AZ-900 vs AZ-104: An Azure Certification Learning Roadmap
Choosing an Azure certification is easier when you separate cloud understanding from administration practice. AZ-900 is a foundation for explaining Azure concepts; AZ-104 prepares you to demonstrate administration knowledge. For learners in Vizag, the useful question is which skills to build next, rather than which badge sounds more advanced.
This roadmap offers a practical study sequence. Move forward when you can explain and repeat a task independently. Your starting knowledge and available practice time matter more than a fixed completion date.
AZ-900 or AZ-104: where should you start?
| Question | AZ-900 foundation | AZ-104 administration |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Explain cloud concepts, Azure services, management and governance. | Manage identity, storage, compute, networking and monitoring. |
| Useful starting point | You need cloud vocabulary and a map of Azure services. | You understand infrastructure basics and want administration practice. |
| Practice goal | Explain why a service fits a simple requirement. | Configure a small environment and investigate a failure. |
Microsoft’s AZ-900 study guide describes foundational cloud, architecture and governance knowledge. Its AZ-104 study guide covers hands-on administration domains. Use the current objectives when choosing materials, because exam coverage changes.
Stage 1: build the infrastructure foundation
Before following deployment instructions, check whether you can explain an IP address, a subnet, DNS, an operating system and a virtual machine. If these are unfamiliar, spend time drawing a simple client-to-server connection and practising basic file and command-line operations.
Microsoft’s Azure administrator prerequisites learning path is a useful preparation resource. Make a personal checklist with three columns: “can explain,” “can demonstrate” and “needs help.” Update it after each exercise so that reading progress does not get confused with practical confidence.
Stage 2: learn the AZ-900 concepts through examples
Use one imaginary business throughout your notes: a small training centre that needs a website, document storage and staff access. Compare hosting a virtual machine with using a managed application platform. Explain which maintenance tasks remain with the customer in each choice.
Next, sketch resources inside a resource group and subscription. Add notes about region choice, access control and cost awareness. Your checkpoint is a five-minute explanation of the diagram without reading service definitions. If a term is unclear, rewrite it in your own words and attach a small example.
Stage 3: move into repeatable administration labs
For an administration route, practise one change at a time. Give every exercise a goal, starting configuration, verification step and cleanup record. These suggested exercises support learning; they are not a complete substitute for the official AZ-104 syllabus.
- Identity: use the Microsoft Entra ID beginner guide to distinguish signing in from permission to manage a resource. Record the role and scope in your access design.
- Networking: follow the Azure virtual network guide, draw subnets and document which connection should succeed before testing it.
- Storage: read the Azure storage account guide. Choose a storage service for a sample requirement and explain the access and retention decisions.
- Compute and operations: document a small deployment, its health checks and a troubleshooting attempt. Record what evidence helped identify the cause.
Use a learning environment you are authorized to manage. Check expected charges before deploying resources, review usage after the exercise and remove only your own completed lab resources. Do not place credentials or private account details in public screenshots.
Stage 4: turn practice into an evidence folder
Build one compact project record rather than collecting disconnected screenshots. Include the requirement, architecture diagram, configuration choices, successful checks, a failed test and its resolution. Add cleanup notes and a short explanation of what you would improve for a real organization.
After administration basics, explore the Azure Pipelines vs GitHub Actions comparison if deployment automation interests you. Treat that as a separate learning extension, not a replacement for networking, access management or storage practice.
Stage 5: check exam readiness and course fit
Review the official objectives topic by topic. Use Microsoft’s practice assessment to locate gaps, then revisit the underlying task. A familiar question or a good practice score alone does not demonstrate that you can troubleshoot independently. The Azure Administrator certification page provides current assessment, scheduling and renewal information.
If you want guided learning, compare the syllabus and lab support on our Azure training in Vizag page with your checklist. Softenant offers classroom and online training at Rs. 10,000 for 45 days to 2 months. Confirm batch timings and whether cloud usage or exam charges are included. A training completion certificate and a Microsoft credential are separate; neither a course nor a certification guarantees employment.