AZ-104 Study Guide & Preparation Plan
A practical study roadmap for preparing for the Microsoft Azure Administrator exam. Learn what to study, build hands-on skills, practice administration scenarios, and check your readiness before exam day.
- Structured Roadmap Follow a clear preparation sequence.
- Hands-On Focus Turn concepts into practical Azure skills.
- Readiness Checks Identify gaps before taking the exam.
Your AZ-104 Preparation
Work through the preparation stages in order and use practice and hands-on work to reinforce each area.
Use the Guide as a Preparation Workflow
Don’t treat the study guide as something to read from top to bottom. Use each stage to decide what to learn, what to practice, and what to review next.
Understand
Start with the current exam objectives and identify the areas you already understand and the areas that need more work.
Learn
Use Microsoft Learn and Azure documentation to build knowledge around the services and administration tasks covered by the exam.
Practice
Reinforce what you learn through Azure portal work, command-line tasks, configuration exercises, and scenario-based questions.
Review
Use practice results to identify knowledge gaps, revisit weak topics, and repeat hands-on tasks before your final review.
A Practical AZ-104 Study Sequence
The order matters. Build the foundation first, then move into administration tasks, hands-on configuration, practice, and readiness review.
Review the Current Exam Objectives
Begin with the current Microsoft AZ-104 study guide and understand the skills being measured. Use the official objectives as your study checklist rather than relying on an older preparation guide.
Check Your Azure Fundamentals
Make sure you are comfortable with core Azure concepts, subscriptions, resource groups, regions, Azure Resource Manager, the Azure portal, and basic cloud administration.
- Azure portal navigation
- Subscriptions and resource groups
- Azure Resource Manager concepts
- Basic Azure CLI and PowerShell usage
Build Identity and Governance Knowledge
Study how Azure identities, access control, subscriptions, resource organization, and governance mechanisms work together. Focus on understanding why a particular control or role is appropriate for a scenario.
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Subscriptions and management structure
- Azure Policy and governance
- Resource locks and cost management concepts
Learn Storage Administration
Move into Azure storage and understand how storage services, access methods, redundancy, security, and data management choices relate to different requirements.
- Storage accounts
- Azure Blob Storage
- Azure Files
- Storage redundancy
- Access and security configuration
- Data management and lifecycle concepts
Practice Azure Compute
Learn how Azure compute resources are deployed, configured, scaled, and managed. Practice choosing the appropriate compute service for a particular workload.
- Azure Virtual Machines
- VM disks and configuration
- Virtual Machine Scale Sets
- Azure App Service
- Azure Container Instances
- Container-related administration tasks
Build Virtual Networking Skills
Practice designing and configuring Azure networking components and understand how traffic moves between networks, subnets, resources, and connected environments.
- Virtual networks and subnets
- Network security groups
- IP addressing
- VNet peering
- Azure DNS
- Load balancing and network connectivity concepts
Learn Monitoring and Resource Maintenance
Practice identifying resource health and performance issues, configuring monitoring, responding to alerts, and maintaining Azure resources.
- Azure Monitor
- Metrics and logs
- Alerts and action groups
- Log Analytics
- Backup and recovery concepts
Connect the Concepts
Stop studying services in isolation. Work through scenarios that require multiple Azure services to solve one administration requirement.
- Identity + RBAC + governance
- VMs + networking + monitoring
- Storage + security + access
- Networking + application connectivity
Test Your Knowledge
Use practice questions to check whether you can apply what you learned to realistic administration scenarios. Don’t simply memorize the correct option.
- Answer before viewing the explanation
- Review why the correct answer works
- Understand why alternatives do not fit
- Record recurring knowledge gaps
Perform a Final Readiness Review
Return to the current Microsoft objectives, review your weak areas, repeat important hands-on tasks, and use practice results to decide what still needs attention.
What to Study Within Each AZ-104 Area
Use these checklists to turn the exam objectives into practical study tasks. The goal is to understand how Azure services are configured and administered, not simply memorize service names.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance
Focus on how identities receive access, how resources are organized, and how governance controls are applied across an Azure environment.
Study checklist- Microsoft Entra ID
- Users and groups
- RBAC
- Subscriptions
- Management groups
- Azure Policy
- Resource locks
- Cost management
Implement and Manage Storage
Understand storage configuration, access, redundancy, and administration choices for Azure data services.
