Getting Started with Certificate Azure Certification

Author

Reads 1.1K

Group of People Wearing Corporate Attire and Badge Smiling
Credit: pexels.com, Group of People Wearing Corporate Attire and Badge Smiling

If you're new to Azure, start by familiarizing yourself with the Azure platform through Microsoft's free online courses.

Azure certification is a great way to demonstrate your skills and knowledge to potential employers.

To get started, choose from a range of Azure certifications, including Azure Developer Associate and Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Each certification has its own set of requirements, including passing a certification exam.

Microsoft offers a variety of study materials and resources to help you prepare for the exam, including online courses, study guides, and hands-on labs.

To get certified, you'll need to meet the prerequisites for your chosen certification, which may include having a certain level of experience with Azure or completing a specific number of training hours.

Why Certifications?

Microsoft Azure certifications are a must-have for anyone looking to start a career in Cloud Computing, with the average salary ranging between $147,779 and $167,807 per annum.

There are a huge number of job opportunities available for Microsoft Azure certified professionals, with job openings constantly increasing over the last few years.

Computer server in data center room
Credit: pexels.com, Computer server in data center room

95 percent of Fortune 500 companies are using Microsoft Azure, making it a highly sought-after skill in the industry.

This level of recognition and adoption means that having a Microsoft Azure certification can open doors to exciting career opportunities.

Microsoft Azure is widely known and recognized as the most confident cloud provider across the globe, making it a great choice for anyone looking to specialize in Cloud Computing.

Azure Certificate Management

Azure Certificate Management is a crucial aspect of securing your custom domains in Azure App Service. You can create a free managed certificate, which is a turn-key solution that helps secure your custom DNS name in App Service.

To create a free managed certificate, you must meet the prerequisites for your app, including having an A record pointing to your web app's IP address and being on apps that are publicly accessible. You can create only one managed certificate for each supported custom domain.

Computer server in data center room
Credit: pexels.com, Computer server in data center room

Azure fully manages the certificates on your behalf, so any aspect of the managed certificate can change at any time. This means you should avoid hard dependencies and "pinning" practice certificates to the managed certificate or any part of the certificate hierarchy.

Here are the limitations of the free certificate:

  • Doesn't support wildcard certificates.
  • Doesn't support usage as a client certificate by using certificate thumbprint.
  • Doesn't support private DNS.
  • Isn't exportable.
  • Isn't supported in an App Service Environment.
  • Only supports alphanumeric characters, dashes (-), and periods (.).
  • Only custom domains of length up to 64 characters are supported.

New Role-Based Certifications

Microsoft Azure has introduced role-based certifications to align with the latest trending job roles in the industry. These certifications focus on core job roles in the cloud domain.

There are five Microsoft certifications that target specific job roles, categorized into three different levels: fundamental, associate, and expert. To earn a fundamental-level certification, you need to pass one exam.

The role-based certifications are designed to make certifications more industry-centric. Here are the certifications, categorized by level:

  • Fundamental-level certifica
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (EXAM AZ-900)

Associate-level certifications:

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (EXAM AZ-104)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (EXAM AZ-204)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (EXAM DP-203)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate (EXAM DP-100)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (EXAM AZ-500)

Expert-level certifications:

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (EXAM AZ-305)
  • Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert (EXAM AZ-400)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals (Exam AI-900)
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Architect for SAP Workloads Specialty

Fundamental-Level

Azure Certificate Management is a crucial aspect of cloud security, and it all starts with fundamental-level certifications. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals is a great place to begin, validating your understanding of basic cloud concepts and core Azure fundamentals.

Credit: youtube.com, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification Course (AZ-900) UPDATED – Pass the exam in 8 hours!

This certification is designed for beginners and is not a prerequisite for moving up to other Azure levels. You can skip it and directly take up the exams for the next-level certifications, but it's a good starting point to gain a solid foundation.

