In short
Start with AZ-900 if your teams are new to the cloud: it validates Azure vocabulary, services and billing model, with no prerequisites. Go straight to AZ-104 if your administrators already run Azure day to day: it is the role-based certification that proves hands-on administration of identity, networking and storage.
AZ-900
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Entry-level certification: cloud concepts, core Azure services, governance and cost.
Best for: Non-technical profiles, project managers, IT buyers and teams who need to speak cloud without running it.
AZ-104
Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate
Role-based certification: administering Azure identity, networking, storage and compute.
Best for: System administrators and infrastructure engineers already operating Azure resources.
The comparison, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | AZ-900 | AZ-104 |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Fundamentals, no prerequisites | Associate, hands-on Azure experience expected |
| What is assessed | Understanding of concepts and pricing model | Administration tasks on a real environment |
| Portal and command line | Overview of the Azure portal | Portal, Azure CLI, PowerShell, ARM and Bicep templates |
| Identity | Microsoft Entra ID concepts | Managing users, groups and RBAC roles |
| Networking | Cloud networking vocabulary | VNet, peering, security groups, load balancing |
| Logical next step | Leads to AZ-104 or another role-based certification | Leads to AZ-305 (architecture) |
How to decide
AZ-900
Choose AZ-900 if the goal is to align a whole team on shared foundations before starting cloud projects.
AZ-104
Choose AZ-104 if your administrators already operate Azure and you want that skill formally recognised.
Matching training courses
AZ-900
Microsoft Azure · 5 days · Remote
Microsoft Azure · 5 days · Remote
Microsoft Azure · 5 days · Remote
AZ-104
Microsoft Azure · 2 days · Remote
Microsoft Azure · 3 days · Remote
Microsoft Azure · 2 days · Remote
Frequently asked questions
- Is AZ-900 a prerequisite for AZ-104?
- No. Microsoft does not require AZ-900 before AZ-104. An experienced administrator can target AZ-104 directly. AZ-900 remains useful to level up a team with uneven backgrounds.
- Can both be prepared in one programme?
- Yes, in sequence. Running foundations then administration works well for a mixed team where some participants are new to Azure and others already operate it.
- Which one carries more market value?
- AZ-104, because it attests to practice rather than general awareness. AZ-900 mostly carries internal value, as proof an organisation has brought everyone to the same level.
Still undecided?
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