Microsoft
Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (Exam AZ-104)
The core associate-level certification for professionals who implement, manage, and monitor Azure environments — identities, storage, compute, and virtual networks. A standard requirement in cloud administrator and sysadmin-to-cloud job postings.
What's on the exam
AZ-104 study guide (Microsoft Learn)
Manage Azure identities and governance
20–25%Microsoft Entra ID users and groups · Role-based access control (RBAC) · Subscriptions and management groups · Azure Policy · Self-service password reset and licensing
Implement and manage storage
15–20%Storage accounts and redundancy options · Blob storage and lifecycle management · Azure Files and file shares · Storage security (SAS tokens, encryption, firewalls)
Deploy and manage Azure compute resources
20–25%Virtual machine configuration and availability · VM Scale Sets · Azure App Service · Containers (Container Instances, Container Apps) · ARM templates and Bicep
Implement and manage virtual networking
15–20%Virtual networks and subnets · Network security groups · Load balancing (Azure Load Balancer, Application Gateway) · Name resolution and VNet peering · Private and secure access to resources
Monitor and maintain Azure resources
10–15%Azure Monitor and metrics · Log Analytics · Alerts and action groups · Azure Backup and Site Recovery · Network Watcher
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Azure Administrator (AZ-104) cost?
The Azure Administrator (AZ-104) costs $165. US pricing; varies by country.
How long is the Azure Administrator (AZ-104) and how many questions does it have?
Approximately 40–60 questions — Approximately 100 minutes of exam time.
What do you need to pass the Azure Administrator (AZ-104)?
Scaled score of 700 out of 1000.
Can you retake the Azure Administrator (AZ-104)?
24 hours after first attempt; 14 days between subsequent attempts.
What is the best way to study for the Azure Administrator (AZ-104)?
Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Manage Azure identities and governance 20–25%, Implement and manage storage 15–20%, Deploy and manage Azure compute resources 20–25%, Implement and manage virtual networking 15–20%, Monitor and maintain Azure resources 10–15%). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.
Program in development
We're building a blueprint-complete program for this exam. Meanwhile, explore live programs across 7 exam.
Explore programs →