Exam preparation for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

MVP

 

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification consists of two exams. AZ-300 and AZ-301 are the «old» tests, the new ones are called AZ-303 and AZ-304.

 

All information about these two exams you will find on the Microsoft website.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/azure-solutions-architect

 

A question that I am often asked is the AZ-103 / AZ-104 a prerequisite to obtain the Azure Solution Architect Expert. No, you can set the focus directly on the AZ-303 and AZ-304. If you have passed both exams (i.e. AZ-303 and AZ-304), you will receive the certification: Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Nevertheless, the exam / learning content from AZ-103 / AZ-104 is a great preparation for the Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

 

Let us start with a checklist:

 

1. Read through the skills measured at your leisure

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/azure-solutions-architect

 

2. Read @thomasmaurer 's Study Guide. This is really super helpful information!

https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2020/03/az-303-study-guide-azure-architect-technologies/

 

3. Create a free Azure account, if you do not already have one, so that you can do all the exercises in a hands-on manner

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/

 

4. Take a close look at the Microsoft learning path, even better work through it right away (the learning paths are listed a little further down on the website)

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/azure-solutions-architect

 

5. Register for the exam early. This creates some pressure and you stay motivated

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/azure-solutions-architect

 

6. Practice, practice, practice ... With examples from the Microsoft Azure documentation and learning portal:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=compute

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=identity

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=networking

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=storage

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=web

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=containers

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=databases

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=migration

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-network-infrastructure/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-storage-infrastructure/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-compute-infrastructure/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-infrastructure-operations/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-data-platform/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-messaging-serverless/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-modern-apps/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-api-integration/

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/architect-migration-bcdr/

 

Do not try to learn the “Skills measured”. Try to learn and deepen the “Skills measured” with practical exercises. The more you work with practical examples, the better you are prepared for the «performance based» questions. What does «performance based» mean? These are questions / tasks that you have to solve during the exam in a live test environment (i.e. in the Azure portal).

 

Don't ask yourself, will there be performance-based questions on the exam? Instead, invest a lot of time in the practical exercises and the «performance based» tasks will no longer be a challenge for you.

 

I hope this information helps you and that you successfully pass the exam. I wish you success! Kind regards, Tom Wechsler

2 Replies

@TomWechsler Thanks for this article.  I'm heading down the trail for AZ-303/304 and this article will help guide those efforts.

Its a pleasure! Good luck! Regards, Tom Wechsler