Azure Fundamentals is a certification exam offered by Microsoft, which is termed AZ-900 certification. Therefore, to advance your career, particularly with Microsoft Azure, you should begin with the Azure certification examinations. In that situation, the AZ-900 Microsoft fundamental examination is the starting point for beginners in cloud computing.
And, of course, since it is a certification program, it is a competitive and challenging exam to clear.
We will explain in detail how to pass the Azure Fundamentals exam, the requirements you must meet, and everything else you need to know before studying.
Microsoft Azure-900: an overview of the exam
The AZ-900 certification is intended for IT and non-technical individuals who seek to demonstrate a basic familiarity with cloud services, particularly Microsoft Azure. As a result, both business and IT professionals may benefit from some basic Microsoft Azure training.
The cloud is quickly becoming a crucial part of business infrastructure, so getting certified in Azure Fundamentals is a good choice.
Why should you take the exam?
Candidates who want to study and can demonstrate extensive knowledge of networking, computers, application development, and application support. Here are a few additional compelling opinions for selecting Azure Fundamental Certification:
- Learn about Azure’s Core services, which consist of architectural components, management tools, and products and solutions.
- Learn about the privacy, security, and compliance features integrated into Azure products.
- Identify the differences between Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
AZ-900 Certification Prerequisites & Format
- There are no prerequisites for Azure Fundamentals.
- Minimum 6 months of work experience is preferred in cloud services; you need to know the fundamentals of cloud computing and how IT services fit within that framework.
- AZ-900 exam questions are 40-60 questions.
- The duration is 60 minutes.
- Multiple choice, true or false questions, drag and drop questions.
- There is no negative marking on wrong answers.
- AZ 900 passing score is 700 marks.
- The examination fee is $99.
- There is a retake policy. However, you cannot retake the exam for at least 24 hours. So, if you fail the second attempt, you will have to wait for the next 14 days. So, you get 5 attempts to clear Microsoft Azure Fundamentals within 12 months.
So, if you are thinking about taking the exam, you must know a few things that will help you decide whether the certification matches your career trajectory. First, let us go through how long you should spend studying. And what kind of questions will be on the test? Finally, how difficult is the AZ-900?
How hard is AZ-900?
Compared to other IT exams, the AZ-900 is definitely on the easy side. It is an entry-level test for professionals who aren’t tech-savvy. But don’t think it’s going to be too easy. To pass, you’ll need a good study plan, and even if you’ve worked in IT before, the study guide can be hard to understand if you’re new to cloud technologies.
The time you take for the prep will depend on how much time you dedicate to studying in a day and how thorough you are with the concepts.
With the broad curriculum, it’s hard to learn everything. Technical topics might be complex. You must prepare carefully. Prioritize your weaker subjects to improve your chances of passing the exam.
Tips to pass the Microsoft Azure fundamentals certification test
- Clear concepts of Azure
First and foremost, go through the official website of Microsoft Azure for learning resources.
Start preparing at least two months before the date of the exam. There are plenty of resources available to study.
- Training Course
There are plenty of online platforms that offer both online courses and instructor-led training programs. For example, reputed platforms like Udemy, Simplilearn, and Coursera cover skills and topics taught by the best in the industry with experience.
- Explore study groups and forums
If you join a few different study groups or forums for AZ-900 to learn with others, people can share resources, and you can learn from them through these groups and forums. This will prepare you for the exam even better as you gain confidence.
- Take practice exams
Take practice tests for the AZ-900 exam before the real one to improve your skills. You should start taking practice tests at least a month before the test. So you can better figure out where you’re weak or strong. Practicing with tests is an integral part of getting ready for an exam.
- Refer to different study materials
Look for books or e-books that talk about AZ-900 concepts. Azure Fundamentals may be the most basic certification you can get to start working with Azure, but you still need to know a lot about Azure to pass it the first time. So, besides all the online resources for studying, books can be the best way to review the topics before the test.
So to conclude
At first glance, the AZ-900 test is one of the easiest IT certification tests. However, this does not imply that it is not difficult. It is still an IT exam, and just like the rest, this one is also challenging.
Competitive certification exams are lucrative because they take time, effort, and dedication. In addition, it guarantees you the fundamental knowledge required to deal with cloud technology.
According to Glassdoor, a cloud architect in the United States can make up to $1,44,036 a year as they move up in their careers and get more experience and knowledge through certifications.
You can start your Azure journey with a 5-hour self-paced video course through Simplilearn’s Azure Fundamentals from scratch. It will give you a good idea of what to expect before the test. This course will also teach you how to design, build, implement, automate, and monitor scalable and resilient cloud systems on the Microsoft Azure platform.