I have been working with AWS for over three years, but my new firm is migrating heavily to a multi-cloud strategy using Azure. Should I start from the very beginning with the AZ-900 Fundamentals, or is it better to jump straight into the AZ-104 Associate exam? I want to respect the learning curve without wasting time on basics I might already know from my AWS experience.
3 answers
If you already have a strong grasp of cloud concepts from AWS, the AZ-900 might feel too elementary as it covers basic definitions of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. However, Microsoft’s naming conventions and governance tools (like Azure Policy vs AWS Config) are quite different. I usually recommend spending just one weekend reviewing the AZ-900 material without taking the exam, then diving straight into the AZ-104. The AZ-104 is the real "meat and potatoes" for engineers; it proves you can actually manage identities, storage, and virtual networks in the Azure ecosystem, which is what hiring managers are looking for in 2024.
Are there specific labs or sandboxes you recommend to quickly map AWS services to their Azure counterparts while studying for the AZ-104?
Jump to AZ-104. The industry views AZ-900 as a sales or entry-level cert; the Associate level is where the professional recognition truly begins.
I agree with Gary. For an engineer with your background, the AZ-104 carries significantly more weight on a resume and better reflects your seniority level.
Steven, to answer your question, the official Microsoft Learn documentation has a specific "Azure for AWS Professionals" section that is gold. I also suggest using the "Azure Architecture Center" to compare service mappings. I found that building a simple Hub-and-Spoke network in an Azure free tier account was the best way to realize that while the concepts are the same as AWS VPCs, the implementation of Azure VNet Peering and NSGs has its own specific quirks you need to master for the exam.