Microsoft / Cloud administration
Your path to
Azure Administrator.
Know where to start, what to practise, and when to review. A five-step study route for aspiring Azure administrators—not a race through exam codes.
Before you begin
This route targets an intermediate administrator credential. If networking and operating systems are new to you, spend extra time on the foundations. There is no fixed completion deadline.
Azure lab resources may cost money. Check pricing before creating resources; budget alerts do not automatically stop spending. This guide does not provision anything for you.
Optional foundation · AZ-900
Understand the cloud before you build
New to Azure? Start with cloud concepts, Azure services, and management tools. Already comfortable with these? Move to the administrator preparation step.
Try it yourself
Sketch a small business application. Explain what you would run in the cloud and which responsibilities remain with the business.
Ready to move on when…
You can explain compute, storage, networking, and the difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS in your own words.
Administrator preparation
Get comfortable with the tools
Build on networking, operating systems, servers, and virtualization. Familiarize yourself with PowerShell, Azure CLI, the portal, infrastructure templates, and Microsoft Entra ID.
Try it yourself
In a dedicated lab, explore a resource group in the portal and list it with the CLI. Compare the two ways of working.
Ready to move on when…
You understand subscriptions and resource groups, and can explain where an administrator’s permissions come from.
Core learning · AZ-104
Work through the administrator curriculum
Study identity and governance, storage, compute, networking, and monitoring. Use Microsoft’s study guide as your coverage checklist and the course for structured learning.
Try it yourself
Keep a decision notebook: for each topic, write a scenario, your chosen solution, and why an alternative would not fit.
Ready to move on when…
You can explain your decisions, not just recognize service names. Revisit any objective you cannot explain without notes.
Hands-on consolidation
Turn knowledge into a working lab
Use a separate learning subscription or lab environment. Never experiment with an employer’s production resources.
Try it yourself
Build a small lab with a network, storage, and compute. Apply scoped access, add a monitoring alert, and document a recovery plan. Then remove the lab resources you no longer need.
Ready to move on when…
You can describe a failure, investigate it, and explain how you would recover. Record costs and cleanup alongside your technical notes.
Review & exam planning
Find gaps, then practise with purpose
Take a practice assessment. For each missed question, return to the relevant objective, explain the answer, and repeat the practical task where appropriate.
Try it yourself
Create a short revision list from your mistakes. Use Microsoft’s exam sandbox to become familiar with the interface before scheduling.
Ready to move on when…
Consistent understanding matters more than memorized scores. Practice results do not guarantee an exam pass or award a Microsoft credential.
Practise AZ-104 with ExamIT Lab →Choose a specialization
These are alternative directions, not exams you must all take.