Recently, I managed to acclaim the Azure Solutions Architect badge by completing AZ-300 and AZ-301 exams.
Earning the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification demonstrates skills and knowledge to advise stakeholders and translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions. Candidates have advanced experience and knowledge across various aspects of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data management, budgeting, and governance – managing how decisions in each area affects an overall solution.
If you are preparing for AZ-301 and AZ-300 EXAMS? Don’t know where to start? This post contains all the resources I used to study for the exam. Also, please share the post within your circles so it helps them to prepare for the exam.
AZ-301 Resources:
AZ-301 Video Content Options:
| Pluralsight (Free Trial) | Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-301) |
| SkylinesAcademy | https://courses.skylinesacademy.com/p/az-301 |
| Udemy | AZ-301 Certification: Azure Architect Design |
| LinkedIn Learning (Free Trial) | Exam Tips: Azure Architect Design (AZ-301) |
AZ-301 Practice Tests
| Official Practice test | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/az-301 |
| Whizlabs Practice Tests | 5 Practice Tests for AZ-301 (275 Questions) |
| Udemy Practice Tests | Microsoft AZ-301 Exam Preparation Practice tests |
AZ-301 E-book
| Amazon India | AZ-301 Practice Tests |
| Amazon (Other countries) | Exam AZ-301 Lab Guide |
AZ-301 Learning Path (aka.ms/learn)
| Microsoft Learn | https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/az-301 |
1.Determine Workload Requirements (10-15%)
Gather Information and Requirements
Gathering Information About Existing Enterprise Architecture in Microsoft Azure
Optimize Consumption Strategy
Optimizing Consumption Strategy in Microsoft Azure
Design an Auditing and Monitoring Strategy
Design Auditing for Microsoft Azure
Designing a Monitoring Strategy for a Solution in Microsoft Azure
2.Design for Identity and Security (20-25%)
Design Identity Management
Design Identity Management in Microsoft Azure
Design Authentication
Design Authentication for Microsoft Azure
Design Authorization
Design Authorization for Microsoft Azure
Design for Risk Prevention for Identity
Design for Risk Prevention in Microsoft Azure
Design a Monitoring Strategy for Identity and Security
Design a Monitoring Strategy for Identity and Security in Microsoft Azure
3.Design a Data Platform Solution (15-20%)
Design a Data Management Strategy
Design a Data Management Strategy for Microsoft Azure
Design a Data Protection Strategy
Design a Data Protection Strategy with Microsoft Azure
Design and Document Data Flows
Design and Document Data Flows with Microsoft Azure
Design a Monitoring Strategy for the Data Platform
Designing a Monitoring Strategy for the Microsoft Azure Data Platform
4.Design a Business Continuity Strategy (15-20%)
Design a Site Recovery Strategy
Designing a Site Recovery Strategy on Microsoft Azure
Design for High Availability
Designing for High Availability on Microsoft Azure
Design a Data Archiving Strategy
Designing a Data Archiving Strategy on Microsoft Azure
5.Design for Deployment, Migration, and Integration (10-15%)
Design Deployments
Designing Deployments in Microsoft Azure
Design Migrations
Designing Migrations for Microsoft Azure
Design an API Integration Strategy
Designing an API Management Strategy for Microsoft Azure
6.Design an Infrastructure Strategy (15-20%)
Design a Storage Strategy
Design a Storage Strategy for Microsoft Azure
Design a Compute Strategy
Design a Compute Strategy for Microsoft Azure
Design a Networking Strategy
Design a Networking Strategy for Microsoft Azure
Design a Monitoring Strategy for Infrastructure
Design a Monitoring Strategy for Infrastructure in Microsoft Azure
AZ-300 Resources:
AZ-300 Video Content Options
| Pluralsight (Free trial) | Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies (AZ-300) |
| LinkedIn Learning (Free trial) | Exam Tips: Azure Architect Technologies (AZ-300) |
| Udemy | AZ-300: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies |
| SkylinesAcademy | https://courses.skylinesacademy.com/p/microsoft-az-300-certification-azure-architect-technologies |
AZ-300 Practice Tests & Labs
| Whizlabs Practice Tests | 5 Practice Tests for AZ-300 (a total of 275 questions) |
| Udemy Practice Tests | AZ-300 (Lab Scenarios + Practice Tests) |
AZ-300 Exam Reference Books (PDF)
Exam content is as followers,
Deploy and Configure Infrastructure (40-45%)
Analyze Resource Utilization and Consumption
Configure diagnostic settings on resources
Linkedin Learning: Configure Diagnostic Setting (check with a free trial)
Create a baseline for resources
LinkedIn Learning: Creating a Baseline for Resources (check with a free trial)
Create and test alerts
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-metric
Analyze alerts across subscription
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-managing-alert-instances
Analyze metrics across subscription
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/metrics-charts
Create action groups
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/action-groups
Monitor for unused resources
Monitor Cost
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/billing/billing-getting-started
Report on Cost
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/billing/billing-download-azure-invoice-daily-usage-date
Utilize Log Search query functions
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/log-query/search-queries
View alerts in Azure Monitor logs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/alerts-activity-log
Visualize diagnostics data using Azure Monitor Workbooks
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/usage-workbooks
https://github.com/microsoft/Application-Insights-Workbooks/blob/Visualizations.md
Create and Configure Storage Accounts
Configure network access to the storage account
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-network-security
Create and configure storage account
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-account-manage
Generate shared access signature
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-dotnet-shared-access-signature-part-1
Implement Azure AD authentication for storage
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-auth-aad-app
Install and use Azure Storage Explorer
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vs-azure-tools-storage-manage-with-storage-explorer
Manage access keys
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-account-manage
Monitor activity log by using Azure Monitor logs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/resource-group-audit
Implement Azure storage replication
MSDN Blog: Azure Storage Replication Implementation
Implement Azure storage account failover
Create and Configure a VM for Windows and Linux