Study checklist- Storage accounts
- Blob Storage
- Azure Files
- Redundancy
- Access tiers
- Security
- Lifecycle management
- Data transfer
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute
Learn how to deploy and configure compute resources and choose suitable services for different application workloads.
Study checklist- Virtual Machines
- VM disks
- VM Scale Sets
- App Service
- Containers
- Azure Container Instances
- Container configuration
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking
Build an understanding of Azure networking configuration, connectivity, traffic control, and name resolution.
Study checklist- Virtual networks
- Subnets
- IP addressing
- NSGs
- VNet peering
- Azure DNS
- Load balancing
- Private connectivity
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources
Learn how to observe resource performance, configure alerts, investigate issues, and maintain workloads.
Study checklist- Azure Monitor
- Metrics
- Logs
- Log Analytics
- Alerts
- Action groups
- Backup
- Resource health
Microsoft notes that the skills measured and related topics can change. Always compare your preparation against the current Microsoft AZ-104 study guide before taking the exam.
Build These Azure Administration Skills
Reading documentation is only one part of preparation. Use an Azure environment to perform administration tasks and connect individual services into realistic workflows.
Identity and Access
Create identities and groups, assign appropriate access, and compare different RBAC scopes and role assignments.
Resource Organization and Governance
Create resource groups, apply governance controls, configure policies, and understand how resource locks affect management.
Storage Configuration
Create storage resources, configure access, work with Blob Storage and Azure Files, and compare redundancy options.
Virtual Machine Administration
Deploy a virtual machine, configure disks and networking, manage its lifecycle, and investigate common configuration and connectivity issues.
Networking Configuration
Create a virtual network and subnets, configure network security rules, test connectivity, and understand how traffic moves between resources.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting
Configure monitoring and alerts, inspect metrics and logs, and use Azure monitoring tools to investigate resource issues.
Choose a Study Timeline
Your timeline should depend on your existing Azure knowledge, available study time, and how much hands-on experience you have. Use these schedules as starting points rather than fixed rules.
Focused Preparation
Suitable when you already have Azure administration experience and need a concentrated review of the exam objectives.
- Review objectives
- Target weak domains
- Hands-on practice
- Practice questions
- Final review
Balanced Preparation
Allows more time to combine Microsoft Learn study, hands-on Azure work, practice questions, and review.
- Foundation review
- Domain study
- Weekly labs
- Scenario practice
- Knowledge-gap review
Deeper Preparation
Gives beginners or candidates with limited Azure administration experience more time to learn, practice, and revisit difficult areas.
- Azure fundamentals
- Structured learning
- Hands-on labs
- Scenario practice
- Repeated review
Study Azure Services as Connected Systems
Administration scenarios often involve more than one Azure service. Instead of memorizing isolated definitions, practice understanding how services work together.
Identity + Access + Governance
Understand how Microsoft Entra ID, users, groups, RBAC, subscriptions, resource groups, and Azure Policy work together to control access and governance.
- Identity
- Scope
- RBAC
- Policy
- Governance
Compute + Networking
When working with virtual machines and applications, connect compute configuration with IP addressing, subnets, NSGs, DNS, and connectivity.
- VMs
- VNet
- Subnet
- NSG
- DNS
Storage + Access + Security
Learn to select storage services according to access requirements, redundancy needs, security controls, and workload characteristics.
- Storage accounts
- Blob Storage
- Azure Files
- Access
- Redundancy
Resources + Monitoring + Recovery
Connect resource administration with monitoring, alerts, logs, resource health, and backup so you can reason through operational scenarios.
- Azure Monitor
- Metrics
- Logs
- Alerts
- Backup
Turn Practice Questions Into Learning
Practice is most useful when you use incorrect answers to guide your next study session rather than simply tracking a score.
Answer First
Commit to an answer before looking at the explanation. This gives you a more useful picture of what you actually know.
Study the Explanation
Understand the reasoning behind the correct answer and identify the Azure concept the question is testing.
Find the Gap
If you missed a question, return to the relevant Microsoft Learn material or Azure documentation.
Practice Again
Revisit the topic later and check whether you can solve a different scenario without relying on memorization.
Learn to Solve AZ-104 Administration Scenarios
AZ-104 preparation is not only about remembering what an Azure service does. You also need to understand the requirement, identify the constraints, choose an appropriate solution, and recognize which configuration best fits the situation.