To earn this certification, you'll need to clear the AZ-900 exam, which tests your basic cloud skills and foundational understanding of Microsoft Azure. The exam covers topics such as cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and Azure management and governance.

Here's a breakdown of the skills measured and exam weightage:

Another fundamental-level certification is Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals, which covers core data concepts, relational and non-relational data, and analytics workloads. This certification is also a good starter for aspiring data-focused cloud practitioners.

To earn this certification, you'll need to clear the DP-900 exam, which tests your foundational knowledge of core data concepts and their implementation with Microsoft Azure data services.

Here's a breakdown of the skills measured and exam weightage:

Lastly, Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals is a certification for beginners from both technical and non-technical backgrounds, validating your basic knowledge of AI and machine learning in Azure. This certification is not a mandatory starter certification to climb up the Azure career path, but it's helpful for those taking up the Azure AI Engineer Associate and Azure Data Scientist Associate roles.

Import to Your

Credit: youtube.com, AZ-900 Episode 27 | Azure Key Vault | Secret, Key and Certificate Management

Importing certificates to Azure App Service can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I've got you covered.

You can import a certificate from Key Vault, which is a secure way to store and manage certificates. To do this, go to your App Service, navigate to Certificates, and select Bring your own certificates (.pfx) > Add certificate. Then, in Source, select Import from Key Vault.

To import a certificate from Key Vault, you'll need to select the subscription associated with the key vault, the key vault itself, and the certificate you want to import. You can find this information in the Azure portal, under the Key Vault section. Make sure to select a PKCS12 certificate that's in the vault, as not all certificates are supported in App Service.

Here's a quick rundown of the steps to import a certificate from Key Vault:

1. Go to your App Service and select Certificates.

Credit: youtube.com, Azure Key Vault Certificate Management

2. Select Bring your own certificates (.pfx) > Add certificate.

3. In Source, select Import from Key Vault.

4. Select the subscription, key vault, and certificate you want to import.

5. Select Select, Validate, and then Add.

If you're importing a certificate from Key Vault, make sure it meets the requirements for App Service, or the import will fail.

If you need to renew a certificate that you imported from Key Vault, you can do so by following the steps outlined in the Azure documentation. To sync the new certificate, go to your app's Certificate page, select the imported key vault certificate, and then select Sync.

Alternatively, you can also import a certificate from a .pfx file. To do this, go to your App Service, navigate to Certificates, and select Bring your own certificates (.pfx) > Upload Certificate. Then, select your .pfx file, enter the password, and select Add.

If you're uploading a certificate from a .pfx file, make sure it's in the correct format and meets the requirements for App Service.

Credit: youtube.com, Overview of certificate management for Applications on Microsoft Entra | Microsoft

Here's a quick rundown of the steps to import a certificate from a .pfx file:

1. Go to your App Service and select Certificates.

2. Select Bring your own certificates (.pfx) > Upload Certificate.

3. Select your .pfx file and enter the password.

4. Select Select, Validate, and then Add.

That's it! Importing certificates to Azure App Service is a straightforward process, and with these steps, you should be able to do it with ease.

Note: Make sure to review the requirements for App Service certificates before importing or uploading a certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a certificate in Azure?

In Azure, a certificate is a digital identity used for cloud services and authenticating with the management API. Learn more about creating and deploying certificates in Azure.

Which certificate is best in Azure?

There is no single "best" Azure certificate, as it depends on your career goals and expertise. However, the Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-303 + AZ-304) is a highly sought-after certification that demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills in designing and implementing Azure solutions.

Are Azure certification worth it?

Earning an Azure certification can boost your career by showcasing your cloud expertise and commitment to professional growth. It's a valuable investment that sets you apart in a competitive job market.

Glen Hackett

Writer

Glen Hackett is a skilled writer with a passion for crafting informative and engaging content. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics, Glen has established himself as a trusted voice in the tech industry. His writing expertise spans a range of subjects, including Azure Certifications, where he has developed a comprehensive understanding of the platform and its various applications.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.