How to Actually Prepare for the AZ-104 (Not Just Pass It)

Let me be direct with you: Certifications get interviews. Hands-on skills get jobs.

I've seen too many people pass AZ-104 and still struggle in interviews because they memorized dumps instead of actually learning. Don't be that person.

What AZ-104 Actually Tests

The Azure Administrator Associate exam covers five main areas:

Manage Azure identities and governance (15-20%)
Implement and manage storage (15-20%)
Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20-25%)
Configure and manage virtual networking (20-25%)
Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10-15%)

But here's what the exam objectives don't tell you: the questions are increasingly scenario-based. You can't just memorize answers anymore. You need to understand why you'd choose one approach over another.

The Study Plan That Actually Works

Weeks 1-2: Identity and Governance

Set up Azure AD (now Entra ID)
Create users, groups, and assign roles
Build a custom RBAC role from scratch
Implement a real policy to restrict VM sizes

Don't just read about these. Do them. Your free Azure account has enough credits.

Weeks 3-4: Storage

Create all four types of storage (blob, file, queue, table)
Set up a storage account with lifecycle management
Configure Azure Files with an actual share mounted to a VM
Implement access tiers and understand cost implications

Weeks 5-6: Compute

Deploy VMs using portal, CLI, and ARM templates
Set up a scale set with auto-scaling rules
Create an App Service and deploy a basic web app
Work with Azure Container Instances

Weeks 7-8: Networking

Build a VNet from scratch with subnets
Set up VNet peering between two networks
Configure an Application Gateway
Implement NSGs and understand traffic flow

Weeks 9-10: Monitoring and Review

Set up Azure Monitor alerts
Configure diagnostic settings
Build a basic Log Analytics query
Review everything and take practice tests

The Part Nobody Talks About

Here's what most study guides won't tell you: you learn more from breaking things than from following tutorials perfectly.

When you deploy a VM and it doesn't connect, that's not failure. That's learning. When your storage account has the wrong access tier and you get an unexpected bill, you'll never forget how pricing works.

Every mistake in your personal Azure subscription is knowledge that will help you in interviews and on the job.

Skip the Dumps

I know they're tempting. Everyone passes with dumps, right?

Sure, some people do. But here's what happens next: they get the job, they're expected to actually DO the work, and they can't. I've seen it dozens of times.

The certification is just the door opener. What you actually know is what keeps you employed.

You already have what it takes. Now go build something.