Course Title: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
Course Overview:
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) certification is designed for IT professionals who manage, monitor, and maintain Microsoft Azure environments. This course provides hands-on knowledge and practical experience in implementing, managing, and monitoring identity, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networks in a cloud environment. Students will also learn how to manage Azure resources, configure virtual machines, handle storage solutions, and ensure security and performance within Azure.
Why We Need It:
As organizations increasingly move to the cloud, Azure has become one of the most in-demand platforms in enterprise IT. Companies need skilled administrators who can manage cloud infrastructure efficiently. The AZ-104 certification validates your ability to handle real-world administrative tasks in Microsoft Azure — a crucial skill for modern cloud careers.
How It Is Useful:
- Career Advantage: Helps students qualify for roles such as Azure Administrator, Cloud Administrator, or Systems Engineer.
- Practical Skills: Focuses on real-world scenarios like resource deployment, identity management, and performance monitoring.
- Industry Recognition: Microsoft certifications are globally recognized, enhancing credibility in the job market.
- Preparation for Higher Roles: Acts as a stepping stone toward advanced Azure certifications such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert or Azure Security Engineer Associate.
Course Benefits:
- Learn to manage Azure subscriptions and resources.
- Configure and manage virtual networks and compute resources.
- Implement storage solutions and manage data.
- Monitor Azure resources and ensure compliance and security.
- Get practical experience through labs and scenarios aligned with real industry use cases.
Certification Expiry and Renewal:
- The AZ-104 certification is valid for one year from the date of achievement.
- Renewal is free and can be done online through Microsoft Learn by completing a short renewal assessment before the expiry date.
- Renewing keeps your certification active and ensures your skills stay aligned with the latest Azure technologies.
Who Should Take This Course:
- IT professionals looking to advance their cloud administration skills.
- System administrators transitioning to cloud-based environments.
- Beginners aiming to build a career in Azure cloud administration.
Prerequisites:
- Basic understanding of networking, virtualization, and operating systems.
- Familiarity with PowerShell or Azure CLI is helpful but not mandatory.
Skills at a Glance
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Manage Azure identities and governance | 20–25% |
| 2.0 Implement and manage storage | 15–20% |
| 3.0 Deploy and manage Azure compute resources | 20–25% |
| 4.0 Implement and manage virtual networking | 15–20% |
| 5.0 Monitor and maintain Azure resources | 10–15% |
1.0 Manage Azure Identities and Governance (20–25%)
Manage Microsoft Entra users and groups
- Create users and groups
- Manage user and group properties
- Manage licenses in Microsoft Entra ID
- Manage external users
- Configure self-service password reset (SSPR)
Manage access to Azure resources
Manage Azure subscriptions and governance
- Implement and manage Azure Policy
- Configure resource locks
- Apply and manage tags on resources
- Manage resource groups
- Manage subscriptions
- Manage costs using alerts, budgets, and Azure Advisor recommendations
- Configure management groups
2.0 Implement and Manage Storage (15–20%)
Configure access to storage
- Configure Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks
- Create and use shared access signatures (SAS)
- Configure stored access policies
- Manage access keys
- Configure identity-based access for Azure Files
Configure and manage storage accounts
- Create and configure storage accounts
- Configure Azure Storage redundancy
- Configure object replication
- Configure storage account encryption
- Manage data using Azure Storage Explorer and AzCopy
Configure Azure Files and Azure Blob Storage
- Create and configure file shares in Azure Storage
- Create and configure containers in Blob Storage
- Configure storage tiers
- Configure soft delete for blobs and containers
- Configure snapshots and soft delete for Azure Files
- Configure blob lifecycle management
- Configure blob versioning
3.0 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources (20–25%)
Automate deployment of resources using ARM templates or Bicep
- Interpret an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template or a Bicep file
- Modify existing templates or Bicep files
- Deploy resources using ARM or Bicep
- Export a deployment as a template or convert templates to Bicep
Create and configure virtual machines (VMs)
- Create a virtual machine
- Configure Azure Disk Encryption
- Move VMs between resource groups, subscriptions, or regions
- Manage VM sizes and disks
- Deploy VMs to availability zones and sets
- Deploy and configure Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS)
Provision and manage containers in Azure
- Create and manage an Azure Container Registry
- Deploy containers using Azure Container Instances or Azure Container Apps
- Manage sizing and scaling for containers
Create and configure Azure App Service
- Provision an App Service plan
- Configure scaling for an App Service plan
- Create an App Service
- Configure TLS/SSL certificates
- Map custom DNS names
- Configure backup, networking, and deployment slots
4.0 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking (15–20%)
Configure and manage virtual networks in Azure
- Create and configure virtual networks and subnets
- Configure virtual network peering
- Configure public IP addresses
- Configure user-defined network routes
- Troubleshoot network connectivity
Configure secure access to virtual networks
- Create and configure network security groups (NSGs) and application security groups (ASGs)
- Evaluate effective security rules in NSGs
- Implement Azure Bastion
- Configure service endpoints and private endpoints for Azure PaaS services
Configure name resolution and load balancing
5.0 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10–15%)
Monitor resources in Azure
- Interpret metrics in Azure Monitor
- Configure log settings in Azure Monitor
- Query and analyze logs in Azure Monitor
- Set up alert rules, action groups, and alert processing rules
- Monitor VMs, storage accounts, and networks using Azure Monitor Insights
- Use Azure Network Watcher and Connection Monitor
Implement backup and recovery
Hey Instructor,
Iam
Amon from Kampala ,Uganda Kindly would like to have the whole course with it’s recourses to be able to master everything concerning with Microsoft AZURE
It’s really helpful especially for IT professionals in job market.
I actually need real -world hands on Training virtually to strengthen my abilities in IT industry.
Hi Amon , thanks for the comment . We are working on it, this course will be fully ready within the next few weeks
Hey Instructor,
Iam
Amon from Kampala ,Uganda Kindly would like to have the whole course with it’s recourses to be able to master everything concerning with Microsoft AZURE
It’s really helpful especially for IT professionals in job market.
I actually need real -world hands on Training virtually to strengthen my abilities in IT industry.