Top 7 New Microsoft Azure Certifications That Can Help You Make a Fortune in 2020

Microsoft is known for bringing changes to its existing certification paths, and that is exactly what it did at the Ignite Conference in 2018. This time the company announced a few major changes to its Azure track and decided to make it more role-based. Aside from the arrival of the new Azure credentials, Microsoft is also retiring some of its exams that were previously part of this path. In this blog post, you will learn everything that you need to know about the new Microsoft Azure certification pathway. So, let’s explore the top 7 new certificates that can help you make a great career.

1) Azure Fundamentals

The foundational-level exam in the new Azure certification path is Azure Fundamentals, its code is AZ-900. This test is mainly intended for those individuals who want to show their basic knowledge pertaining to Cloud services with Microsoft Azure. The great thing about this Microsoft exam is that you shouldn’t have a lot of technical background to succeed, all you need is a good understanding of Cloud concepts.
This Microsoft AZ-900 exam is considered to be the first step of the ladder if you want to move to the Associate and Expert levels of this new Azure certification track. Since it is really the first step, there are no prerequisites that you have to worry about for this test. It costs around $99 and the topics that are part of this exam are required your understanding of:

• Azure Pricing and Support;
• Security, Privacy, Compliance, and Trust;
• Core Azure Services;
• Cloud Concepts.

2) Azure Administrator Associate

If you want to earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certificate, now you will need to pass only one exam, this is Microsoft AZ-103. This test covers the domains highlighted by AZ-100 and AZ-101. Another thing that you should know about this certification exam is that it serves as a prerequisite for the Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert credential.

This will be a plus for the Microsoft AZ-103 test if you have the basic knowledge of network components and prior knowledge of operating systems and Azure applications. There are a few different topics that are part of this exam. The objectives cover the following skills:

• Manage Identities;
• Configure and Manage Virtual Networks;
• Deploy and Manage Virtual Machines;
• Implement and Manage Storage;
• Manage Azure Subscriptions and Resources.

3) Azure Developer Associate

If you are interested in becoming an Azure developer, you will need to pass the Microsoft AZ-203 exam. When you pass it, you will obtain the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate credential.

The AZ-203 certification exam was first announced in September 2018, and it is the only test that you need to complete to become a certified Azure developer. There are a few prerequisites that you have to fulfill when you are taking this Microsoft exam. The first thing is to develop applications and services with Azure tools. You should also have at least one year of experience in the field. You also need to be an expert in at least one Cloud-supported language. The topics for Microsoft AZ-203 are as follows:

• Consume and Connect Azure Services;
• Monitor, Optimize, and Troubleshoot Azure Solutions;
• Implement Azure Security;
• Develop the Azure Platform as Service Compute Solutions;
• Develop for Azure Storage;
• Develop the Azure Infrastructure as Service Compute Solutions.

4) Azure Solutions Architect Expert

According to the new Azure certification path, if you want to become an Azure solutions architect expert, you will have to pass two exams. The first one is Microsoft AZ-300, the second – Microsoft AZ-301. If you want succeed in these tests, you need to have knowledge related to IT operations, data management, security, and identity. You also need at least one year of experience to be eligible for this certificate. The topics that are covered in the AZ-300 exam are as follows:

• Develop for Cloud;
• Implement Authentication and Secure Data;
• Create and Deploy Apps;
• Architect Cloud Technology Solutions;
• Implement Workloads and Security;
• Deploy and Configure Infrastructure.

As for the Microsoft AZ-301 certification test, it covers the following objectives:

• Design an Infrastructure Strategy;
• Design for Deployment, Migration, and Integration;
• Design a Business Continuity Strategy;
• Design for Identity and Security;
• Design a Data Platform Solution;
• Determine Workload Requirements.

5) Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

To get this Microsoft Azure certification, you will need to ace the AZ-400 exam. So, let’s take a closer look at this test. The eligibility criterion requires you to be familiar with Azure administration and development. You should also be good in using Agile practices. There are a number of topics in this exam, they are as follows:

• Implement Continuous Feedback;
• Implement Application Infrastructure;
• Implement Dependency Management;
• Implement Continuous Delivery;
• Implement Continuous Integration;
• Implement DevOps Development Processes;
• Design a DevOps Strategy.

6) Azure Security Engineer Associate

Next, we have the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate credential for which you will need to pass the Microsoft AZ-500 exam. If you are going to take this test, you should have a familiarity with the Cloud N-tier architecture, networking, and virtualization. You also need to have a little understanding of automation, scripting, and access management. This certification exam comes with four main topics that are mentioned below:

• Secure Data and Applications;
• Manage Security Operations;
• Implement Platform Protection;
• Manage Identity and Access.

7) Azure Data Engineer Associate

The latest addition to the Azure certification path is the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate credential. Obtaining this certificate can be very beneficial for your career. If you are going for it, you will need to take two exams: Microsoft DP-200 and Microsoft DP-201. The objectives for both of them are listed below:

DP-200:

• Monitor and Optimize Data Solutions;
• Operate and Design Data Processing;
• Implement Data Storage Solutions.

DP-201:

• Design for Compliance and Data Security;
• Design Azure Data Processing Solutions;
• Design Azure Data Storage Solutions.

Conclusion

These were the top credentials that are part of the new Azure certification path. No matter which exam you choose, just make sure that you prepare for it properly, otherwise, you will not be able to pass any.

• Category: microsoft
• Tags: administrator, azure, cloud, developer, expert, microsoft