My Azure Certification Journey...!!

I am pleased to share with you that i have successfully completed all 13 Microsoft azure certifications. It has been rewarding this year and amazing learning journey. Azure 13x Certified..!! here with i would like to share my certification journey which might be useful for your journey.

My Azure Certification Journey:

The journey has started some time in Jan 2021 during peak pandemic period with azure fundamentals AZ-900. The first attempt was successful in the new year beginning 2021, with this confidence i tried the remaining azure certifications and completed this milestone. it took 8 months for me to complete all 13 certifications.

The journey was quite difficult but can be achieved if we put right focus and dedication towards the goal. of course, one need to sacrifice few things to achieve the same.

I would like to thank to my company and MS for giving me this wonderful opportunity to enhance my azure skills.

Still lots to do and help application teams to accelerate cloud adoption of Azure native solutions by accessing and providing Azure deep experience, proven frameworks, methodologies and architectural designs.

https://www.credly.com/users/surya-narayana-reddy-vennapusa/badges

Here with i am sharing some frequently asked questions, that will help you to understand more.

What is the best way to learn and earn certifications ?
The best way to learn the course is first to set a clear goal and try to start clearing one after one. continuous learning and some hands-on would help to achieve the same.
MS provides free account and sandbox for practicing yourself during preparation.

What are the learning sources/materials and tips ?
https://docs.microsoft.com/ there are two ways to prepare ( online-free, instructor led-paid) and many other websites..like udemy, youtube..etc.
Discuss with team members on azure topics and make a notes.

Which ones are difficult to clear ?
Professional certifications, had to clear two exams for solution architect (AZ-303,304) and two for devops (AZ-400). it took longer time to complete it.

Did I fail any exam ?
Yes. I failed twice before clearing Azure AI exam.
The questions were different from what I expected but final attempt was successful.

How did I manage the time ?
Time management is critical to prep yourself. you need to plan both your work, learning and both are equally important.
Spend couple of hours after office hours every day and start clearing modules and make clear notes which can be referred before taking exam.
Spend more time over weekends or holidays and do practical sessions using sandbox.
Try to prepare/gather some sample questionnaires and attempt before the actual exam. Udemy provide some sample questionnaire

Is it mandatory to have hands-on experience ?
i would say Yes for professional certifications, Not for fundamentals certifications.

I am new to cloud, is it possible for me to shift the career in cloud ?
Yes, it is possible. all you need is to have self-interest, dedication, passion towards what you are learning.

How much time i need to spend for preparation ?
it depends upon person to person, how fast you can grasp, understand concepts and test them in lab, sandbox
if you are working , i would say daily 2 to 3 hours ( after office hours) and more time on weekends.

What is the best time to attempt the exam ?
we need to allocate time for it. i tried most of them during night, ie between 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm
you have to maintain a very good discipline until exam is finished. please read do's and don’ts while scheduling the exam.

What are the logistics required ?
good internet speed without any network outage.
good personal laptop/desktop with web cam. Official laptop doesn’t work due to firewall restrictions.
you will also get notification from Pearson VUE prior to the exam for system test and other formalities.

Do you have hands on experience ?
Yes, i do have hands on experience and worked on most of the azure services either in office or sandbox lab training.
I am part of cloud migration journey since inception and did bulldozer work to pave the road.

Last but not the least:
Believe yourself, everything is possible in this world.
I strongly believe that there is no shortcut to clear certifications. You have to take it seriously, experience it and clear.

can you share certification roadmap ? where to start ?

Pl refer below flow diagram and understand where to start.

Please fee free to share your comments and like if information is useful. i will respond as soon as i can.

Wish you all the best and good luck for your cloud journey.