Microsoft AZ-104 Azure Administrator Study Guide
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) is the operations credential for Azure. The exam runs 100 minutes, costs $165 USD, and mixes multiple choice with drag-and-drop, case studies and other interactive question types. Microsoft will not confirm which exams include live labs — they can be pulled at any time — so plan for them and take the 120-minute variant in your stride if it appears. It covers managing identities and governance, storage, compute, virtual networking, and monitoring and backup — the work of keeping an Azure estate running rather than designing one, which is what separates it from the architect exam AZ-305.
Overview
Level
Associate
Vendor
Microsoft
Audience
Systems administrators, IT operations staff and infrastructure engineers who already manage Azure or are about to. Windows administrators moving to cloud are the classic fit: Active Directory, Windows Server and Microsoft 365 experience maps directly onto Entra ID, virtual machines and tenant administration. Microsoft expects at least six months of hands-on Azure administration, and the performance-based questions make that obvious — this is not an exam you can read your way through.
Why get AZ-104
Azure is the second-largest cloud platform globally and the dominant cloud in enterprise Microsoft-heavy environments. Organizations running Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and SQL Server are increasingly extending those workloads to Azure—creating strong demand for administrators who understand both on-premises Microsoft infrastructure and Azure. AZ-104 validates exactly that operational skill set: managing Azure identities, networking, storage, virtual machines, and monitoring. Unlike AWS SAA (which focuses on architecture design), AZ-104 is an operations-focused credential—it validates what you can configure and maintain, not just design. For IT professionals in Microsoft-centric environments, this is one of the highest-return certifications available.
Salary expectations
Typical salary range
$85,000 – $125,000
Azure Administrator roles typically start at $85K–$100K for candidates with 1–2 years of cloud experience, and reach $115K–$140K+ with 3–5 years. In organizations with heavy Microsoft infrastructure investment, Azure skills command a premium over on-premises-only experience.
When to get AZ-104
Take AZ-104 when your organisation runs on Azure or is migrating to it, or when you want to move into cloud operations in a Microsoft-centric enterprise. AZ-900 is optional prep, not a prerequisite — experienced administrators usually skip it. Build the experience in a free Azure account or the $150-a-month Visual Studio credit before booking; most people need two to three months alongside a job. It is also the natural stepping stone to AZ-305 (solutions architect) and AZ-500 (security engineer), both of which assume you can already administer what they ask you to design or secure.
Exam details
Exam Quick Reference
- Exam Code
- AZ-104
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Level
- Associate
- Duration
- 100 minutes
- Format
- Multiple choice, case studies, drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions. 40–60 questions.
- Questions
- 40–60 questions (Microsoft does not publish an exact count)
Renewal: Microsoft role-based certifications are valid for one year, and renewal is free: you take a short, unproctored, open-book assessment on Microsoft Learn during the six-month window before your expiry date, as many times as you need, and passing extends the certification another year. Miss the window and you sit the full exam again. Microsoft Fundamentals certifications do not expire at all.
Facts on this page last verified September 24, 2026 against official Microsoft sources.
Skills covered
Manage Azure Identities and Governance
- Azure Active Directory (Entra ID): users, groups, and roles
- Azure RBAC – assigning and managing role-based access control
- Azure subscriptions and management groups
- Azure Policy and resource locks
- Cost management and spending controls
Implement and Manage Storage
- Azure Storage accounts: blobs, queues, tables, and files
- Storage access tiers and lifecycle management
- Azure Files and Azure File Sync
- Shared Access Signatures (SAS) and storage security
- Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources
- Azure Virtual Machines: provisioning, sizing, and availability
- VM scale sets and load balancing
- Azure App Service and container deployments
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) fundamentals
- ARM templates and Bicep for infrastructure as code
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking
- Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, and IP addressing
- Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Application Security Groups
- Azure Load Balancer and Application Gateway
- VPN Gateways and ExpressRoute
- Azure DNS and private DNS zones
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources
- Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and alerts
- Azure Advisor and Cost Management
- VM health monitoring and diagnostics
- Network Watcher for connectivity troubleshooting
- Azure Service Health and resource tags
Step-by-step study path
AZ-104 is an operational exam—configuration experience in the Azure portal matters as much as course completion.
- 1
Create a free Azure account
Sign up for an Azure free account at azure.microsoft.com. You receive $200 in credits for 30 days plus 12 months of free services. AZ-104 is a hands-on operational exam—you need actual Azure portal experience, not just videos. Provision resources, configure settings, and make mistakes in a real environment.
- 2
Study the Microsoft Learn path
Microsoft Learn provides free, official, exam-aligned learning paths for AZ-104. These are structured, hands-on modules with integrated sandbox environments. While they should not be your only resource, they are essential because they reflect exactly what Microsoft considers important—which is what appears on the exam.
- 3
Work through a comprehensive course
John Savill's AZ-104 course on YouTube is free, highly detailed, and widely considered the best available. Scott Duffy's Udemy course is the top-rated paid option and includes practice exams. Choose one structured course and work through it completely. AZ-104 covers a wide range of services—you need systematic coverage, not jumping between topics.
- 4
Build real labs in Azure
After each major topic area, go to the Azure portal and configure it yourself. Create a VNet with subnets, deploy a VM, configure NSGs, set up Azure Backup, assign RBAC roles, create Azure Policy assignments. Many exam questions describe a configuration problem—you need to recognize the correct solution from having actually seen the interface.
- 5
Use Microsoft Learn sandbox labs
Microsoft Learn includes free sandbox environments for many AZ-104 topics. These provide a temporary Azure environment that does not use your credits. Use them for every available exercise within the official learning path—they are specifically aligned to exam scenarios.
