focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career, etc.