Real Talk: AZ-104 Isn’t as Hard as You Think (But You Still Need a Plan)
Let’s start with the truth. The AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) certification is doable. People pass it every day. But here’s what separates people who pass on their first try from people who need a second attempt:
A solid study plan.
That’s it. Not genius-level intelligence. Not years of Azure experience. Just a structured approach and knowing what to actually focus on.
This guide breaks down exactly how to study for AZ-104, what’s actually on the exam, and the tips that help real people pass. No fluff. Just practical advice from people who’ve done it.
What You’re Actually Getting Into
The AZ-104 at a Glance
Official name: Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate Exam code: AZ-104 Cost: $165 Duration: 85 minutes Question count: 40-60 questions (Microsoft doesn’t say exactly) Passing score: Around 700/1000 (roughly 70%) Prerequisites: AZ-900 is recommended but not required (though it helps)
The Five Main Domains You Need to Know
The AZ-104 exam covers five key areas. Here’s what you’re actually studying:
1. Manage Azure Subscriptions and Governance (10-15%)
This is about the foundation of Azure. You need to understand:
- Subscriptions and resource groups: How Azure organizes everything
- Azure Policy: How to enforce standards across your organization
- Cost management: Understanding Azure costs and budgeting
- RBAC (Role-Based Access Control): Who gets access to what
Why it matters: Governance is literally the foundation. Organizations need people who understand how to organize Azure properly.
Pro tip: Don’t memorize every policy option. Understand the concept of policy and how it works. That’s what the exam tests.
2. Implement and Manage Storage (15-20%)
Azure storage is huge. You need to know:
- Storage accounts: Creating and managing them
- Blobs, Tables, Queues, Files: Different storage types and when to use each
- Storage security: Encryption, access keys, SAS tokens
- Replication and redundancy: How data stays protected
Why it matters: Every Azure workload needs storage. Admins manage it constantly.
Pro tip: Hands-on practice with storage is critical. Create storage accounts in the portal. Upload blobs. Understand access methods. Theory alone won’t cut it here.
3. Deploy and Manage Compute Resources (20-25%)
This is the big one. Compute is what most people think of when they think Azure:
- Virtual Machines: Creating, sizing, managing VMs
- App Service: Hosting web apps and APIs
- Container instances and ACI: Running containers
- VM scaling and load balancing: Making sure apps stay responsive
- Virtual machine extensions: Adding capabilities to VMs
Why it matters: Most Azure workloads run on compute resources. Admins need deep knowledge here.
Pro tip: This domain is bigger than others. Spend proportionally more study time here. Practice creating VMs, deploying apps, understanding networking.
4. Configure and Manage Virtual Networking (20-25%)
Virtual networking is how Azure resources communicate. You need:
- Virtual networks and subnets: Network architecture
- Network security groups: Firewalling and traffic control
- Azure Firewall: Advanced network security
- Load balancers and Application Gateway: Traffic distribution
- DNS and routing: Making sure traffic goes where it needs to
- VPN and ExpressRoute: Connecting on-premises to Azure
Why it matters: Networking is critical. Badly configured networks cause problems. Well-configured networks keep everything running.
Pro tip: Draw diagrams. Understand how traffic flows. Visualize the network topology. This domain is very conceptual.
5. Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10-15%)
Once resources are running, you need to monitor and maintain them:
- Azure Monitor: Tracking performance and health
- Alerting: Getting notified when something’s wrong
- Logging and diagnostics: Understanding what’s happening
- Backup and recovery: Protecting data
- Azure Service Health: Understanding platform status
Why it matters: Production environments need monitoring. Admins need to know when things are breaking.
Pro tip: This is easier than compute and networking. But don’t skip it. It’s a guaranteed section on the exam.
The Study Strategy That Actually Works
The Timeline: How Long Should You Study?
Real answer: It depends on your experience level.
| Your Background | Study Time | Timeline |
| Zero Azure experience | 60-80 hours | 2-3 months |
| Some Azure exposure | 40-60 hours | 4-8 weeks |
| Working with Azure daily | 20-30 hours | 2-3 weeks |
| Experienced on-premises admin | 30-50 hours | 3-4 weeks |
What does this actually mean?
- 60-80 hours = roughly 10-12 hours per week for 2-3 months
- OR = 15-20 hours per week for 4-6 weeks
Most people do better with the longer timeline at lower hours. Your brain needs time to absorb this.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Weeks 1-3)
Your goal: Understand the basics of Azure without memorizing details.
What to do:
- Watch Azure fundamentals videos (Microsoft Learn is free)
- Get basic understanding of each domain
- Don’t try to memorize anything yet
- Start with Azure Sandbox to click around
- Time: 5-8 hours per week
Success looks like: You can explain what a resource group is, what a storage account does, basic networking concepts.