- 6
Take practice exams
MeasureUp (Microsoft's official partner) and Tutorials Dojo provide the most exam-accurate AZ-104 practice questions. Whizlabs is a lower-cost alternative. Take full timed exams and review every explanation—not just wrong answers. Target 80%+ before scheduling the real exam.
- 7
Schedule and sit the exam
Book through Pearson VUE, available online proctored or at a test center. The exam includes case studies that present a detailed organizational scenario followed by several related questions—read these carefully before answering. Performance-based questions may include configuring items in a simulated Azure portal.
Microsoft Learn is essential
The free Microsoft Learn path for AZ-104 is the single most aligned study resource available. Use it alongside any course you choose.
Open Microsoft Learn →Free resources
Microsoft's official exam study guide with learning paths, hands-on exercises, and sandbox environments. Essential—use this in conjunction with any other resource.
Free, comprehensive, and technically deep. John Savill is widely regarded as one of the best Azure educators available. The full course is available free on YouTube.
Create a free Azure account for hands-on practice. $200 in credits for the first 30 days plus free tier services. Required for practical exam prep.
Active community with recent exam experience reports, resource recommendations, and study advice.
Paid resources
These are the resources most consistently recommended by candidates who pass AZ-104 on their first attempt.
| Provider | Type | Price | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Udemy – Scott Duffy AZ-104 Course | Video Course | ~$15–$20 (on sale) | Candidates who want a structured paid course with clear explanations and practice tests included | |
| Udemy – Alan Rodrigues AZ-104 Practice Tests | Practice Exams | ~$15–$20 (on sale) | Final exam preparation with realistic question sets at the right difficulty level | |
| Microsoft Press – Exam Ref AZ-104 | Book | ~$35–$50 | Candidates who want an official written reference organized exactly by exam objective |
Udemy – Scott Duffy AZ-104 Course
Video Course · ~$15–$20 (on sale)
Candidates who want a structured paid course with clear explanations and practice tests included
Scott Duffy's course is well-organized and consistently updated. One of the top-rated AZ-104 courses on Udemy.
Udemy – Alan Rodrigues AZ-104 Practice Tests
Practice Exams · ~$15–$20 (on sale)
Final exam preparation with realistic question sets at the right difficulty level
Detailed explanations for each answer. High pass rate reported by candidates who used these before the real exam.
Microsoft Press – Exam Ref AZ-104
Book · ~$35–$50
Candidates who want an official written reference organized exactly by exam objective
The official Microsoft Press Exam Ref series is dry but comprehensive. Best used as a reference alongside a video course, not as a standalone.
Affiliate links (buttons) may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Plain text links are unaffiliated references and earn us nothing. Affiliate disclosure →
Vouchers & exam cost
Frequently asked questions
Is AZ-104 hard?
It is a moderately difficult exam for candidates with IT administration experience, and challenging for those new to Azure. The exam is operational—it requires knowing how to configure things, not just what they are. Hands-on practice in the Azure portal is as important as video study. Plan for 6 to 10 weeks of part-time study.
Do I need AZ-900 before AZ-104?
No. AZ-900 is Azure Fundamentals—a business-overview exam. Experienced IT professionals can and should skip it and go directly to AZ-104. AZ-900 is best suited for non-technical professionals or complete beginners with no IT background.
Does AZ-104 expire?
No, not in the traditional sense. Microsoft now uses annual renewal assessments through Microsoft Learn. Once certified, you complete a free renewal assessment each year to keep your certification active. You do not need to re-take and pay for the exam to renew.
What is the difference between AZ-104 and AWS SAA?
AZ-104 is an operations and administration exam—it validates that you can configure and manage Azure resources. AWS SAA is an architecture design exam—it validates that you can design systems using AWS services. AZ-104 is closer to an admin credential; AWS SAA is closer to an architect credential. Both are valuable, and many cloud professionals eventually hold both.
What jobs does AZ-104 qualify me for?
Azure Administrator, Cloud Administrator, Systems Administrator (Azure), Infrastructure Engineer, and Cloud Operations Engineer roles. In organizations with Microsoft-heavy environments, AZ-104 often provides a direct path to a role upgrade or salary increase.
What comes after AZ-104?
AZ-305 (Azure Solutions Architect Expert) is the architecture-level follow-on. AZ-500 (Azure Security Engineer) for security roles. AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer Expert) for DevOps paths. Microsoft's certification map shows the full progression at learn.microsoft.com.
Jobs where AZ-104 shows up
8 roles in our Career Navigator list AZ-104 as worth having. Each page covers what the job involves day to day, its honest downside, and the typical pay.
- Systems AdministratorEntry-level · Level upThe step that moves you from administration to engineering.
- Cloud EngineerSecond step · CoreThe Azure administration equivalent.
- Cloud Network EngineerSecond step · CoreThe Azure equivalent, if your organisation is a Microsoft shop.
- Cloud Security EngineerSecond step · CorePractical Azure administration under the security work.
- Database AdministratorSecond step · CoreManaged database services increasingly live here.
- Identity EngineerSecond step · CoreCovers Entra ID and hybrid identity in practice.
- Systems EngineerSecond step · CoreAzure administration, and the bridge from on-prem Windows to cloud.
- Cloud ArchitectSenior · CoreAzure operational depth beneath the design work.
Not sure which of these fits you? Take the free Navigator assessment →
More Microsoft certifications
Ready to start with AZ-104?
Combine Microsoft Learn's free path with Scott Duffy's Udemy course, build in the Azure portal throughout, and use practice exams before scheduling.