AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Guide
The AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator certification validates an individual's expertise in implementing, managing, and monitoring an organization's Microsoft Azure environment. This includes core Azure services like identity, storage, compute, and networking, along with robust monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities. Earning this certification demonstrates proficiency in managing cloud resources effectively and securely, essential for modern IT infrastructure roles.
Key Takeaways
Manage Azure identities, access, and governance for secure cloud operations.
Implement and manage diverse Azure storage solutions efficiently.
Administer Azure compute resources, including virtual machines and scale sets.
Configure virtual networks and secure network traffic effectively.
Monitor and troubleshoot Azure resources for optimal performance and health.
How do you manage identities and governance in Azure?
Managing identities and governance in Azure is fundamental for securing cloud resources and ensuring compliance across your environment. This critical area involves overseeing who can access what, defining their permissions, and establishing organizational policies that all resources must adhere to. Effective identity management prevents unauthorized access and data breaches, while robust governance ensures that your Azure deployment aligns with internal standards and external regulatory requirements. Administrators implement these controls to maintain a secure, well-regulated, and efficient cloud infrastructure, supporting operational integrity and data protection.
- Manage Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Objects: Handle user accounts, groups, service principals, and managed identities to control access.
- Manage Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assign built-in roles, create custom roles, and manage role assignments to grant precise permissions.
- Manage Azure Subscriptions and Governance: Implement Azure Policies for compliance, manage resource locks to prevent accidental deletion, and implement Azure Blueprints for repeatable deployments.
How do you implement and manage storage in Azure?
Implementing and managing storage in Azure involves configuring various data storage solutions to meet diverse application and organizational needs. This process includes setting up storage accounts, managing different types of blob storage, and configuring Azure Files for shared access. Proper storage management ensures data availability, durability, and security, while optimizing costs. Administrators must understand how to configure access, manage data lifecycles, and implement security measures to protect sensitive information. This foundational capability supports everything from virtual machine disks to large-scale data lakes, providing scalable and reliable data persistence.
- Manage Storage Accounts: Create and configure storage accounts, set up access controls, and manage replication strategies for data redundancy.
- Manage Blob Storage: Configure access to blob containers, manage blob lifecycle policies for cost optimization, and implement security measures for data at rest and in transit.
- Configure Azure Files: Create and configure Azure Files shares for cloud-based file sharing, manage access permissions, and implement security best practices for file integrity.
What is involved in managing Azure compute resources?
Managing Azure compute resources encompasses the deployment, configuration, and maintenance of virtual machines (VMs) and scalable compute solutions. This involves creating VMs from various images, configuring their disks, and extending their capabilities with extensions. Ensuring high availability for applications running on VMs is also a key responsibility, often achieved through availability sets or zones. Furthermore, administrators manage Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS) to handle fluctuating workloads efficiently by automatically scaling instances. Effective compute management ensures applications have the necessary processing power and reliability, adapting to demand while optimizing resource utilization.
- Create and Configure Virtual Machines (VMs): Deploy VMs from images, configure their storage disks, and manage VM extensions for additional functionality.
- Manage VM Availability: Configure Availability Sets to distribute VMs across fault domains and Availability Zones for protection against datacenter failures.
- Manage Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS): Create and configure VMSS for automatic scaling of identical VMs and manage their scaling policies based on demand.
How do you configure and manage virtual networking in Azure?
Configuring and managing virtual networking in Azure is essential for establishing secure and efficient communication between Azure resources, on-premises networks, and the internet. This involves setting up virtual networks (VNets) and subnets, configuring DNS, and implementing network security groups (NSGs) to control traffic flow. Administrators also deploy load balancers to distribute incoming traffic and VPN gateways to create secure connections to external networks. Proper network configuration ensures connectivity, isolates resources, and protects against unauthorized access, forming the backbone of any cloud deployment. It is critical for maintaining application performance and security.
- Implement and Manage Virtual Networks: Create and configure VNets, define subnets, and implement VNet peering for inter-VNet communication.
- Configure DNS for Virtual Networks: Set up Azure DNS for name resolution or integrate custom DNS servers for specific requirements.
- Implement and Manage Network Security Groups (NSGs): Create and configure NSGs, manage their rules to filter network traffic, and associate them with subnets or network interfaces.
- Implement and Manage Azure Load Balancer: Create and configure load balancers, set up health probes to monitor backend instances, and manage load balancer rules for traffic distribution.
- Implement and Manage VPN Gateways: Create and configure VPN gateways, set up Site-to-Site VPNs for connecting on-premises networks, and configure Point-to-Site VPNs for individual client connections.
What are the best practices for monitoring and troubleshooting Azure resources?
Monitoring and troubleshooting Azure resources are crucial for maintaining the health, performance, and availability of your cloud environment. This involves implementing Azure Monitor to collect metrics and logs, configuring alerts for critical events, and analyzing performance data. Effective logging practices, including diagnostic settings and Log Analytics, provide deep insights into resource behavior and potential issues. When problems arise, administrators must be proficient in troubleshooting common issues like VM connectivity or network problems, often utilizing tools like Network Watcher. Proactive monitoring and efficient troubleshooting minimize downtime and ensure optimal operation of Azure services.
- Monitor Azure Resources: Implement Azure Monitor for comprehensive data collection, configure alerts for proactive notifications, and analyze metrics to understand resource performance.
- Implement Logging: Configure diagnostic settings to collect logs, analyze logs for insights into resource operations, and implement Log Analytics for centralized log management and querying.
- Troubleshoot Azure Resources: Troubleshoot VM connectivity issues, diagnose network problems, and utilize Network Watcher for network diagnostics and monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AZ-104 certification about?
The AZ-104 certification validates an individual's skills in managing Azure cloud resources. It covers core administrative tasks like identity, storage, compute, networking, and monitoring within the Azure environment.
Why is Azure identity management important?
Azure identity management is vital for securing access to cloud resources. It ensures only authorized users and services can interact with your Azure environment, preventing breaches and maintaining data integrity and compliance.
How can I ensure high availability for Azure VMs?
You can ensure high availability for Azure VMs by configuring Availability Sets or Availability Zones. These features distribute VMs across different fault domains and physical locations to protect against failures.