Pro tip: Don’t spend too much time here. Foundation is important but you’ll deepen knowledge in later phases.
Phase 2: Deep Learning (Weeks 4-8)
Your goal: Understand each concept deeply and see how they connect.
What to do:
- Work through structured AZ-104 courses (Pluralsight, A Cloud Guru, Microsoft Learn)
- Read official Microsoft documentation
- Do hands-on labs for each topic
- Start taking practice exams (to identify weak areas)
- Time: 8-12 hours per week
Success looks like: You understand not just “what” but “why” and “when to use what.” You’ve created resources in Azure with your own hands.
Pro tip: Hands-on labs are critical. Don’t just watch videos. Actually create VMs, storage accounts, networks. Your hands-on experience will show on the exam.
Phase 3: Focused Practice (Weeks 9-11)
Your goal: Get really good at what you’re weak on. Build exam confidence.
What to do:
- Take full practice exams regularly
- Analyze wrong answers (understand why you got them wrong)
- Deep dive into weak areas
- Review Azure documentation for confusing topics
- Practice time management (you have 85 minutes)
- Time: 10-15 hours per week
Success looks like: You’re scoring 75%+ on practice exams. You know what you don’t know.
Pro tip: Take practice exams in exam conditions. Same time limit. Same quiet environment. This builds test confidence.
Phase 4: Final Prep (Week 12)
Your goal: Feel ready. Get any remaining doubts answered.
What to do:
- Take 1-2 full practice exams
- Review notes on weak areas
- Get good sleep the days before the exam
- Don’t try to learn new material (too late for that)
- Review exam format and what to expect
- Time: 5-10 hours (light week intentionally)
Success looks like: You feel confident. You’ve seen practice questions similar to the real ones. You know the exam format.
Pro tip: Don’t cram the night before. Your brain needs sleep more than it needs last-minute studying.
What to Actually Study (The Stuff That Shows Up)
The High-Probability Topics
Not everything is equally likely on the exam. Here’s what shows up most:
Almost certainly on your exam:
- Implementing and managing virtual machines (multiple questions)
- Configuring virtual networks and subnets
- Understanding storage accounts and different storage types
- Azure RBAC and Access Control
- VPN and site-to-site connectivity
- Load balancing and traffic management
- Azure Monitor and alerting
Probably on your exam:
- App Service for hosting web apps
- Network Security Groups and firewalling
- Backup and recovery strategies
- Scaling and auto-scaling for performance
- DNS and domain configuration
Might be on your exam:
- Container instances and container deployment
- Advanced networking scenarios
- ExpressRoute details
- Advanced monitoring scenarios
Definitely not on your exam:
- Deep coding knowledge
- Advanced developer scenarios
- Machine learning specifics
- Kubernetes deep dives (container basics maybe, but not heavy)
Pro tip: Focus your study time proportionally. VMs and networking get more exam weight. You should study them proportionally more.
The Hands-On Lab Reality
Here’s what separates people who barely pass from people who ace the exam: hands-on practice.
Labs You Need to Do (Not Optional)
VM and Compute Labs:
- Create a Windows and Linux VM
- Manage VM disks and sizing
- Deploy an app to App Service
- Configure auto-scaling
- Use VM extensions
Storage Labs:
- Create a storage account
- Upload and download blobs
- Create file shares
- Understand different replication options
- Practice access control on storage
Networking Labs:
- Create a virtual network with subnets
- Create and configure Network Security Groups
- Set up VPN connections
- Configure load balancing
- Practice traffic flow scenarios
Monitoring Labs:
- Set up monitoring on a VM
- Create alerts
- View diagnostic data
- Configure backup
RBAC Labs:
- Assign roles to users
- Understand different role permissions
- Practice access control scenarios
How long should labs take?
- 30-45 minutes per lab (usually)
- 15-20 labs total = 7.5-15 hours
- That’s a significant part of your study time
- It’s also the most valuable time you spend
Pro tip: Don’t just follow labs step-by-step. After completing a lab, try to do it again from memory. That’s when real learning happens.
The Best Study Resources (And What They’re Actually Good For)
Official Microsoft Resources (Free)
Microsoft Learn:
- What it is: Free, official Azure training modules
- Best for: Foundations and refreshing knowledge
- Time investment: 40-50 hours total
- Cost: Free
- Hands-on labs included: Yes (Azure Sandbox)
- Pro tip: These are the most authoritative. Use them.
Microsoft Documentation:
- What it is: Official reference documentation
- Best for: Looking up specific details
- Time investment: Variable (reference use)
- Cost: Free
- Pro tip: Get comfortable reading Azure docs. Real admins do this constantly.
