How Hard is the AZ-900?

Quick Answer: The AZ-900 exam is considered relatively easy to pass for both IT and non-technical professionals. You'll need a foundational knowledge of cloud concepts, services, security, and compliance for Azure. 

Microsoft's Azure Fundamentals certification is designed for both IT and non-technical professionals who wish to validate foundational understanding and knowledge of cloud services — particularly those provided by Microsoft Azure. 

With that being said, a little training in Microsoft Azure basics can benefit the business and IT crowd alike. Because cloud computing is steadily dominating enterprise infrastructure, showing proficiency in Azure is a solid career choice. No matter whether you want to be a cloud developer, a business decision-maker, or even if you are in sales and marketing.

If you're thinking about sitting for the AZ-900 exam, you need to think about your strategy — and how the certification fits into your career trajectory. You probably have lots of questions. Do I have enough experience for AZ-900? How many hours should I study? And what kind of questions will be on the test? How hard is the AZ-900 exam?

Let's go through the details and then discuss the difficulty level of the Azure Fundamentals certification exam.

What is the AZ-900 Exam?

The AZ-900 Exam is Microsoft's foundational certification test that assesses basic knowledge of cloud concepts, Azure services, pricing, and support, designed for individuals new to Azure and cloud technologies. The exam focuses pretty equally on all domains: 

• Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)

• Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)

• Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)

This guide from Microsoft breaks down each domain into specific skills you'll need to master. 

This exam includes general cloud concepts like scalability, elasticity, and IaaS vs. PaaS. You will also need to be able to recognize and understand Azure-specific technologies like Azure IoT Hub, Azure ML, and Azure SQL DB. You can find the exam topics breakdown here.

The exam costs $99, contains 40 to 60 questions, and has a 45-minute time limit. A passing score is 700 points or roughly 70 percent.

As an entry-level exam, AZ-900 is a launchpad for a variety of cloud-based roles and other certifications. It's designed to build the foundation professionals need to pursue cloud-based roles.

Once attained, professionals can branch out into various roles based on more specific associate-level exams, such as AZ-104 for Azure Administrator or AZ-204, Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer. Eventually, professionals can reach expert-level certifications via exams such as AZ-305, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

How Hard is AZ-900?

As an entry-level exam that's suitable for nontechnical professionals, the AZ-900 is undoubtedly on the easy side compared to other IT exams. But don't mistake it for a walk in the park. To pass, you'll need a good study plan, and if you are new to cloud technologies, the material can be complex — even if you have IT experience.

The AZ-900 exam takes a high-level approach to cloud computing knowledge. For instance, you might be asked why a command is used rather than to provide or identify the command. It doesn't go too far into the weeds when it comes to technical knowledge — but instead will challenge your broad understanding of the Azure platform.

How Long Should I Study for the AZ-900? 

According to Perth Ngarmtrakulchol, the AZ-900 exam can be passed after just three days of full-time studying, which is much shorter than other IT certification exams. 

Other professionals, such as Shane Bartholomeusz, spent a month reviewing the material prior to passing the exam. The general consensus on study time is somewhere between these two poles: usually a week or two.

How to Pass the AZ-900 Exam

Microsoft provides free training materials, and although these are valuable resources, they cannot replace an in-depth and personalized experience like instructor-led training like CBT Nuggets.

You need to know how to move Azure VM between subscriptions. Understand Network Security Group and Azure Advisor. Recognize and name the differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.

Once you have a good grasp of the subject, take practice exams to test your knowledge. Not only will this show you areas that you need to improve in, but it will also help build your confidence for test day. If you can consistently score 80% or higher on practice exams, then you're ready for the test. But to be safe, we recommend 90% percent or higher.

Another great strategy is to spend some time using the Azure platform. Sign up for a trial and poke around. Explore the different tools and services. Hands-on experience is the best teacher, and having this frame of reference can go a long way on test day.

What Careers Does the AZ-900 Prepare You For? 

As an entry-level certification, the AZ-900 prepares you for entry-level roles in cloud computing, such as cloud support associate, cloud sales, Azure administrator, and IT support, by providing foundational knowledge of Microsoft Azure services and cloud concepts.

Overall, the AZ-900 certification is ideal for individuals new to cloud computing, such as students, IT professionals, business decision-makers, and non-technical staff, who want to gain a foundational understanding of Microsoft Azure and cloud concepts to support career development.

The Verdict: AZ-900 is Relatively Easy

At first glance, the AZ-900 exam appears to be one of the most accessible IT certifications on the market, but that doesn't mean it isn't challenging. It's still an IT exam, and most of them are dense, if not difficult.

The reason that IT is such a lucrative career is that it takes time, effort, and dedication to become proficient. The same is true for exams that validate IT skills. This makes AZ-900 a great place to start if you want to pursue a cloud-based role. It ensures you have the basic foundation needed to work with cloud technologies.

Start studying for the AZ-900 with CBT Nuggets' trainer Knox Hutchinson.