The Microsoft Azure Z-900 Fundamentals certification is ideal for those starting their career in Cloud computing.
And with over 250 million Office 365 users worldwide, there has never been a better time to gain a Microsoft qualification. So what do you need to pass the Azure AZ-900 exam? We explain everything you need to know in this blog.
What is the AZ-900 exam?
The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 exam covers foundational level knowledge of Microsoft Azure Cloud services and their benefits, cost, security, compliance tools and management.
Microsoft’s exam description notes that the qualification demonstrates candidates’ “fundamental knowledge of cloud concepts, as well as Azure services, workloads, security, privacy, pricing, and support”.
Is the AZ-900 exam difficult?
The AZ 900 certification is a foundation-level qualification, which means you don’t need a comprehensive understanding of Cloud computing or Azure.
It is a professional Microsoft certification, so you should expect a challenge.
The AZ-900 exam consists of 30–50 questions, which you must answer within 85 minutes. They will be presented in a variety of ways.
Some questions will be multiple-choice, whereas others will require you to drag and drop the answer into the relevant description or answer questions in graphical form.
Like all Microsoft exams, the AZ-900 assessment is scored out of 1,000. You need to score 700 or more to gain the Azure Fundamentals Badge.
How to pass the AZ-900 exam
Although the AZ-900 exam is an entry-level assessment, you will need a solid understanding of the relevant topics, which takes time and effort.
You should have existing experience of Cloud services – whether that’s from a technical or organisational background – and a grasp of fundamental IT issues.
The exam itself is broken down into four modules:
- Cloud concepts
- Core Azure services
- Security, privacy, compliance and trust
- Azure pricing Service Level Agreements, and Lifecycles
Sections 1, 3 and 4 account for approximately two-thirds of the exam, while Core Azure services will likely be the largest section.
There are plenty of resources available to help you learn more about the course, including our Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Training Course.
You may also wish to take mock exams to help you understand how the assessment is conducted.
How long should I study for the AZ-900 exam?
The time you should spend preparing for the exam will depend on your existing knowledge and your study habits.
Experts always suggest studying in chunks where possible, so those who can dedicate several hours at a time will get up to speed quicker than someone who is dipping in and out of study materials.
As a rule of thumb, 40 hours of total study time should be sufficient.
Is the AZ-900 exam open book?
The AZ-900 exam is not open book – meaning you cannot take reference materials into the exam.
Does AZ-900 certification expire?
There is no expiry date on the AZ-9-00 certification. However, you should note that this isn’t the case for all Microsoft Azure qualifications.
The Azure Administrator certification, for example, must be renewed each year.
What happens if I fail the AZ-900 exam?
If you fail the AZ-900 exam on your first attempt, you are allowed to resit the exam on a later day.
Should you fail again, you are permitted to take the exam again, but you must wait two weeks.
Candidates can resit the exam a maximum of five times per year.
Scheduling an AZ-900 exam
You can book your place on an AZ-900 exam by visiting the Microsoft portal and registering your place.
From there, you will have the option to schedule a time and place to conduct the exam and the delivery option.
Finally, you will be asked to confirm payment of your exam fee, after which you are ready to go. The exam costs £69 plus tax (about £82 in total).
Those who enrol in our Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Training Course will discover that the exam is included as part of the course.
But that’s not all. The AZ 900 training course gives you access to expert guidance from our professionals, who will provide you with a foundational knowledge of Microsoft Azure Cloud services and their benefits, cost, security, compliance tools and management.
The two-day course also includes practical, hands-on lab exercises to ensure that you pass the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam on the first attempt.
The course covers:
- The basics of Azure and its subscriptions and accounts;
- Azure architecture concepts, terminology and resources;
- General and network security;
- Cloud governance strategy, and adherence to regulatory and compliance standards; and
- Factors that influence Azure costs and system and application design decisions.
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