Practice Exams (Critical)
Where to find them:
- MeasureUp: Official Microsoft partner, most accurate
- Whizlabs: Good coverage, helpful explanations
- Examtopics: Free (but lower quality)
- Microsoft Learn modules: Free practice questions
How many should you take?
- Minimum: 3-4 full practice exams
- Better: 5-6 full practice exams
- Ideal: Take them throughout study (not just at end)
Cost: MeasureUp is around $100 for the exam bundle. Worth it.
Pro tip: Your practice exam score isn’t perfectly predictive of real exam performance, but if you’re scoring 75%+ consistently, you’re ready.
Common Mistakes People Make (Avoid These)
Mistake 1: Not Doing Enough Hands-On Labs
The trap: Watching videos feels productive but doesn’t prepare you for real exam questions.
The fix: Spend 40% of your study time actually doing things in Azure. Create resources. Delete them. Create them again. This is how you learn.
Mistake 2: Trying to Memorize Everything
The trap: Trying to memorize every PowerShell command, every configuration option.
The fix: Understand concepts and know where to find information. Exams test understanding, not memorization.
Mistake 3: Not Reviewing Wrong Answers
The trap: Taking practice exams but not reviewing why you got questions wrong.
The fix: For every wrong answer, spend 5 minutes understanding why it was wrong. That’s where learning happens.
Mistake 4: Skipping the Weak Domains
The trap: Spending all time on topics you’re good at because they’re easier.
The fix: Identify weak areas and spend disproportionate time there. It’s uncomfortable but necessary.
Mistake 5: Not Practicing Time Management
The trap: Taking practice exams without time pressure (or with unlimited time).
The fix: Always do full practice exams with the 85-minute time limit. This trains your brain.
Mistake 6: Studying Solo Without Support
The trap: Trying to figure everything out alone when stuck.
The fix: Join study groups, ask questions in forums, find a study buddy. Teaching others reinforces your own learning.
The Week Before: Final Preparation
4 Days Before the Exam
- Take a full practice exam
- Review any wrong answers
- Identify any remaining knowledge gaps
- Don’t try to learn new material
- Get good sleep
2 Days Before
- Light review of weak areas
- Don’t study too hard
- Relax and build confidence
- Make sure exam registration is confirmed
- Know exactly where you’re taking the exam
1 Day Before
- Review exam format and expectations
- Prepare what you’re bringing (ID, etc.)
- Get a good meal
- Relax
- Don’t study
- Get to bed early
Exam Day
- Eat a good breakfast
- Arrive 15 minutes early
- Bring valid ID
- Don’t think about what you don’t know
- Trust your preparation
- Breathe
Honest Expectations: What Happens After You Pass
The Good News
You officially have the Azure Administrator Associate certification. That means:
- Your resume looks significantly better
- You’re qualified for Azure admin jobs
- You can command better salary
- You have proof of Azure knowledge
The Real Truth
Getting certified doesn’t make you an expert. It means you’ve passed an exam. Real expertise comes from:
- Working with Azure in production
- Solving real problems
- Making mistakes and learning from them
- Continuing to learn (Azure changes constantly)
Pro tip: Don’t stop learning after passing. The certification is the beginning, not the end. Keep building skills through real experience.
Bottom Line
The AZ-104 is a very doable certification. Thousands of people pass it every year. You can be one of them.
Here’s what it takes:
- A real study plan (not just “I’ll study when I have time”)
- Hands-on practice (watching videos isn’t enough)
- Focused effort (10-15 hours per week for 8-12 weeks)
- Understanding over memorization (concepts matter more than details)
- Practice exams (to identify gaps and build confidence)
Do those things, and you’ll pass. Probably on your first try.
The people who struggle are the ones who:
- Don’t have a plan
- Try to memorize everything
- Skip the hands-on labs
- Don’t practice exam conditions
- Cram the night before
Don’t be that person. Be the person with a plan who puts in consistent work.
You’ve got this.
Recommended Study Timeline Summary
- Weeks 1-3: Foundation building (5-8 hours/week)
- Weeks 4-8: Deep learning with labs (8-12 hours/week)
- Weeks 9-11: Practice exams and weak area review (10-15 hours/week)
- Week 12: Final review and confidence building (5-10 hours/week)
- Total: 60-80 hours over 12 weeks = roughly 5-6.5 hours per week average
You’re ready. Go pass this exam.
This study guide is part of Techcomi’s Azure learning resources. We help IT professionals build Azure skills and get certified. If you need additional support, structured learning, or hands-on labs, we’re here to help you succeed.