AZ-104: Azure Administrator

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About Course

The course is focused on the core administrative responsibilities, which include implementing, managing, and monitoring identity, storage, compute, and virtual networks in a cloud environment.

Core Responsibilities Covered

 

The curriculum is typically broken down into the following major skill areas, which represent the day-to-day duties of an Azure Administrator:

 
Skill Area Key Topics Covered
Manage Azure Identities and Governance Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) users and groups, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), managing subscriptions and resource groups, and implementing Azure Policy.
Implement and Manage Storage Creating and configuring Azure Storage accounts, data redundancy, configuring Azure Blob Storage and Azure Files, and securing storage access with methods like Shared Access Signatures (SAS).
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources Planning and deploying Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), configuring VM availability (Availability Zones/Sets), working with Azure App Service, and provisioning Azure Container Instances (ACI) or Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Creating and configuring Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, Network Security Groups (NSGs), Load Balancers, Azure DNS, and configuring inter-site connectivity like VNet Peering and VPN Gateways.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Using Azure Monitor for interpreting metrics and logs, setting up alerts and action groups, and implementing backup and recovery solutions using Azure Backup and Azure Recovery Services vaults.
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What Will You Learn?

  • This course is a complete preparation path for the Microsoft AZ-104 Azure Administrator certification exam. It covers all six official exam domains with step-by-step lessons, practical examples, and exam tips. Designed in small, self-contained capsules, the course makes it easy to learn and revise Azure concepts quickly.
  • Manage identities and governance in Azure using Entra ID, RBAC, and Policies.
  • Implement and manage Azure Storage, including redundancy, access, and lifecycle.
  • Deploy and manage compute resources such as VMs, App Services, and Containers.
  • Configure and manage virtual networking, including VNets, NSGs, VPNs, and load balancing.
  • Monitor and maintain Azure resources with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Backup/ASR.
  • Apply Azure security services like Key Vault, Defender for Cloud, Sentinel, and Zero Trust.
  • Automate tasks using ARM templates, Runbooks, CLI, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Protect and govern data with encryption, AIP labels, retention policies, and locks.
  • Optimize costs using tags, budgets, reserved instances, and spot VMs.
  • Design for high availability with Availability Sets, Zones, VM Scale Sets, and SLAs.

Course Content

Introduction to Azure Identities & Governance (AZ-104)
In Azure, everything starts with identity. This topic introduces the core ideas of identities and governance, explaining how Azure verifies who you are (authentication), what you’re allowed to do (authorization), and how access is kept under control with tools like Entra ID, RBAC, and policies. You’ll learn why governance is critical for secure, well-managed cloud environments and how these concepts form the foundation for almost every question you’ll face in the AZ-104 exam.

Azure Storage
In this module, you’ll learn how Azure stores and protects data across different services. We’ll cover storage accounts, blobs, files, and disks, as well as how to secure and back them up. You’ll also explore features like replication, redundancy, lifecycle management, soft delete, and immutability to ensure data durability and compliance. Finally, you’ll understand how to control access with SAS tokens, firewalls, and private endpoints. This module is a critical part of AZ-104 since storage makes up a large portion of real-world Azure administration and is heavily tested in the exam.

Azure Networking
Networking is the backbone of any cloud environment, and Azure provides powerful tools to securely connect resources, control traffic, and enable hybrid connectivity. In this module, you’ll learn how to design and manage Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, IP addressing, DNS, and routing. You’ll also explore security controls such as Network Security Groups (NSGs), Azure Firewall, and DDoS protection, and discover how to connect environments using VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Private Link, and Service Endpoints. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to configure secure and resilient network environments in Azure — a critical skill for both the AZ-104 exam and real-world administration.

Azure Compute
Azure Compute provides the processing power behind your applications. Whether it’s running virtual machines, hosting web apps, or deploying containerized workloads, compute services are at the core of what Azure offers. In this module, you’ll explore the different compute options in Azure, including: Virtual Machines (VMs): Traditional servers in the cloud with flexible OS and sizing options. VM Scale Sets & Availability Sets: For high availability and automatic scaling of workloads. App Services: Fully managed hosting for web apps and APIs. Containers & AKS: Lightweight, portable application hosting using Docker and Kubernetes. Azure Functions & Logic Apps: Serverless compute for event-driven automation. Backup & Recovery: Ensuring workloads are resilient and recoverable. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to deploy, manage, and secure compute resources in Azure, and know which compute service to pick for each scenario. This knowledge is heavily tested in the AZ-104 exam with real-world, scenario-based questions.

