💻 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Cheat Sheet
It is designed for candidates looking to demonstrate foundational knowledge of cloud services and how they are provided with Microsoft Azure. It covers core cloud concepts, Azure services, security, pricing, and more.
🗂️ 1. Core Cloud Concepts (20-25%)
** Cloud Models:**
Public Cloud: Resources are owned and operated by a third-party cloud provider.
Private Cloud: Owned and maintained by an organization for internal use.
Hybrid Cloud: Combines public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared.
** Benefits of Cloud Computing:**
Cost Savings: Pay-as-you-go (OPEX) instead of capital expenditures (CAPEX).
High Availability: Redundant data centers ensure uptime.
Scalability: Vertical (scale up) and horizontal (scale out).
Elasticity: Automatic scaling based on demand.
Agility: Fast deployment and updates.
Disaster Recovery: Built-in recovery options.
** Service Models:**
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Virtual machines, networking, and storage (e.g., Azure VMs).
PaaS (Platform as a Service): Platform for building and deploying applications (e.g., Azure App Service).
SaaS (Software as a Service): Software delivery over the internet (e.g., Microsoft 365).
🔗 2. Core Azure Services (15-20%)
Compute:
Azure Virtual Machines (VMs): On-demand computing power.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): Managed Kubernetes for containerized applications.
App Services: Hosting web apps and APIs.
Azure Functions: Event-driven, serverless computing.
Networking:
Virtual Networks (VNets): Isolated networks within Azure.
Azure DNS: Domain name resolution.
Load Balancer: Distributes incoming network traffic.
VPN Gateway: Secure cross-premises connectivity.
Storage:
Blob Storage: Unstructured data storage.
Disk Storage: Managed disks for VMs.
File Storage: SMB and NFS file shares.
Azure SQL Database: Managed SQL database service.
Database Services:
Azure Cosmos DB: Globally distributed NoSQL database.
Azure SQL Database: Managed relational database.
🔒 3. Security, Privacy, Compliance, and Trust (25-30%)
Azure Identity Services:
Azure Active Directory (AAD): Identity and access management.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds a second verification layer.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Fine-grained access management.
Security Tools and Features:
Azure Security Center: Unified security management.
Azure Sentinel: Cloud-native SIEM solution.
Azure Key Vault: Securely manage keys and secrets.
Azure Firewall: Network security to protect Azure resources.
Privacy and Compliance:
Trust Center: Details on compliance certifications.
Service Trust Portal: Information on how Microsoft implements security.
💲 4. Azure Pricing and Support (20-25%)
Pricing Models:
Consumption-Based (Pay-As-You-Go): Pay only for what you use.
Reserved Instances: Commit to a VM for 1-3 years to save costs.
Spot Pricing: Utilize unused capacity at lower prices.
Cost Management:
Azure Cost Management + Billing: Monitor and control spending.
Pricing Calculator: Estimate costs.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator: Compare on-prem vs. Azure.
Support Plans:
Basic: Free; billing and subscription support.
Developer: Non-production environments.
Standard: Production workloads.
Professional Direct: Business-critical workloads.
Premier: Comprehensive support.
🌐 5. Governance and Monitoring (10-15%)
Azure Policy: Define rules and enforce compliance.
Azure Blueprints: Automate and deploy compliant environments.
Azure Monitor: Monitor application performance.
Azure Service Health: Track health of Azure services.
Log Analytics: Collect and analyze logs.
🧠 Exam Tips:
Understand Cloud Concepts: Be able to differentiate between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
Know Key Services: Focus on core Azure services and their use cases.
Security and Compliance: Understand how Azure secures data and manages identities.
Pricing Models: Know how cost management tools work and the different pricing tiers.
Hands-On Practice: Try using the Azure Portal for basic tasks to get familiar with services.
📚 Recommended Study Resources:
Microsoft Learn: Free, self-paced learning modules.
Azure Documentation: Always up-to-date from Microsoft.
Practice Exams: Test your knowledge before the real exam. Linkedin Learning
Video Tutorials: YouTube and platforms like Udemy or Pluralsight.