Instead of trying to recognize the correct answer immediately, break the scenario into smaller decisions and work toward the solution step by step.
Identify the Requirement
First determine exactly what the scenario is asking you to accomplish.
Ask yourself:- What needs to be changed or configured?
- What problem needs to be solved?
- What outcome is required?
- Which Azure resource or service is involved?
Identify the Constraints
Look for conditions that limit the possible solutions.
Pay attention to requirements such as:- Minimize administrative effort
- Use least privilege
- Avoid public access
- Support automatic scaling
- Maintain availability
- Restrict access to a specific scope
- Reduce unnecessary cost
- Preserve existing resources
Determine the Scope
Identify where the configuration needs to apply.
Consider whether the requirement involves:- A user or group
- A subscription
- A management group
- A resource group
- An individual resource
- A virtual network or subnet
- An application or workload
Choose the Appropriate Service or Feature
Once you understand the requirement and constraints, identify the Azure service or feature that directly addresses the problem.
Then compare it with the alternatives instead of selecting an answer simply because the service name looks familiar.
Check the Configuration
After identifying the service, determine which configuration is appropriate for the complete scenario.
Eliminate the Alternatives
Before committing to an answer, explain why the other options do not fit.
- Does it solve the actual requirement?
- Does it satisfy the constraints?
- Is it applied at the correct scope?
- Does it introduce unnecessary access or complexity?
- Is another Azure feature specifically designed for this requirement?
A Simple AZ-104 Problem-Solving Sequence
Use this sequence whenever you encounter an unfamiliar administration scenario.
Practice the Reasoning, Not Just the Answer
Imagine a scenario where an application needs to communicate with another service while avoiding exposure through a public endpoint.
Turn Every Difficult Question Into a Mini Study Exercise
When you miss a difficult question, record the reasoning behind it instead of only recording the correct answer.
What must be achieved?
What must or must not happen?
User, resource, resource group, subscription, network, or another scope?
Which Azure capability addresses the requirement?
What specific setting or option is required?
Why don’t the other choices satisfy the complete scenario?
What would confirm that the solution works?
Don’t Study the Answer. Study the Reasoning.
The goal is to become comfortable translating an administration requirement into an Azure solution and explaining why that solution fits.
Learn a Practical AZ-104 Troubleshooting Method
Azure administration is not only about deploying resources. You also need to investigate configuration problems, connectivity issues, access failures, monitoring alerts, and other resource problems. Use a structured troubleshooting process instead of changing settings randomly.
Start by defining the problem, identify the affected resource, check the configuration and dependencies, review available evidence, test a focused change, and verify the result.
Define the Problem
Start by describing what is actually failing. Avoid changing settings before you understand the symptom.
- What is not working?
- When did the problem begin?
- Who or what is affected?
- Is the problem consistent or intermittent?
Identify the Affected Resource
Determine which Azure resource, service, identity, network, or workload is directly involved in the problem.
- Identify the affected resource.
- Check its current state and health.
- Identify the resource group and subscription.
- Determine whether related resources are also affected.
Check the Configuration
Review the settings that directly control the affected resource or service.
Check Dependencies
Azure resources rarely operate in complete isolation. Check the services and configurations that the affected workload depends on.
- Network connectivity
- Identity and permissions
- DNS and name resolution
- Dependent Azure resources
- Security controls
- Application or workload configuration
Review Metrics, Logs, and Errors
Use available evidence to narrow down the possible cause instead of relying only on assumptions.
Look for unusual resource behavior or performance changes.
Review relevant log information when investigating an issue.
Check whether an alert identifies a condition that requires attention.
Use the exact error or failure information to narrow the investigation.
Test the Fix and Verify
Make a focused change, test the affected workload, and confirm whether the original problem has actually been resolved.
- Change one relevant configuration at a time when practical.
- Test the affected operation.
- Check whether the original symptom is gone.
- Confirm that the change did not create another problem.
- Document what caused the issue and how it was resolved.
A Simple Azure Troubleshooting Sequence
Use this sequence when a scenario tells you that an Azure resource or workload is not behaving as expected.
Practice Troubleshooting Across These Azure Areas
When practicing, don’t only ask which service should be used. Practice identifying what could cause a failure and what evidence you would inspect.
