Azure Administrators: Show off your skills with exam AZ-104

Posted 02 Apr 2020 by Liberty Munson (Microsoft)


Today, we’re excited to announce the release of the AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator (beta) exam—the only exam that a cloud administrator must pass to become a Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate. Exam AZ-104 replaces exam AZ-103, which retires on August 31, 2020.
If you’re a system engineer, architect, or technologist—or if you’re in IT operations—in the cloud and Azure, consider this certification. Responsibilities of an Azure Administrator include implementing, managing, and monitoring identity, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networks in a cloud environment. If this sounds like your workday, you’re in the right place.

If you are thinking about taking this exam, you should have hands-on experience administering Azure, along with a strong understanding of core Azure services, workloads, security, and governance. In addition, you should have experience using PowerShell, Azure CLI, Azure portal, and Azure Resource Manager templates.
Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take the AZ-104 beta exam on or before May 31, 2020, can get 80% off market price! (Learn why beta exams are no longer free.)

To receive the discount, register now. When you’re prompted for payment, use code AZ104WAGONER. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. You must take the exam on or before May 31, 2020.

If you already hold the Azure Administrator Associate certification, please note that we’re extending—by six months—all certifications that expire between now and December 31, 2020. If you want to prove that your skills are up to date right now, you can use the discounted beta exam as an opportunity to extend your certification’s expiration by two years.

Did you know that you can take any role-based or fundamentals exam online? Take the exam from your home or office, monitored by a proctor via webcam and microphone. It’s simple—when you schedule the exam, just select the option to take the exam online. Get more details about Microsoft Certification exams online, including system and environment requirements.
The AZ-104 beta exam aligns closely with the core skills and technologies that you need to be a successful Azure Administrator. We’ve got some suggestions to help you prepare for the exam:

  • Review the AZ-104 beta exam page for details. The skills outline document alerts you to key topics covered on the exam. Plus, the suggested Microsoft Learn training is aligned to the new exam. For updates on new content available to help you prepare, follow @MicrosoftLearn.
  • Want even more in-depth training? Connect with Training Services Partners in your area for in-person training.
  • Need other preparation ideas? Check out my blog post on preparing for beta exams.

The AZ-103 exam will remain in market until August 31, 2020 at the regular price. To compare the two exams, check out the AZ-104 skills outline document on the exam page.

After August 31, 2020, only AZ-104 will be available. Regardless of which exam you take, when you pass, you’ll have earned your Azure Administrator Associate certification and it will be valid for two years.
Remember, the number of spots is limited to the first 300 candidates taking the AZ-104 beta exam on or before May 31, 2020. Please note that the beta exam is not available in Türkiye, Pakistan, India, or China.

Keep in mind that beta exams aren’t scored immediately. You’ll receive your final score and passing status after the exam is live. For updates on when the rescore is complete, follow me on Twitter (@libertymunson). For questions about the timing of beta exam scoring and live exam release, check out The path from beta exam to live exam and More tips about beta exams.

An important update on Microsoft training and certification
Updates to several Azure and Data & AI Certifications are coming soon