If you have already earned your AZ-900 certification or have a solid understanding of cloud fundamentals, the next logical step in your Microsoft Azure career path is the AZ-104 — Microsoft Azure Administrator exam. This associate-level certification validates your ability to implement, manage, and monitor an organization’s Azure environment, and it is one of the most sought-after cloud certifications in 2026.
In this guide, we will break down everything you need to know about the AZ-104 exam — its structure, key topics, difficulty level, and most importantly, how to use AZ-104 exam dumps as part of an effective study strategy to pass on your first attempt.
Table of Contents
What Is the AZ-104 Exam?
The Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) exam is designed for IT professionals who implement, manage, and monitor Azure environments for organizations. Unlike the AZ-900, which is a foundational exam, the AZ-104 is an associate-level certification that requires hands-on Azure experience.
The exam covers five functional areas:
- Manage Azure identities and governance (15–20%)
- 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%)
The exam has 40 to 60 questions in various formats including multiple choice, case studies, and lab simulations. You need a score of 700 out of 1000 to pass, and you have 150 minutes to complete it.
Who Should Take AZ-104?
The AZ-104 is designed for professionals who work with Azure in a hands-on capacity. Ideal candidates include:
Azure Administrators: Professionals who manage Azure subscriptions, configure virtual networks, manage storage, and oversee identity and access management.
System Administrators transitioning to cloud: Those with traditional on-premises sysadmin experience who want to pivot into cloud administration roles.
Cloud Engineers: Engineers working in DevOps or cloud infrastructure teams who want to formalize their Azure knowledge.
IT Managers and Leads: Technical leads who oversee Azure environments and want to deepen their expertise in Azure management tools.
Most candidates benefit from at least six months of hands-on Azure experience before sitting for this exam. If you are completely new to Azure, starting with the AZ-900 first is strongly recommended.
Why AZ-104 Is More Challenging Than AZ-900
The jump from AZ-900 to AZ-104 is significant. Here is what makes AZ-104 considerably harder:
Depth of knowledge required: While AZ-900 asks “what does this service do?”, AZ-104 asks “how do you configure this service, and what happens when you do X?”
Lab simulations: The AZ-104 exam includes performance-based lab questions where you must complete real tasks in a live Azure environment within the exam. You cannot guess your way through these.
Breadth combined with depth: You need to know both the theory behind Azure services and how to implement and troubleshoot them in real scenarios.
Case studies: These multi-question scenarios require you to read a detailed description of an organization’s requirements and answer multiple questions based on that context.
This is why using high-quality AZ-104 exam dumps alongside hands-on practice is so important. Dumps help you understand the question formats and identify knowledge gaps, while hands-on practice ensures you can handle lab simulations confidently.
Core Topic Breakdown
Azure Identities and Governance
This section covers Azure Active Directory (Azure AD / Microsoft Entra ID), role-based access control (RBAC), management groups, subscriptions, and Azure policies. You need to know how to:
- Create and manage users, groups, and external identities
- Configure RBAC roles and custom role definitions
- Implement Azure policies and initiatives
- Manage subscriptions and resource groups
Storage Management
Understanding Azure storage is critical for this exam. Focus on:
- Storage account types and performance tiers
- Configuring Azure Blob Storage, Azure Files, and Azure Tables
- Managing storage access keys, shared access signatures (SAS), and storage firewalls
- Implementing Azure Storage replication options
Compute Resources
This is the largest domain and covers Azure Virtual Machines, App Service, and container solutions:
- Creating and configuring VMs (including VM scale sets)
- Managing VM availability and high availability options
- Configuring Azure App Service plans and web apps
- Understanding Azure Container Instances and Azure Kubernetes Service basics
Virtual Networking
Networking in Azure is a complex but critical topic:
- Creating and configuring virtual networks and subnets
- Configuring VNet peering and service endpoints
- Implementing Azure VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute
- Managing network security groups (NSGs) and application security groups
- Configuring Azure DNS
Monitoring and Maintenance
- Azure Monitor and its components (Log Analytics, Metrics, Alerts)
- Configuring diagnostic settings and activity logs
- Implementing Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery
- Managing Azure Update Management
How to Study for AZ-104 Effectively
Step 1 — Get hands-on with Azure
Create a free Azure account and start experimenting. Microsoft offers a free tier with $200 in credits for the first 30 days. Actually building and managing Azure resources is irreplaceable preparation for the lab simulation questions.
Step 2 — Use Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Learn (learn.microsoft.com) offers free, structured learning paths specifically designed for AZ-104. These are written by the same team that writes the exam, making them highly relevant.
Step 3 — Practice with exam dumps
AZ-104 exam dumps help you understand how Microsoft frames questions and what level of detail they expect in answers. Using updated AZ-104 exam dumps gives you access to a verified question bank that mirrors the current 2026 exam objectives, with detailed explanations that help you understand not just the answer but the reasoning behind it.
Step 4 — Focus on weak areas
After each practice session, identify which domains you scored lowest in and spend additional time on those areas. Many candidates struggle with networking and identity management — give these extra attention.
Step 5 — Practice lab simulations
Several platforms offer AZ-104 lab simulation environments. Spend time completing common tasks like creating VMs, configuring NSGs, setting up VNet peering, and managing storage accounts until these feel routine.
For Microsoft Azure dumps covering both foundational and advanced topics, well-structured practice material is particularly useful for candidates transitioning from AZ-900 to AZ-104 level content.
Suggested Study Plan (8 Weeks)
| Week | Focus Area |
| Week 1 | Azure identities, Azure AD, RBAC |
| Week 2 | Governance — policies, management groups, subscriptions |
| Week 3 | Storage accounts, Blob, Files, replication |
| Week 4 | Virtual machines, VM scale sets, App Service |
| Week 5 | Virtual networking, NSGs, VNet peering, DNS |
| Week 6 | VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Azure Monitor |
| Week 7 | Backup, Site Recovery, and full practice exams |
| Week 8 | Weak area revision and final simulation practice |
Tips for Passing AZ-104 on First Attempt
- Read questions carefully. AZ-104 questions often contain subtle wording that changes the correct answer entirely. Watch for words like “least privileged,” “most cost-effective,” and “without downtime.”
- Know your PowerShell and CLI commands. While you do not need to memorize syntax perfectly, knowing the general format of common Azure PowerShell and Azure CLI commands is helpful.
- Understand pricing implications. Some questions involve choosing the most cost-effective solution. Understand the pricing tiers for VMs, storage, and networking.
- Do not skip the monitoring domain. It is a smaller portion of the exam but questions from this domain are often straightforward if you have prepared well.
Final Thoughts
The AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator certification is a powerful credential that significantly enhances your value in the job market. Azure administrators are in high demand globally, and earning this certification positions you for roles with strong salaries and growth potential.
It requires genuine effort and hands-on practice — but with the right study resources, consistent practice, and quality exam dumps, passing AZ-104 in 2026 is absolutely within reach. Start building your Azure skills today.