Identity & Access
- Permission problems
- Incorrect role assignment
- Incorrect scope
- Access-related configuration
Virtual Networking
- Connectivity problems
- Subnet configuration
- NSG rules
- Name resolution
Compute
- Resource state
- VM configuration
- Network dependencies
- Performance symptoms
Storage
- Access problems
- Security configuration
- Connectivity requirements
- Storage configuration
Monitoring
- Missing or unexpected metrics
- Alert configuration
- Log investigation
- Resource health information
Ask These Questions Before Choosing a Fix
Use these questions when reviewing troubleshooting scenarios or working through a problem in an Azure environment.
Define the symptom before changing anything.
Identify the resource, scope, and related dependencies.
Check the settings directly related to the problem.
Use metrics, logs, alerts, and error information.
Test a focused change rather than changing everything at once.
Confirm that the original problem has actually been resolved.
Don’t Troubleshoot by Guessing
Define the symptom, gather evidence, isolate the likely cause, make a focused change, and verify the result. The goal is to develop a repeatable troubleshooting process rather than memorize individual fixes.
Know the Azure Administrator Tools
AZ-104 preparation is not only about knowing Azure services. You should also understand the main tools administrators use to create, configure, inspect, and manage Azure resources.
Azure Portal
Use the browser-based interface to create and manage Azure resources, review configuration, monitor resources, and perform administrative tasks.
Azure CLI
Use Azure CLI commands to manage Azure resources from a command-line environment and automate repeatable tasks.
Azure PowerShell
Use PowerShell cmdlets to manage Azure resources and perform administrative operations through scripting.
ARM Templates & Bicep
Understand infrastructure-as-code concepts and how Azure resources can be deployed through declarative templates.
Commands Worth Recognizing
You do not need to memorize every Azure CLI command. Focus on understanding the command structure and recognizing common administrative operations.
az group list
List resource groups.
az group create
Create a resource group.
az vm list
List virtual machines.
az vm start
Start a virtual machine.
az vm stop
Stop a virtual machine.
az storage account list
List storage accounts.
az network vnet list
List virtual networks.
az network nsg list
List network security groups.
az account show
Display the current Azure subscription context.
az account list
List available Azure subscriptions.
PowerShell Cmdlets to Recognize
Focus on understanding what these cmdlets are used for rather than trying to memorize every available parameter.
| Cmdlet | Purpose |
|---|---|
Get-AzResourceGroup
|
Retrieve Azure resource groups. |
Get-AzVM
|
Retrieve Azure virtual machines. |
Get-AzStorageAccount
|
Retrieve Azure storage accounts. |
Get-AzVirtualNetwork
|
Retrieve Azure virtual networks. |
Get-AzNetworkSecurityGroup
|
Retrieve network security groups. |
Get-AzSubscription
|
Retrieve subscriptions available to the current account. |
Learn the Task, Not Just the Command
When you see an Azure CLI or PowerShell question, first identify the administrative task. Then determine which tool and command structure fits that task.
Can You Match the Task to the Tool?
Which tool provides a browser-based management interface?
Azure PortalWhich command-line tool can be used to manage Azure resources?
Azure CLIWhich Azure tool provides PowerShell cmdlets for administration?
Azure PowerShellWhich approach uses declarative infrastructure definitions?
ARM templates / BicepYour Final 7-Day AZ-104 Review Plan
The final week should focus on reviewing weak areas, connecting Azure concepts, practicing realistic scenarios, and confirming that you can work through common administrator tasks without relying entirely on memorization.
Use your previous study results and practice performance to identify what needs attention. Spend more time on weak areas and less time rereading topics you already understand.
Review Your Weak Areas
Start by looking at your previous practice results, notes, and areas where you made mistakes.
- Identify your weakest AZ-104 areas.
- Review questions you previously answered incorrectly.
- Write down concepts that still feel unclear.
- Prioritize topics instead of reviewing everything equally.
Identity & Governance Review
Review the administration concepts involved in identities, access, subscriptions, governance, and resource organization.
- Review role-based access and scope.
- Review Microsoft Entra ID concepts relevant to administration.
- Review subscriptions and resource organization.
- Review Azure Policy and governance concepts.
Storage & Compute Review
Review the differences between common Azure storage and compute options and practice selecting the appropriate configuration for a requirement.
- Review storage services and access requirements.
- Review redundancy and storage configuration concepts.
- Review virtual machines and related administration tasks.
- Review VM scale and compute options.
Networking Review
Concentrate on how Azure networking components interact and how configuration choices affect connectivity.
