Azure Certification Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Azure certification roadmap is designed to help you navigate the various certification paths available on Azure. There are currently four main certification paths: Azure Developer, Azure Administrator, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, and Azure AI Engineer Associate.

To start, you'll want to choose a certification path that aligns with your career goals and current skill level. The Azure Developer path is ideal for those with a background in software development and a desire to learn about cloud-based development.

The Azure certification roadmap is structured to help you progress from foundational knowledge to advanced skills. You'll begin with a foundational certification, such as AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, and then move on to more specialized certifications like AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure.

By following the Azure certification roadmap, you'll be able to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a cloud-based career.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Azure Devops Roadmap

To become an Azure-certified professional, you'll need to pass one of the many certification exams offered by Microsoft. These exams are designed to test your skills and knowledge in specific areas of Azure, such as cloud infrastructure, data management, and artificial intelligence.

The exams are categorized into three levels: fundamental, associate, and expert. Fundamental-level certifications, like the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam, are designed for beginners and cover basic cloud concepts and Azure fundamentals. Associate-level certifications, such as the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) exam, require passing two exams and are geared towards professionals who want to demonstrate their skills in Azure administration.

Here's a summary of the certification exams:

These certifications are a great way to demonstrate your expertise and knowledge in Azure and can open up new career opportunities.

To earn an associate-level certification in Microsoft Azure, you need to pass two exams. This level is a crucial step in advancing your career in cloud computing.

You can choose from a variety of associate-level certifications, including Azure Administrator Associate, Azure Developer Associate, Azure Data Engineer Associate, Azure Data Scientist Associate, and Azure Security Engineer Associate.

Here are the associate-level certifications and their corresponding exams:

Each of these exams requires you to have a good understanding of the skills and knowledge required for the respective job role. By passing these exams, you can demonstrate your expertise and move closer to achieving your career goals.

To pass the fundamental-level certification, you need to clear one exam. The Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification is a great starting point, which requires passing the AZ-900 exam.

This exam assesses your understanding of four topics, including basic cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and Azure management and governance.

You don't need any prior cloud experience to take this exam, as it covers general cloud ideas and essential Azure services like computing, networking, storage, and databases.

There are three fundamental-level certifications in total: Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals, Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals, and Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals.

Here's a brief overview of each:

Here's a summary of the skills measured for each exam:

Expert-Level certifications are a major milestone for professionals looking to advance their careers. Azure offers two expert-level certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect and Azure DevOps Engineer Expert.

To become an Azure Solutions Architect, you need to pass two exams: AZ-104: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate and AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. This certification is designed for those who can translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions.

The AZ-305 exam focuses on designing Microsoft Azure infrastructure solutions, and to take this exam, you should have a working knowledge of Azure development and DevOps processes, as well as in-depth knowledge and experience in IT operations.

The Azure Solutions Architect certification measures skills in four areas: design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions (25-30%), design data storage solutions (25-30%), design business continuity solutions (15-20%), and design infrastructure solutions (30-35%).

Another expert-level certification is Azure DevOps Engineer Expert, which requires candidates to be proficient in implementing DevOps methodologies and development processes. To become a Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert, you must earn at least one of the following: Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate.

The AZ-400 certification exam tests the ability of candidates to design and implement various DevOps methodologies. It measures skills in seven areas, including developing an instrumentation strategy, developing a Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) strategy, and defining and implementing continuous delivery and release management strategy.

Here is a summary of the skills measured in the AZ-400 exam:

Microsoft Azure regularly updates its certification exams to meet the changing demands of the industry. This means that some exams are retired and replaced with new ones.

The new exams are designed to measure new skills in addition to the skills covered in the old exams. This ensures that Azure certification holders have the latest expertise to succeed in their careers.

It's essential to stay informed about which exams have been retired and which ones have been introduced. This will help you focus on the right exams to take and stay up-to-date with the latest industry requirements.

Microsoft Azure offers training programs to help you learn and master the skills needed for the new exams. By taking advantage of these programs, you can excel in your career and stay ahead of the competition.

For more insights, see: Azure Skills