What is the AZ-900 Certification?
The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) is the entry-level cloud certification from Microsoft. It's designed for anyone who wants to prove they understand what cloud computing is and how Microsoft Azure works — without needing hands-on technical experience.
It's the first step in the Microsoft certification path and a smart investment for IT professionals, business analysts, salespeople, finance teams, or anyone working in or alongside cloud technology.
Exam facts: - Cost: $165 USD (discounts available for students) - Passing score: 700 out of 1000 - Format: 40 to 60 multiple choice questions - Duration: 45 to 65 minutes - Valid for: Life (no expiry)
AZ-900 Exam Domains
The exam covers five domains. Know the weighting so you know where to focus:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Cloud Concepts | 25 to 30% |
| Azure Architecture and Services | 35 to 40% |
| Azure Management and Governance | 30 to 35% |
Domain 1: Cloud Concepts (25 to 30%)
This section tests your understanding of what cloud computing actually is.
Key topics: - What is cloud computing? (on-demand access to computing resources over the internet) - Benefits of cloud: high availability, scalability, elasticity, agility, geo-distribution, disaster recovery - Cloud service models: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS - Cloud deployment models: Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud - Shared Responsibility Model - CapEx vs OpEx
The most important concept: IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS
Think of it this way: - IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): You rent the land and building shell. You manage everything inside. Example: Azure Virtual Machines. - PaaS (Platform as a Service): You rent a fully serviced office. The provider manages the building, you manage your work. Example: Azure App Service. - SaaS (Software as a Service): You stay in a hotel. Everything is managed, you just use it. Example: Microsoft 365, Salesforce.
The Shared Responsibility Model is frequently tested. The key rule: AWS/Azure manage security "of" the cloud (hardware, datacentres, network infrastructure). You manage security "in" the cloud (your data, identities, operating systems, applications).
Domain 2: Azure Architecture and Services (35 to 40%)
This is the largest domain and covers the core Azure services you need to know.
Azure Global Infrastructure: - Regions: Geographic areas with one or more datacentres (e.g. UK South, East US) - Availability Zones: Physically separate datacentres within a region. Using 2 or more zones gives you 99.99% SLA - Region Pairs: Each region is paired with another region for disaster recovery - Geographies: Groups of regions (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific)
Core Azure Services to know
Compute: - Azure Virtual Machines: IaaS — full control over OS and applications - Azure App Service: PaaS — deploy web apps without managing servers - Azure Functions: Serverless compute — run code triggered by events - Azure Container Instances (ACI): Run containers without managing orchestration - Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): Managed Kubernetes for container orchestration
Networking: - Azure Virtual Network (VNet): Private network in Azure - Azure Load Balancer: Distributes traffic across multiple VMs - Azure Application Gateway: Layer 7 load balancer with WAF - Azure VPN Gateway: Connects on-premises to Azure via encrypted tunnel - Azure CDN: Content delivery network for fast global delivery - Azure DNS: Domain Name System hosting
Storage: - Azure Blob Storage: Object storage for unstructured data (images, videos, backups) - Azure Files: Managed file shares (SMB and NFS) - Azure Queue Storage: Message queueing - Azure Table Storage: NoSQL key-value storage - Storage redundancy options: LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS
Databases: - Azure SQL Database: Fully managed relational SQL database - Azure Cosmos DB: Globally distributed NoSQL database - Azure Database for MySQL/PostgreSQL: Managed open-source databases
AI and Machine Learning: - Azure Machine Learning: Build and deploy ML models - Azure Cognitive Services / Azure AI Services: Pre-built AI capabilities - Azure Bot Service: Intelligent chatbots
Domain 3: Azure Management and Governance (30 to 35%)
Identity and Access Management: - Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD): Cloud-based identity and access management - Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Extra layer of security - Conditional Access: Policy-based access control - Azure RBAC: Role-Based Access Control — assign permissions at different scopes
Azure Management Tools: - Azure Portal: Web-based GUI - Azure CLI: Command-line interface - Azure PowerShell: PowerShell module for Azure - Azure Cloud Shell: Browser-based shell - Azure Resource Manager (ARM): Management layer for all resources - ARM Templates: Infrastructure as Code using JSON - Azure Bicep: Simplified IaC language
Governance and Compliance: - Azure Policy: Enforce organisational standards across resources - Azure Blueprints: Package policies, RBAC, and ARM templates together - Microsoft Purview: Unified data governance - Resource Locks: Prevent accidental deletion or modification - Tags: Organise resources with metadata
Cost Management: - Azure Pricing Calculator: Estimate costs before deploying - Azure TCO Calculator: Compare on-premises vs Azure costs - Azure Cost Management and Billing: Monitor and optimise spending - Azure Advisor: Personalised recommendations for cost, security, reliability
Service Level Agreements: - Single VM with Premium SSD: 99.9% uptime - VM in Availability Set: 99.95% uptime - VM across Availability Zones: 99.99% uptime
Best Free Resources for AZ-900
- Microsoft Learn (free, official): learn.microsoft.com — the best structured path
- John Savill's YouTube channel: 3-hour free cram video — extremely popular
- Azure free account: Create a free account and try the portal hands-on
- Microsoft Official Practice Assessment: Free practice test on Microsoft's site
Exam Day Tips
- The exam is not tricky — it tests whether you understand concepts, not memorisation of obscure details
- Read every question carefully — many have "which is NOT" or "which is MOST appropriate"
- If unsure, eliminate obviously wrong answers first
- Flag uncertain questions and return at the end
- 45 minutes is plenty of time — don't rush
- Aim for 80% in practice tests before booking the real exam
Next Steps After AZ-900
Once you've passed AZ-900, your recommended path depends on your goal: - Cloud Administrator: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) - Developer: AZ-204 (Developing Solutions for Azure) - AI/ML: AI-900 then AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer) - Data: DP-900 then DP-203 (Data Engineer) or DP-300 (Database Admin) - Security: SC-900 then AZ-500 (Security Engineer)