- Review virtual networks and subnets.
- Review network security groups.
- Review DNS and name resolution concepts.
- Review private connectivity and network dependencies.
Monitoring & Troubleshooting Review
Practice investigating resource behavior rather than simply memorizing monitoring terminology.
- Review metrics and monitoring concepts.
- Review alerts and relevant monitoring information.
- Practice troubleshooting scenarios.
- Review how logs and evidence can narrow down a problem.
Practice & Review
Use practice questions to test whether you can apply the concepts under realistic conditions.
- Complete a focused practice session.
- Review every incorrect answer.
- Review questions you answered by guessing.
- Return to weak concepts instead of memorizing answers.
Final Readiness Check
Keep the final day focused on confidence, review, and preparation rather than trying to cover large amounts of new material.
- Review your remaining weak areas.
- Review key administration concepts and terminology.
- Do a short final practice session if useful.
- Confirm your exam details and testing arrangements.
- Give yourself enough time to rest before the exam.
Use This Simple Pattern Each Day
If you have limited study time during the final week, use a consistent review cycle rather than spending the entire session reading.
Refresh the concepts you need to study.
Apply the concepts to questions or tasks.
Understand why an answer is correct or incorrect.
Return to the specific gap you identified.
Before You Finish Your Preparation
You know which topics require the most attention.
You can reason through administrator-style situations.
You have practiced relevant Azure administration tasks.
You understand why previous answers were incorrect.
Your final review is aligned with the current exam objectives.
You have checked your scheduled exam and testing details.
Review Less. Apply More.
The final week is most useful when you spend your time identifying gaps, applying what you know, reviewing mistakes, and confirming that you can reason through Azure administration scenarios.
Are You Ready to Move Toward the Exam?
There is no single practice score that can guarantee exam readiness. Use this checklist together with your hands-on experience, practice results, and review of the current objectives.
I Understand the Core Concepts
- I can explain the main Azure services I studied.
- I understand why different services are used.
- I can compare common configuration choices.
I Can Perform Administration Tasks
- I can navigate the Azure portal confidently.
- I can perform common administration tasks.
- I can troubleshoot basic configuration issues.
I Can Apply What I Know
- I can identify the requirement in a scenario.
- I can select an appropriate Azure service.
- I can distinguish similar configuration options.
I Have Reviewed My Weak Areas
- I have reviewed missed practice questions.
- I have revisited difficult topics.
- I have checked the current Microsoft objectives.
Need More Practice Before the Exam?
If you have completed your study plan and want to test your knowledge across a broader set of AZ-104 scenarios, continue with 479 AZ-104 dumps, answers, and detailed explanations .
Final AZ-104 Exam Preparation
Once your learning and practice are complete, focus your final review on understanding rather than trying to memorize more material at the last minute.
Review Your Weak Areas
Revisit the concepts that repeatedly caused mistakes during practice instead of rereading everything.
Review the Current Objectives
Compare your preparation with Microsoft’s current AZ-104 study guide before the exam.
Avoid Last-Minute Cramming
Use your final review to reinforce concepts and relationships rather than attempting to learn an entirely new topic.
Check Official Exam Information
Review Microsoft’s current exam and testing information for the latest details before your scheduled appointment.
Questions About Using This Study Guide
How should I start studying for AZ-104?
Start by reviewing Microsoft’s current AZ-104 study guide, then assess your existing Azure knowledge before following the roadmap and building hands-on experience.
Should I study Azure services individually?
Learn each service first, but then practice connecting services together. Administration scenarios often involve multiple Azure components working together.
Is hands-on Azure practice necessary?
Hands-on practice is useful for understanding how Azure administration tasks work in practice. Microsoft’s own certification guidance recommends familiarity with Azure administration tools and environments.
How long should I study for AZ-104?
There is no single timeline that applies to everyone. Your preparation time depends on your existing Azure knowledge, administration experience, and available study time.
Should I use practice questions before finishing all topics?
Yes. Practice questions can be useful as a diagnostic tool while studying. Use missed questions to identify areas that need additional learning.
Where should I verify the latest AZ-104 information?
Use Microsoft’s current AZ-104 certification page and study guide as the authoritative sources for current exam information and skills measured.
Put Your Preparation Into Practice
Once you have worked through the study plan, use the free AZ-104 practice test to check your knowledge and identify topics that need another review.