Configure high availability
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-availability-sets
Configure monitoring
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-monitoring
Configure networking
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/tutorial-virtual-network
Configure storage
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/managed-disks-overview
Configure Virtual Machine Size
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/sizes
Implement dedicated hosts
Deploy and configure scale sets
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machine-scale-sets/quick-create-portal
Automate Deployment of VMs
Modify Azure Resource Manager template
Configure the location of new VMs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/azure-to-azure-tutorial-migrate
Configure VHD template
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-specialized
Deploy from template
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/ps-template
Save a deployment as an Azure Resource Manager template
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/download-template
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/ps-template
Deploy Windows and Linux VMs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/create-ssh-secured-vm-from-template
Create Connectivity Between Virtual Networks
Create and configure Vnet peering
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/tutorial-connect-virtual-networks-portal
Create and configure Vnet to Vnet connections
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/create-routebased-vpn-gateway-portal
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-vnet-vnet-rm-ps
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking
Configure private IP addressing
Configure public IP addresses
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-public-ip-address
Create and configure network routes
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/tutorial-create-route-table-portal
Create and configure network interface
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-network-interface
Create and configure subnets
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-manage-subnet
Create and configure virtual network
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/manage-virtual-network
Create and configure Network Security Groups and Application Security Groups
Manage Azure Active Directory
Add custom domains
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/fundamentals/add-custom-domain
Configure Azure AD Identity Protection
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/identity-protection/enable
Configure Azure AD Join
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/hybrid-azuread-join-managed-domains
Configure self-service password reset
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/quickstart-sspr
Implement conditional access policies
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-access/app-based-mfa
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-access/require-tou
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-access/app-sign-in-risk
Manage multiple directories
Perform an access review
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/governance/access-reviews-overview
Implement and Manage Hybrid Identities
Install and configure Azure AD Connect
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/how-to-connect-install-express
Configure federation and single sign-on
Configure single sign-on
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/manage-apps/configure-single-sign-on-portal
Manage and troubleshoot Azure AD Connect
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/how-to-connect-post-installation
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/tshoot-connect-connectivity
Troubleshoot password sync and writeback
Implement solutions that use virtual machines (VM)
Provision VMs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/quick-create-portal
Create Azure Resource Manager templates
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/ps-template
Configure Azure Disk Encryption for VMs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/disk-encryption-portal-quickstart
Implement Azure Backup for VMs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-vms-first-look-arm
Implement Workloads and Security (20-25%)
Migrate Servers to Azure
Migrate servers using Azure Migrate
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-in/azure/migrate/tutorial-migrate-hyper-v
Backup and restore data
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/quick-backup-vm-portal
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/tutorial-restore-disk
Configure Serverless Computing
Create and manage objects
Manage a Logic App resource
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/logic-apps/logic-apps-overview
Manage Azure Function app settings
Manage Event Grid
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/event-grid/overview
Manage Service Bus
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/service-bus-messaging/service-bus-messaging-overview
Implement Application Load Balancing
Configure application gateway
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/application-gateway/quick-create-powershell
Configure Azure Front Door service
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/frontdoor/quickstart-create-front-door
Configure Azure Traffic Manager
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/traffic-manager/quickstart-create-traffic-manager-profile
Integrate On premises Network with Azure Virtual Network
Create and configure Azure VPN Gateway
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-tutorial-create-gateway-powershell
Create and configure site to site VPN
Configure Express-Route
Configure Virtual WAN
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-wan/connect-virtual-network-gateway-vwan
Verify on premises connectivity
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-verify-connection-resource-manager
Troubleshoot on premises connectivity with Azure
Implement Multi factor Authentication (MFA)
Configure user accounts for MFA
Configure fraud alerts
Configure bypass options
Configure trusted IPs
Configure verification methods
Manage Role based Access Control (RBAC)
Create a custom role
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/tutorial-custom-role-powershell
Configure access to Azure resources by assigning roles
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/role-assignments-portal
Configure management access to Azure
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/role-assignments-portal
Troubleshoot RBAC
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/troubleshooting
Implement Azure policies
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/tutorials/create-and-manage
Assign RBAC roles
