Azure and Azure Stack certification preparation readiness documents

Azure Learning Resources

• Training to build expertise in Azure
• Microsoft Azure Essentials  - get free access to Azure Services and Training!
• A little more hands on helps too with...
• Experience the Microsoft Cloud with Cloud Adoption Test Lab Guides - on Microsoft Virtual Academy
• Hands-On Labs many self-paced labs as well as instructor led for Azure
• Just found Managing Identity on EdX - aka.ms/Identity/EdX

Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Templates - skills

Azure ARM Templates are how resources are deployed. Get them at aka.ms/AzureStack/Templates. Read Template Deployment, to understand about what JSON templates are and how they are used in Azure and Azure Stack. To take your learning to the next level with some free training, I'd recommend these resources below to eventually become an ARM Template Ninja!

• If you are not familiar with ARM, start with Azure Resource Manager overview
• Deploying, Organizing and Securing Applications with the Azure Resource Manager - MS Ignite. Great overview of what can be done with ARM and Templates
• Azure Resource Manager DevOps Jump Start - Microsoft Virtual Academy - great online Template class! 
• World Class ARM Templates - Considerations and Proven Practices  -Download. This is must read for Architects and looking at all of the possibilities with ARM Templates.

PowerShell Skills

In Addition to knowing how to craft ARM Templates, from the resources above, PowerShell Skills also come in handy for either Azure or Azure Stack.  And who better to teach you than the inventor himself in these two online courses....most excellent Mr. Snover!

• Getting Started with Microsoft PowerShell
• Advanced Tools & Scripting with PowerShell 3.0 Jump Start

Certification Preparation

To learn about all of the latest Azure related certifications go to 

• Get a Start on the basics with thorough virtual classroom training with hands-on- labs! This is an excellent predecessor before diving into the official Azure Certification Exams, and will give you great hands-on experience too. 11 total courses.
•  Microsoft Professional Program for Cloud Administration track
• aka.ms/AzureCertifications - on Microsoft Learning and also
• Azure Training and Certification for
• Job Learning Paths
• Hands On Labs
• Free MooC Courses
• Learning paths for the Microsoft Parnter's Network Learning Portal

Azure Architecture 70-535

NOTE: per aka.ms/70-534 is now retired.  The newer exam, reflecting much of this content will be 70-535.  Nonetheless, although 70-534 is retired, my content and decks for that are still included and useful to study for the 70-535.

• You MUST know the exam objectives first! aka.ms/70-535
• A 70-535-Exam-Cert-Prep - lots of links to study with.
• I just presented the deck above internally.  When Ignite comes around again, I'll update it to include more topics that I couldn't fit into 60 minutes.
• In THIS deck above, I also try to outline what are the new topics in the first couple of slides, in case you had been studying for the 70-534, but just want to know what's new.
• There is a whole site for Azure Reference Architecture!
• aka.ms/Azure/Architectures
• MS Ignite 2017 Orlando most of the 734 content is still valid
• The Ignite session is now on Channel 9 aka.ms/Ignite/70-534
• The video is also posted at aka.ms/YouTube/70-534
• Download the PDF file 70-534 PDF Ignite 2017
• Watch the Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) recordings delivered earlier in 2017 at http://aka.ms/MVA/70-534
• Also use MS Ignite 2016, but ignore anything that says "ASM" or "Cloud Services"
• aka.ms/IgniteCertPrep

Azure Infrastructure 70-533

New Exams!!...This is currently no indication that 70-533 is expiring.  However, there will be a trend towards more "Role" based exams, and this is the beginning of that trend.

• Exam AZ 100-  Microsoft Azure Infrastructure and Deployment (beta)
• Candidates for this exam are Azure Administrators who manage cloud services that span storage, security, networking, and compute cloud capabilities. Candidates have a deep understanding of each service across the full IT lifecycle, and take requests for infrastructure services, applications, and environments. They make recommendations on services to use for optimal performance and scale, as well as provision, size, monitor, and adjust resources as appropriate.
• Candidates for this exam should have proficiency in using PowerShell and the Command Line Interface. Candidates should have a basic familiarity or knowledge of Azure Portal, ARM templates, operating systems, virtualization, cloud infrastructure, storage structures, and networking.
• Exam AZ 101 - Microsoft Azure Integration and Security (beta)
• Candidates for this exam are Azure Administrators who manage cloud services that span storage, security, networking, and compute cloud capabilities. Candidates have a deep understanding of each service across the full IT lifecycle, and take requests for infrastructure services, applications, and environments. They make recommendations on services to use for optimal performance and scale, as well as provision, size, monitor, and adjust resources as appropriate.
• Candidates for this exam should have proficiency in using PowerShell and the Command Line Interface. Candidates should have a basic familiarity or knowledge of Azure Portal, ARM templates, operating systems, virtualization, cloud infrastructure, storage structures, and networking.
• Exam AZ 102 - Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Transition (beta)
• THIS EXAM IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THOSE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE TAKEN EXAM 533: IMPLEMENTING MICROSOFT AZURE INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS. IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN EXAM 533, YOU WILL NOT EARN A CERTIFICATION BY TAKING THIS EXAM

• You MUST know the exam objectives first! aka.ms/70-533
• MS Ignite 2017 Orlando
• The Ignite session is now on Channel 9 aka.ms/Ignite/70-533
• The video is also posted at aka.ms/YouTube/70-533
• Once the recordings are moved to Channel 9, I'll post the links here.
• Watch the Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) recordings delivered earlier in 2017 at http://aka.ms/MVA/70-533
• Also use MS Ignite 2016, but ignore anything that says "ASM" or "Cloud Services"
• aka.ms/IgniteCertPrep

Azure Development 70-532

• You MUST know the exam objectives first! aka.ms/70-532
• MS Ignite 2017 Orlando
• PDF of Slides will be posted by Nov 6
• The Ignite session is now on Channel 9 aka.ms/Ignite/70-532
• The video is also posted at aka.ms/YouTube/70-532
• Once the recordings are moved to Channel 9, I'll post the links here.
• Watch the Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) recordings delivered earlier in 2017 at http://aka.ms/MVA/70-532
• Also use MS Ignite 2016, but ignore anything that says "ASM" or "Cloud Services"
• aka.ms/IgniteCertPrep

Azure Stack Operator 70-537

• Stay tuned as I add more on this.  For now go to, aka.ms/70-537
• Get the Azure Stack 70-537-Exam-Cert-Prep PPT with review links to study for this.
• Training Available
• OpenEdx: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Stack aka.ms/AzureStack/MooC
• • Instructor-led training: Course 20537: Configuring and Operating a Hybrid Cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack
• I have a plethora of shortcuts at aka.ms/AzureStack/Shortcuts
• The one link most relevant for this exam is aka.ms/AzureStack/Operator

Shortcuts:

http://aka.ms/azureexamprep   è This is a yammer group where people discuss about their success stories, how they prepped for exams , discussion etc. Please join to watch out more.

http://:aka.ms/azue/learn à This has contents , shortcuts , links to get you prepared for Azure certification.

Enjoy learning.