Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Exam Preparation

Core Azure services are the fundamental building blocks of Microsoft's cloud platform. These services include compute solutions like Virtual Machines and Azure App Service, storage options such as Azure Blob Storage and Azure Files, and networking services like Virtual Networks and Azure Load Balancer. Additionally, core services encompass database offerings like Azure SQL Database and Azure Cosmos DB, as well as identity and access management through Azure Active Directory. Understanding these core services is crucial as they form the foundation for most Azure-based solutions and provide the essential functionality for cloud computing.

The "Describe core Azure services" topic is a fundamental part of the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam. It relates directly to the exam's overall objective of assessing a candidate's basic understanding of cloud services and how they are provided with Microsoft Azure. This topic is significant because it covers the essential services that form the backbone of Azure's offerings. Mastery of this area demonstrates a candidate's ability to identify and understand the primary tools available for building and managing cloud solutions on the Azure platform.

Candidates can expect various types of questions on core Azure services in the AZ-900 exam:

• Multiple-choice questions testing knowledge of specific service features and capabilities
• Scenario-based questions requiring candidates to select appropriate services for given use cases
• True/false questions to assess understanding of service limitations or best practices
• Matching questions to connect services with their primary functions or categories

The depth of knowledge required typically involves understanding the basic purpose and functionality of each core service, as well as their common use cases. Candidates should be prepared to identify which service is most appropriate for different scenarios and have a general understanding of how these services work together in Azure solutions.

Core solutions and management tools on Azure encompass a wide range of services and features designed to help organizations build, deploy, and manage their cloud-based applications and infrastructure. This topic covers essential Azure services such as Azure App Service for web and mobile app hosting, Azure Functions for serverless computing, and Azure Container Instances for running containerized applications. It also includes management tools like Azure Portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, and Azure Cloud Shell, which provide various interfaces for interacting with and managing Azure resources. Additionally, this area covers Azure Arc for extending Azure management to hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and Azure Resource Manager for deploying and managing resources using templates.

This topic is crucial to the overall Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam as it focuses on the practical aspects of using Azure services and tools. Understanding these core solutions and management tools is essential for anyone working with Azure, as they form the foundation for deploying, managing, and scaling applications and infrastructure in the cloud. This knowledge area ties together many of the concepts covered in other parts of the exam, such as cloud concepts, Azure architecture, and security features, by demonstrating how they are applied in real-world scenarios using Azure's tools and services.

Candidates can expect a variety of question types on this topic in the AZ-900 exam:

• Multiple-choice questions testing knowledge of specific Azure services and their primary use cases (e.g., "Which Azure service is best suited for hosting a containerized application?")
• Scenario-based questions that require candidates to select the most appropriate Azure solution or management tool for a given situation
• True/false questions about the capabilities and limitations of various Azure management tools
• Questions comparing different Azure services or tools and their features
• Basic questions about Azure Resource Manager concepts and template structure

The depth of knowledge required is generally at an introductory level, focusing on understanding the main purposes and basic functionality of these solutions and tools rather than in-depth technical details or advanced configurations.

General security and network security features in Azure encompass a wide range of tools and services designed to protect cloud resources and data. This includes Azure Security Center, which provides unified security management and advanced threat protection across hybrid cloud workloads. Azure also offers network security groups (NSGs) to filter network traffic to and from Azure resources, and Azure Firewall, a managed cloud-based network security service. Additionally, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) provides identity and access management capabilities, while Azure Key Vault securely stores and manages sensitive information such as keys, passwords, and certificates.

This topic is crucial to the overall Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam as it covers one of the core aspects of cloud computing: security. Understanding these features is essential for anyone working with Azure, as security is a shared responsibility between the cloud provider and the customer. This topic relates to the broader themes of Azure services, security, privacy, compliance, and trust, which are key components of the exam's syllabus.

Candidates can expect various types of questions on this topic in the actual exam:

• Multiple-choice questions testing knowledge of specific security features and their functions
• Scenario-based questions asking candidates to identify the most appropriate security solution for a given situation
• True/false questions about the capabilities and limitations of Azure security services
• Questions comparing different security features and their use cases

The depth of knowledge required will typically be at a foundational level, focusing on understanding the purpose and basic functionality of these security features rather than their detailed configuration or implementation.

Identity, governance, privacy, and compliance features are crucial components of Microsoft Azure's security and management capabilities. This topic covers Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for identity management, role-based access control (RBAC) for governance, and various privacy and compliance tools such as Azure Policy and Azure Blueprints. Azure AD provides secure authentication and authorization services, while RBAC allows fine-grained control over resource access. Privacy features include data protection mechanisms and compliance tools help organizations meet regulatory requirements. Additionally, this topic encompasses Azure Security Center for threat protection and Azure Monitor for comprehensive monitoring and alerting.

This topic is fundamental to the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam as it addresses core security and management concepts essential for any Azure professional. Understanding these features is crucial for implementing secure and compliant cloud solutions. The topic aligns with the exam's focus on foundational knowledge of cloud services and how they are provided with Azure. It also ties into other exam areas such as cloud concepts and Azure services, as security and compliance are integral to all aspects of cloud computing.

Candidates can expect various question types on this topic in the AZ-900 exam:

• Multiple-choice questions testing knowledge of Azure AD features, RBAC concepts, and compliance tools
• Scenario-based questions asking candidates to identify appropriate security or compliance solutions for given situations
• True/false questions about privacy and data protection capabilities in Azure
• Questions requiring candidates to match Azure services with their corresponding security or compliance functions

The depth of knowledge required will be at a foundational level, focusing on understanding key concepts and their basic applications rather than in-depth technical details or implementation specifics.

Azure cost management and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are crucial aspects of cloud computing that help organizations optimize their spending and ensure service reliability. Azure Cost Management provides tools and services to monitor, analyze, and control cloud spending, including features like cost analysis, budgets, and recommendations for cost optimization. Azure SLAs, on the other hand, define the performance and availability commitments that Microsoft makes for its cloud services. These agreements typically cover aspects such as uptime guarantees, service credits, and support response times. Understanding both cost management and SLAs is essential for effectively planning, deploying, and maintaining Azure resources while meeting business requirements and budget constraints.

This topic is a fundamental component of the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam as it directly relates to the core concepts of cloud economics and service reliability. It falls under the broader category of Azure pricing, service lifecycle, and service level agreements, which is one of the main domains covered in the exam. Understanding cost management and SLAs is crucial for anyone working with Azure, as it impacts decision-making processes, resource allocation, and overall cloud strategy. This knowledge helps candidates demonstrate their ability to align Azure services with business needs while considering financial and performance implications.

Candidates can expect various types of questions on this topic in the AZ-900 exam:

• Multiple-choice questions testing knowledge of specific Azure Cost Management features and tools
• Scenario-based questions asking candidates to recommend cost optimization strategies for given situations
• True/false questions about SLA terms and conditions
• Calculation-based questions on determining service credits based on SLA breaches
• Questions comparing SLAs across different Azure services
• Case study-style questions requiring candidates to analyze cost reports and suggest improvements

The depth of knowledge required for this topic is generally at an introductory level, focusing on understanding key concepts, terminology, and basic application of cost management principles and SLA interpretation. Candidates should be familiar with the main features of Azure Cost Management and be able to interpret and compare SLAs for various Azure services.