The Different Certifications for Microsoft Azure

If you’re looking for a way to get started in the field of cloud computing, pursuing a Microsoft Azure certification is a great way to do so. It’s a challenging path, for sure, but a very rewarding one. Cloud computing is also an industry with a lot of stability right now. It has grown rapidly in recent years, and that trend is sure to continue. That means there’s plenty of demand for skilled professionals who know how to use Microsoft Azure.

If you want to learn more about getting certified, you’re in the right place. Here’s a breakdown of the different certifications for Microsoft Azure.

Azure Certifications and Exams

There are currently 12 Microsoft Azure certifications and 14 exams to go along with them. Each certification falls under 1 of 3 categories, which include:

• Fundamental
• Associate
• Expert

As the names imply, Microsoft has categorized these certifications by knowledge and skill level. Fundamental certifications introduce you to the basics. From there, Associate certifications expand upon what you’ve already learned, and the one Expert certification represents a total mastery of the platform.

Fundamental Certifications

First, let’s look at the certifications under the Fundamental umbrella. They cover foundational concepts such as disaster recovery, scalability, OpEx, CapEx, and more.

• Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam AZ-900: This is the base-level certification for Microsoft Azure. It’s the recommended starting point if you’re brand new.
• Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals Exam AI-900: This certification requires some base knowledge of machine-learning and AI.
• Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals Exam DP-900: For this certification, you should have a basic understanding of two core concepts: relational and nonrelational data.

Associate-Level Certifications

Now, let’s look at the certifications under the Associate umbrella. They cover topics such as AD objects, role-based access control, virtual networking, and more.

• Microsoft Azure Developer Associate Exam AZ-204: This certification introduces you to developer concepts. You should already know how to design, build, and test Azure-based apps.
• Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Exam AZ-500: If you’re interested in the security side of things, you should pursue this certification.
• Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Exam AI-100: This certification covers computer vision, natural language–processing, bots, machine-learning, and more.
• Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Exam DP-100: This certification will teach you how to implement a data science solution on the platform.
• Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Exam DP-300: If you want to become the administrator for a cloud-based system, this certification is for you.

Expert-Level Certification

Lastly, let’s look at the certification for the Expert level. This one covers concepts such as monitoring infrastructure and implementing Azure AD.

• Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert Exam AZ-400: If you’re a seasoned DevOps professional, you’ll want to pursue this certification. You’ll learn how to design secure development life cycles and integrate new tools.

That’s a complete list of all the different certifications for Microsoft Azure. As one could assume, it’s quite beneficial for businesses to utilize Azure’s developer training. However, even if you’re just an individual who’s interested in learning the program, these certifications can be quite invaluable. Be sure to take your time and follow through with the ones in which you’re the most interested.