Monitoring & Backup
Keeping track of Azure resources is just as important as deploying them. This module introduces the tools and services that help you monitor performance, diagnose issues, and protect workloads with backups and disaster recovery. You’ll learn how to: Use Azure Monitor to collect metrics, logs, and insights across resources. Query and analyze data with Log Analytics and Kusto Query Language (KQL). Set up alerts and action groups to respond to issues automatically. Configure Azure Backup for VMs, files, and apps. Use Azure Site Recovery (ASR) to keep workloads running in case of outages. By the end of this module, you’ll know how to ensure Azure resources are healthy, secure, and recoverable — a critical skill for both the AZ-104 exam and real-world administration.

Security
Security is one of the most important responsibilities of an Azure Administrator. This module introduces the tools and services in Azure that help protect identities, data, applications, and workloads. You’ll learn how to apply the principle of least privilege, enforce compliance, and monitor threats in real-time. In this module, we’ll cover: Azure Security Center (Defender for Cloud): A unified security management system with recommendations, compliance monitoring, and threat protection. Key Vault: Secure storage for secrets, keys, and certificates. Azure Policies & Blueprints: Enforce rules and ensure resources meet governance and compliance standards. Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM): Intelligent security analytics for detecting and responding to threats. Zero Trust Approach: Best practices for securing resources, identities, and networks. By the end of this module, you’ll understand how to secure Azure resources effectively and how to recognize exam scenarios that test security responsibilities.

Automation
Automation in Azure helps reduce manual effort, enforce consistency, and speed up deployments. As an Azure Administrator, you’ll often need to automate resource provisioning, updates, and ongoing operations. In this module, you’ll explore: ARM Templates (Azure Resource Manager): Infrastructure-as-code for repeatable deployments. Azure Automation & Runbooks: Automate operational tasks such as starting/stopping VMs, patching, or cleanup. Azure CLI & PowerShell: Command-line tools to script and manage Azure resources. CI/CD with GitHub Actions & DevOps Pipelines: Deploy apps and infrastructure continuously. Automation Best Practices: Idempotency, version control, and policy enforcement. By the end of this module, you’ll understand how to design repeatable, consistent, and secure automation in Azure — a key focus in both real-world administration and the AZ-104 exam.

Data Protection & Governance
Protecting data and ensuring compliance are critical responsibilities for Azure Administrators. In this module, you’ll learn how Azure helps safeguard information, enforce governance rules, and meet regulatory requirements. You’ll explore: Azure Information Protection (AIP): Classify, label, and protect documents and emails. Azure Purview (Microsoft Purview): Data discovery, cataloging, and compliance monitoring. Data Encryption: Encryption at rest and in transit, plus customer-managed keys. Retention & Compliance Policies: Manage data lifecycle, including archiving and deletion. Governance Best Practices: Using tags, locks, and management groups for better control. By the end of this module, you’ll understand how to keep Azure resources secure, compliant, and well-governed. These topics are tested in the AZ-104 exam through scenario-based questions on compliance, labeling, and lifecycle management.

Azure Resource Management & Cost Optimization
Managing resources effectively is just as important as deploying them. In this module, you’ll learn how to organize Azure resources, apply governance consistently, and monitor costs to avoid surprises. We’ll cover: Resource Groups: Logical containers for organizing resources. Tags: Label resources for cost tracking and automation. Resource Locks: Prevent accidental deletion or changes. Management Groups: Apply policies and RBAC across multiple subscriptions. Azure Cost Management & Budgets: Track spending, set budgets, and get alerts. Optimization Best Practices: Rightsizing, shutting down unused resources, and using reservations. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to: Organize resources using groups, tags, and locks. Enforce consistency with management groups and policies. Use Cost Management to control spending and optimize usage. These topics are frequently tested in the AZ-104 exam through scenario-based questions about governance and cost control.

High Availability & Exam Readiness
High availability (HA) ensures your Azure workloads remain accessible and reliable even when failures occur. In this final module, we’ll tie together HA concepts with exam readiness strategies to help you succeed in the AZ-104. You’ll explore: Availability Sets vs Availability Zones vs VM Scale Sets: Understanding redundancy at rack, datacenter, and scaling levels. Load Balancing & Resiliency: Choosing between Azure Load Balancer and Application Gateway. Service Level Agreements (SLAs): How Azure guarantees uptime and how combining services increases reliability. Designing for Fault Tolerance: Building solutions that survive hardware, region, or service failures. Final Exam Tips & Readiness Checklist: Common traps, key recall points, and strategies to maximize your score. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to: Explain and choose the right HA strategy for any Azure workload. Understand how Microsoft calculates SLAs. Approach AZ-104 questions with confidence, spotting keywords and avoiding trick options.

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