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/role-based-access-control/quickstart-assign-role-user-portal
Create and Deploy Apps (5-10%)
Create Web Apps by Using PaaS
Create an Azure App Service Web App
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/app-service-web-get-started-dotnet
Create documentation for the API
https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/article/azure-app-service-api-configure-swashbuckle/
Create an App Service Web App for containers
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/app-service-web-get-started-windows-container
Create an App Service background task by using WebJobs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/webjobs-create
Enable diagnostics logging
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/troubleshoot-diagnostic-logs
Design and Develop Apps That Run in Containers
Configure diagnostic settings on resources
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-instances/container-instances-get-logs
Create a container image by using a Docker file
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-registry/container-registry-quickstart-task-cli
Create an Azure Kubernetes Service
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/kubernetes-walkthrough-portal
Publish an image to the Azure Container Registry
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-registry/container-registry-get-started-docker-cli
Implement an application that runs on an Azure Container Instance
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-instances/container-instances-quickstart-portal
Manage container settings by using code
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/resources/samples/container-service-python-manage/
Implement Authentication and Secure Data (5-10%)
Implement Authentication
Implement authentication by using certificates, forms-based authentication, tokens, or Windows-integrated authentication
https://github.com/Azure-Samples/active-directory-dotnetcore-daemon-v2
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/web-api/overview/security/forms-authentication
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/overview-authentication-authorization
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/web-api/overview/security/integrated-windows-authentication
Implement multi-factor authentication by using Azure AD
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/authentication/tutorial-mfa-applications
Implement OAuth2 authentication
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/tutorial-v2-asp-webapp
Implement Managed identities for Azure resources Service Principal authentication
Implement Secure Data Solutions
Encrypt and decrypt data at rest and in transit
This block has encountered an error and cannot be previewed.
Encrypt data with Always Encrypted
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-always-encrypted-azure-key-vault
Implement Azure Confidential Compute
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/blog/azure-confidential-computing/
Implement SSL/TLS communications
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-security-tls
Create, read, update, and delete keys, secrets and certificates by using the KeyVault API
Keys
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/createkey/createkey
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/getkey/getkey
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/updatekey
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/deletekey
Secrets
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/setsecret/setsecret
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/getsecret/getsecret
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/updatesecret
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/deletesecret
Certificates
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/createcertificate/create
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/getcertificate/get
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/updatecertificate/update
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/keyvault/deletecertificate/delete
Develop for the Cloud and for Azure Storage (15-20%)
Configure a Message-based Integration Architecture
Configure an app or service to send emails
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sendgrid-dotnet-how-to-send-email
Configure Event Grid
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-event-quickstart-powershell
Configure Azure Relay Service
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/service-bus-relay/relay-hybrid-connections-dotnet-get-started
Create and configure a Notification Hub
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/notification-hubs/create-notification-hub-portal
Create and configure an Event Hub
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/event-hubs/event-hubs-create
Create and configure a Service Bus
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/service-bus-messaging/service-bus-quickstart-portal
Configure queries across multiple products
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/log-query/cross-workspace-query
Develop for Autoscaling
Implement autoscaling rules and patterns (schedule, operational/system metrics)
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/autoscale-get-started
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/platform/autoscale-common-scale-patterns
Implement code that addresses singleton application instances
Check the entire module (Writing Code to Handle Singleton Application Instances) with a free trial
Implement code that addresses transient state
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/best-practices/retry-service-specific
Develop Solutions That Use Cosmos DB Storage
Create, read, update, and delete data by using appropriate APIs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/cosmos-db/documents
Implement partitioning schemes
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/how-to-model-partition-example
Set the appropriate consistency level for operations
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cosmos-db/consistency-levels-choosing
Develop Solutions That Use a Relational Database
Provision and configure relational databases
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-single-database-get-started
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-server-level-firewall-rule
Configure elastic pools for Azure SQL Database
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-elastic-pool
Implement Azure SQL Database managed instances
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-managed-instance-get-started
Create, read, update, and delete data tables by using code
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-connect-query-dotnet-core
Hope the resources and the links helps you to get through the exams and make you Azure Solutions Architect. Good luck!