Earn Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate

Proof required

Submit your baseline assessment results (by skill area, with scores) from Microsoft Learn's AZ-104 learning path or equivalent structured source, your gap analysis (which skill areas fall below 70% and which specific services or configurations within them need attention), and your study plan showing: total planned study hours, weekly allocation, skill area sequence with hours by area, hands-on lab sessions planned (with specific services to practice), and target exam date.

What gets checked

• Baseline used questions mapped to AZ-104 skill areas — not a generic Azure quiz; the skill area breakdown identifies which gaps are real before study begins
• Study plan includes specific hands-on lab sessions with named Azure services (e.g. 'configure Azure AD RBAC', 'deploy a VNet with subnets and NSGs', 'create a Recovery Services Vault') — AZ-104 questions test applied configuration knowledge that cannot be learned from reading alone
• Target exam date is realistic — AZ-104 typically requires 80–150 hours of preparation including hands-on practice; candidates without prior Azure experience should allow more

Common mistakes

• Creating a study plan that is 'read Microsoft Learn modules' without scheduling hands-on practice — reading about configuring virtual networks is categorically different from actually configuring one in the Azure Portal; lab time must be in the plan before the study phase begins
• Underestimating the Azure AD (Entra ID) content — the identity and governance skill area covers Azure AD tenants, RBAC, conditional access, and privileged identity management, all of which require hands-on practice with the portal to understand

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Ask the submitter to name their two lowest-scoring skill areas in the baseline and describe a specific Azure service or configuration within each that they identified as a gap — tests that the gap analysis was genuine and specific.
• Ask what Azure services they plan to practice hands-on in a free account — the answer should name specific services (VNets, NSGs, storage accounts, VMs, Recovery Services Vault), not just say 'Azure Portal'.
• Ask when they plan to sit the exam and whether the planned hours are achievable in that timeframe — tests realistic planning.

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Proof required

Submit your Microsoft Learn practice assessment score for AZ-104 (screenshot showing overall score and skill area breakdown), a screenshot or export of your completed Microsoft Learn modules showing which learning paths you finished, your Azure free account activity log or a list of lab scenarios you completed (with service names), and a readiness statement (200–300 words) covering: the skill area you found hardest and what you did to address it, one lab scenario that clarified a concept from the reading, and whether you feel ready to sit the exam.

What gets checked

• Microsoft Learn practice assessment score ≥80% — the official practice assessment from Microsoft is aligned to the current exam; scoring below 80% before booking significantly increases the chance of failure
• At least five distinct hands-on lab scenarios completed covering at least three different skill areas — the case study and lab-based questions in the exam cannot be answered from reading alone; breadth of hands-on experience matters as much as depth
• John Savill's AZ-104 Master Class or equivalent deep-dive video consumed for the weakest skill area — video explanation of applied configuration is the most effective supplement to lab practice

Common mistakes

• Completing only the Microsoft Learn reading modules and skipping the GitHub lab exercises — the exam includes scenarios that require knowing what a configuration looks like in the portal, not just what the documentation says it does
• Not practising networking concepts hands-on — virtual networks, subnets, NSGs, peering, and VPN gateways are tested across multiple skill areas; these concepts are confusing when read and clear when configured

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Ask the submitter to describe how they would configure role-based access control for a team that needs to create VMs but must not be able to modify networking resources — this is a representative Identity and Governance scenario question that requires understanding RBAC scope and role assignment.
• Ask what the difference between a Network Security Group and an Azure Firewall is, and when to use each — tests Virtual Networking knowledge that appears frequently in the exam.
• Ask what their plan is if they fail on the first attempt — tests realistic expectations.

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Proof required

Submit your Microsoft Certification dashboard result page (screenshot or PDF) showing your score (≥700/1000) and the 'Passed' status for AZ-104; and the public URL of your Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate digital badge from Credly. The badge URL must be publicly accessible and display the credential name, your name, and the issue date.

What gets checked

• Official exam result from the Microsoft Certification dashboard shows the score (≥700) and the 'Passed' status — not an email confirmation alone, which does not include the score
• Credly badge URL is publicly accessible — the sharing URL (not a screenshot) allows anyone to verify the credential directly with Credly's registry
• Credential name on the badge is 'Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate' — this distinguishes it from AZ-900 (Fundamentals) or other Azure credentials

Common mistakes

• Not claiming the Credly badge after passing — Microsoft sends a Credly invitation email after result processing; the badge must be accepted before it can be shared; unclaimed badges cannot be publicly verified
• Confusing the credential expiry model with other certs — AZ-104 expires after 1 year but renews via a free online assessment, not a paid exam retake; the renewal deadline should be set in the calendar at claim time

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Verify the Credly badge URL directly — navigate to the URL and confirm it shows 'Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate', the submitter's name, and an issue date within the past year; do not accept a screenshot as the sole evidence.
• Ask how the AZ-104 credential renews — the expected answer is 'free online renewal assessment each year'; this tests awareness of the ongoing renewal model.
• Ask what the submitter plans to do next with the credential — role path or next certification — tests genuine engagement with Azure as a career skill.

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