Certification guide
AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator is the associate-level credential for the people who actually run an Azure environment day to day, the administrators who create the identities, assign the access, deploy the virtual machines, wire up the networks, secure the storage, and keep the whole estate monitored and backed up. Passing it earns the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate title, the natural step up from AZ-900 fundamentals and the working prerequisite mindset for architect-track exams like AZ-305.
The exam assumes hands-on fluency, not just portal familiarity. Microsoft’s audience profile expects working knowledge of operating systems, networking, servers, and virtualization, plus real experience with PowerShell, the Azure CLI, ARM templates and Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID. The most recent outline refresh (April 17, 2026) was a minor one, small refinements to VM configuration, container provisioning, networking, and monitoring topics, with no structural change to the five domains or their weightings.
Manage Azure identities and governance
Domain 1 · 20-25%Microsoft Entra users, groups, licenses, external users, and self-service password reset; Azure RBAC built-in roles, assignment scopes, and interpreting effective access; and subscription governance: Azure Policy, resource locks, tags, management groups, and cost control through budgets, alerts, and Advisor recommendations.
Implement and manage storage
Domain 2 · 15-20%Securing access with storage firewalls, virtual network rules, SAS tokens, stored access policies, access keys, and identity-based access for Azure Files; configuring storage accounts, redundancy options, object replication, and encryption; and managing blobs and file shares (tiers, soft delete, snapshots, versioning, and lifecycle management) with Storage Explorer and AzCopy.
Deploy and manage Azure compute resources
Domain 3 · 20-25%Automating deployment with ARM templates and Bicep; creating and operating virtual machines, encryption at host, moves, sizing, disks, availability zones and sets, and Virtual Machine Scale Sets; provisioning containers with Azure Container Registry, Container Instances, and Container Apps; and configuring App Service plans, scaling, certificates, custom DNS, and deployment slots.
Implement and manage virtual networking
Domain 4 · 15-20%Virtual networks, subnets, and peering; public IPs and user-defined routes; securing access with network security groups, application security groups, Azure Bastion, service endpoints, and private endpoints; plus Azure DNS, internal and public load balancers, and connectivity troubleshooting.
Monitor and maintain Azure resources
Domain 5 · 10-15%Azure Monitor metrics, logs, and KQL queries; alert rules, action groups, and alert processing rules; Insights, Network Watcher, and Connection Monitor; and protection: Recovery Services vaults, backup policies, restores, and regional failover with Azure Site Recovery.
Our practice exams mirror this structure. Every attempt draws questions weighted to the official outline (identities/governance and compute together carry roughly half the exam, exactly as they do on test day) and every question carries a full explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a study note instead of a mystery.
Microsoft scores AZ-104 on a scaled 100-1000 basis with a cut score of 700, which is not a raw 70%, because harder question forms carry different weight. We set the practice pass mark at 70% as an honest proxy: if you can clear 70% here consistently, across every domain rather than by leaning on your strong areas, you’re performing at the level the scaled cut demands.
Microsoft Azure Administrator - Practice Exam
Comprehensive 500-question practice bank spanning all five AZ-104 domains, drawn from ten vertical-rotation sets covering generic enterprise, financial services, manufacturing, government, retail, SaaS, higher education, energy,…
Subscribe to startFrequently asked questions about AZ-104
What is the AZ-104 exam?
AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator is the associate-level Microsoft certification exam for the people who run an Azure environment day to day, creating identities, assigning access, deploying virtual machines, wiring up networks, securing storage, and keeping the estate monitored and backed up. Passing it earns the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate title.
How many questions are on AZ-104 and how long is the exam?
Roughly 40 to 60 questions, delivered in 100 to 120 minutes. The exact count varies by exam form, which is one reason Microsoft reports a scaled score rather than a raw percentage.
What is the passing score for AZ-104?
Microsoft scores AZ-104 on a scaled 100-1000 basis with a cut score of 700. That is not a raw 70%, because harder question forms carry different weight. Certifym sets the practice pass mark at 70% as an honest proxy for the scaled cut.
How much does AZ-104 cost and where do I take it?
The exam costs $165 USD and is delivered through Pearson VUE. Pricing is set by Microsoft and can change, so confirm the current fee on Microsoft Learn before scheduling.
What experience do I need before attempting AZ-104?
The exam assumes hands-on fluency, not just portal familiarity. Microsoft’s audience profile expects working knowledge of operating systems, networking, servers, and virtualization, plus real experience with PowerShell, the Azure CLI, ARM templates and Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID.
How hard is AZ-104?
It is a genuine step up from AZ-900 fundamentals. The difficulty comes from breadth and from the assumption of real operational experience. You are expected to have configured RBAC scopes, storage redundancy, VM scale sets, network security groups, and Recovery Services vaults yourself, rather than only read about them.
What domains does AZ-104 cover, and how are they weighted?
Five domains: 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%), and Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10-15%). Identities/governance and compute together carry roughly half the exam.
Has the AZ-104 outline changed recently?
The most recent outline refresh, dated April 17, 2026, was a minor one, small refinements to VM configuration, container provisioning, networking, and monitoring topics, with no structural change to the five domains or their weightings.
How long does the Azure Administrator Associate certification stay valid?
The credential is renewed annually, and the renewal is free. Renewal policies are set by Microsoft and may change, so check the current requirements on Microsoft Learn as your renewal window opens.
What is the difference between AZ-104 and AZ-900?
AZ-900 is the fundamentals exam, conceptual coverage of Azure services, pricing, and governance. AZ-104 is the associate-level administrator exam and assumes you can actually build and operate the resources AZ-900 describes. AZ-104 is the natural step up from AZ-900, and the working prerequisite mindset for architect-track exams like AZ-305.
Trademark notice & independence. Certifym.net is operated by Certifym Exam Services, LLC and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft®, Azure®, Microsoft Entra™, and AZ-104 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Use of these marks is solely to identify the certification for which these study materials are intended. The AZ-104 study guide and its skill outline are the property of Microsoft Corporation; candidates should review the official, current study guide directly on Microsoft Learn.
All questions, answers, and explanations on Certifym are original content created for practice purposes. They are not actual Microsoft examination questions and are not represented as such. Practicing with these materials does not guarantee a passing result on any live certification exam. Exam requirements, format, domain weights, pricing, and renewal policies are set by Microsoft and may change; always verify current details on Microsoft Learn before scheduling your exam.