AZ-104 and AZ-305: Who these users are and how to get ready to be one!

An Azure Administrator (AZ-104) is basically the behind-the-scenes wizard keeping the cloud running smoothly, like a sysadmin who’s evolved into a cloud-native species. They have deep expertise in implementing, managing, and monitoring Azure environments, covering everything from virtual networks and storage to compute, identity, security, and governance. They’re often part of a larger team, collaborating with other cloud pros to deliver solutions across networking, security, databases, application development, and DevOps; think of it as the IT version of a co-op mission.

To thrive in this role, they need a solid understanding of operating systems, networking, servers, and virtualization, along with hands-on experience using PowerShell, Azure CLI, the Azure portal, and Azure Resource Manager templates. Bonus points if they’re fluent in Microsoft Entra ID, because managing identities in the cloud is like herding cats with encryption.

A Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect (AZ-305) is basically the cloud whisperer, designing scalable, secure, and efficient cloud and hybrid solutions on Azure while juggling more services than a developer at a coffee-fueled hackathon. Their expertise spans compute, networking, storage, monitoring, and security. Basically, if it runs in the cloud and doesn’t catch fire, they probably designed it.

Their day-to-day involves translating business requirements into technical solutions that align with the Azure Well-Architected Framework and Cloud Adoption Framework, because winging it is not a strategy. They also collaborate with developers, admins, security engineers, and data engineers, also known as the Avengers of IT, to bring these solutions to life.

To thrive in this role, you need advanced knowledge of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, disaster recovery (because things will break), and governance. Bonus points if you speak fluent Azure administration, Azure development, and DevOps, because deploying code without CI/CD is so 2010.

Creating a Study Schedule

If you were a fan of The Flash show, this Captain Cold like strategy might make sense to you!

1. Make the Plan: Start with a clear, actionable strategy. Define your goals and steps to achieve them (as in passing the AZ-104 and AZ-305).

2. Execute the Plan: Take decisive action. Commit to your course and give it your best effort.

3. Expect the Plan to Go Off the Rails: Life is unpredictable. Be prepared for setbacks or surprises (especially if you're co-worker is two feet tall and demands a snack).

4. Throw Away the Plan: When things go awry, don't cling to the original plan. Adapt, improvise, and keep moving forward.

   
   

   

Life changes daily, and so does Microsoft Azure. Be prepared for your study plans to go not perfectly as planned as not all training methods work for everyone. Take people like me with ADHD, if the speaker cannot keep our attention, we'll end up not even paying attention and it becomes a waste of study time. Same goes for those who choose to read documentation but not fully be reading it due to their mindset being off that day, waste of time. Change your study methods as often as needed. Success looks different for each person.

Resources for Study Materials

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate - Certifications | Microsoft Learn

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert - Certifications | Microsoft Learn

• Practice Assessments for Microsoft Certifications | Microsoft Learn

• John Savill's Technical Training - YouTube

• Free Practice Questions for Microsoft Azure Administrator (beta) (AZ-104) | Test Prep Lab

• Free Practice Questions for Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions (AZ-305) | Test Prep Lab

Engaging with the Azure Community

There is a massive Microsoft Azure community on LinkedIn, blogs, YouTube, etc. Take full advantage of all the free materials, advice, and training that you can. One size does not fit all, so figure out what methods and plans work best for you, but you need to put in the work and dedication.

• Azure Community Support | Microsoft Azure

• Category: Azure | Microsoft Community Hub

Remember to celebrate every win, whether it's a full system upgrade or just a successful reboot. It took me a whole year to pass the AZ-104. Why? Because I had to Ctrl+Alt+Del my study plan and prioritize other goals. My confidence buffer was running low, and I needed to patch some mental processes before continuing.

Stepping away from a goal isn’t failure. It’s just a scheduled maintenance window. Sometimes the best way to debug your path is to step back, recharge, and come back with fresh logs and a clearer stack trace.