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What is Azure?

Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform and services, offering a wide range of tools and services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers. It provides services for computing, analytics, storage, networking, databases, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and more.

Azure enables businesses to build, deploy, and manage applications and services quickly and efficiently without the need to invest in physical infrastructure. It offers scalability, flexibility, and reliability, allowing organizations to scale their resources up or down as needed, pay only for what they use, and benefit from Microsoft’s extensive global network of data centers.

Azure is used by businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises, across various industries, including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, government, and more. It provides a robust and secure platform for hosting applications, storing data, running analytics, and powering digital transformation initiatives.

History of Azure:

Azure has a rich history that traces back to the early 2000s. Here’s a brief overview:

  1. Project Red Dog (2004-2008): The origins of Azure can be traced back to a project within Microsoft known as “Project Red Dog.” This project aimed to develop a cloud-based operating system that would eventually become Azure. Engineers worked on building the foundational technologies required for a cloud platform.
  2. Azure Announcement (2008): Azure was officially announced by Microsoft’s then-CEO, Steve Ballmer, at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in October 2008. This announcement marked Microsoft’s entry into the cloud computing market.
  3. Azure Launch (2010): Azure was officially launched as a commercial product in February 2010. Initially, it offered basic cloud services such as virtual machines, storage, and a platform for building and hosting web applications.
  4. Expansion of Services (2010s): Throughout the 2010s, Microsoft continued to expand Azure’s offerings, adding a wide range of services including databases, analytics, AI, machine learning, IoT, serverless computing, and more. This expansion transformed Azure into a comprehensive cloud computing platform capable of supporting a diverse array of workloads and applications.
  5. Global Data Center Expansion: Microsoft invested heavily in expanding its global network of data centers to support Azure’s growth. By strategically placing data centers around the world, Azure became accessible to customers worldwide, offering low-latency access and compliance with local data regulations.
  1. Hybrid Cloud Solutions: Microsoft emphasized hybrid cloud solutions, enabling customers to seamlessly integrate on-premises infrastructure with Azure services. This approach catered to businesses with existing investments in on-premises technology, allowing them to adopt cloud services at their own pace.
  2. Strategic Acquisitions: Microsoft made strategic acquisitions to enhance Azure’s capabilities. Notable acquisitions include GitHub (2018), LinkedIn (2016), and Xamarin (2016), among others.
  3. Partnerships and Ecosystem: Microsoft fostered partnerships with technology companies, independent software vendors (ISVs), and developers to build a vibrant ecosystem around Azure. This ecosystem includes integrations with popular tools and platforms, as well as support for various programming languages and frameworks.
  4. Focus on Enterprise and Innovation: Azure has been a key component of Microsoft’s strategy to serve enterprise customers and drive innovation across industries. Microsoft continues to invest in Azure’s development, introducing new features, services, and capabilities to address evolving customer needs and technological trends.

Overall, Azure has evolved from its humble beginnings into one of the leading cloud computing platforms, competing with industry giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Its comprehensive suite of services, global reach, and strong enterprise focus have solidified its position in the cloud market.

Azure Certifications – Architects

Achieving certification in Azure architecture involves completing a series of exams that demonstrate your expertise in designing solutions on Microsoft Azure. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the certification path for Azure architecture:

  1. Fundamental Level:

– Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals: This exam covers foundational knowledge of cloud concepts, Azure services, Azure pricing and support, core solutions, and management tools on Azure. It’s optional but recommended for those new to Azure.

  1. Associate Level:

– Exam AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies: This exam focuses on designing and implementing solutions that run on Microsoft Azure, including aspects such as compute, storage, networking, security, and monitoring.

– Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design: This exam focuses on designing data platform solutions, designing business continuity solutions, designing infrastructure strategy, designing for deployment, migration, and integration, and designing identity and security solutions.

  1. Expert Level:

– Exam AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions: This exam is designed for architects who have experience designing cloud infrastructures and solutions in Azure. It covers topics such as designing for identity and security, designing a data platform solution, designing a business continuity strategy, designing for deployment, migration, and integration, and designing an infrastructure strategy.

– Exam AZ-306: Microsoft Azure Architect for Azure Solutions Architect Expert: This exam covers designing and implementing solutions that run on Microsoft Azure, including aspects such as compute, storage, networking, security, and monitoring.

  1. 4. Specialty Certifications (Optional):

– Depending on your interests and career focus, you may also pursue specialty certifications such as:

– Exam AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions: This certification focuses on designing and implementing DevOps practices for continuous integration, continuous delivery, dependency management, application infrastructure, and continuous feedback.

– Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies: This certification focuses on implementing security controls, managing identity and access, and protecting data, applications, and networks in cloud and hybrid environments.

These certifications demonstrate your proficiency in designing and implementing solutions on Azure, ranging from foundational knowledge to expert-level skills. It’s important to study and prepare thoroughly for each exam, as they cover a wide range of topics relevant to Azure architecture and solutions design. Additionally, hands-on experience with Azure services and solutions is highly beneficial for success in these certifications.

AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator

What will you learn in this Azure Training for AZ-104 Administrator certification?

The following concepts that you will learn in this Microsoft Azure Certification Course are:

  1. Manage Azure subscriptions and access control
  2. Build, manage, and execute Virtual Machines
  3. Azure Site Recovery
  4. Deploy and organize Azure resources
  5. Implement, manage, and secure storage
  6. Integrate, secure, and manage identities
  7. Configuration and use case implementation of Virtual Networks
  8. Implement Multi-factor authentication
  9. Azure monitoring

Course Content

  1. Module 1: Azure Administration
  2. Module 2: Azure Networking
  3. Module 3: Azure Compute
  4. Module 4: Azure Storage
  5. Module 5: Azure Identity

Module 1: Azure Administration

  1. Resource Manager
  2. Resource Groups
  3. Azure Portal
  4. Azure CLI
  5. Azure Templates
  6. Cloud Shell
  7. Azure Marketplace
  8. Azure PowerShell

Module 2: Azure Networking

  1. Azure Regions
  2. Virtual Networks and Subnets
  3. IP Addressing
  4. Network Security Groups
  5. Virtual Network Peering
  6. VNet-to-VNet Connections
  7. ExpressRoute
  8. Load Balancers
  9. Network Watcher

Module 3: Azure Compute

  1. Azure Virtual Machines
  2. Creating Virtual Machines
  3. Virtual Machine Sizes
  4. Virtual Machine Disks
  5. Availability Zones
  6. Availability Sets
  7. Windows VM Connections
  8. Linux VM Connections
  9. Azure Monitor
  10. Azure Alerts

Module 4: Azure Storage

  1. Storage Accounts
  2. Blob Storage
  3. Blob Performance Tiers
  4. File Shares
  5. File Sync
  6. Data Box
  7. Content Delivery Network
  8. Shared Access Signatures
  9. Service Endpoints

Module 5: Azure Identity

  1. Azure Domains
  2. Role-based Access Control
  3. Azure Active Directory
  4. Multi-Factor Authentication
  5. Multi-Factor Authentication
  6. Azure Policy