AZ-305 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass First Try
10 Aug 2026·13 min read
Read →#AZ-104#Azure Administrator#Certification#Study Guide#Microsoft Azure
Here is the plan in one line: weeks 1–2 build identity and governance (the highest-weighted domain), weeks 3–5 cover storage and compute, weeks 6–7 handle networking and monitoring, and week 8 is dedicated to mock exams and weak-area review. The AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator exam is one of the most valuable cloud certifications you can earn in 2026 — it validates your ability to manage Azure subscriptions, secure identities, administer infrastructure, configure virtual networking, and monitor resources.
Info: Exam at a Glance
40–60 questions · 130-minute duration · Passing score: 700/1000 · Format: Multiple choice, case studies, drag-and-drop · Cost: $165 USD (approx. ₹14,000)
40–60
Questions
130
Minutes
700
Passing Score
5
Domains
Understanding the 5 Exam Domains
Microsoft weights each domain differently. Knowing where to invest your time is the first step to passing efficiently.
- ●Manage Azure Identities and Governance — 20–25% (Azure AD, RBAC, subscriptions, policies)
- ●Implement and Manage Storage — 15–20% (storage accounts, blob, file, access)
- ●Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources — 20–25% (VMs, containers, App Service)
- ●Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — 15–20% (VNets, NSGs, load balancers)
- ●Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — 10–15% (Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts, backups)
Tip: Pro Tip
Governance and Compute together make up nearly 50% of the exam. Spend at least 3 of your 8 study weeks on these two domains before touching storage or networking.
The 8-Week Study Plan
This plan assumes 1 hour of study per weekday and 2 hours on weekends — roughly 9 hours per week. Adjust based on your baseline Azure experience.
Week 1 — Azure Foundations & Identity
- ●Azure global infrastructure: regions, availability zones, resource groups
- ●Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID): tenants, users, groups
- ●RBAC: built-in roles, custom role definitions, scope levels
- ●Azure Policy: definitions, initiatives, compliance assessment
- ●Lab: Create a resource group, assign RBAC roles, apply a policy
Week 2 — Governance Deep Dive
- ●Management groups and subscription hierarchy
- ●Azure Blueprints for repeatable environment deployment
- ●Cost management: budgets, alerts, cost analysis
- ●Managed Identities (system-assigned and user-assigned)
- ●Conditional Access and MFA configuration
- ●Lab: Deploy a multi-subscription governance structure
Week 3 — Storage Solutions
- ●Storage account types: Standard, Premium, LRS, GRS, ZRS
- ●Blob containers: access tiers (hot, cool, archive), lifecycle policies
- ●Azure File Shares: SMB mounts, snapshot policies
- ●SAS tokens, stored access policies, encryption at rest
- ●Lab: Configure a storage account with lifecycle rules and monitor access
Week 4 — Compute: Virtual Machines
- ●VM sizes, families, and pricing models (reserved, spot, on-demand)
- ●Managed disks: OS disk, data disks, disk types and snapshots
- ●Availability Sets vs Availability Zones
- ●VM Scale Sets: autoscaling rules, rolling updates
- ●VM extensions, custom script execution, Run Command
- ●Lab: Deploy a VM, attach a disk, configure auto-scaling
Week 5 — Compute: Containers & App Service
- ●Azure Container Instances (ACI) for quick container deployments
- ●Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): cluster creation, node pools
- ●Azure Container Registry (ACR): pushing and pulling images
- ●App Service Plans and Web Apps: deployment slots, scaling
- ●Lab: Deploy a container to ACI and then migrate to AKS
Week 6 — Virtual Networking
- ●Virtual Networks (VNets): subnets, CIDR planning, peering
- ●Network Security Groups (NSGs): inbound/outbound rules, priority
- ●Azure Load Balancer: public vs internal, health probes, backend pools
- ●Application Gateway: path-based routing, WAF, SSL termination
- ●VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute basics
- ●Lab: Build a hub-spoke network with NSGs and a load balancer
Week 7 — Monitoring & Maintenance
- ●Azure Monitor: metrics, diagnostic settings, log collection
- ●Log Analytics Workspace: KQL basics, common queries
- ●Alert rules: metric alerts, log alerts, action groups
- ●Azure Backup: Recovery Services Vault, backup policies, restore
- ●Azure Site Recovery (ASR): replication, failover, failback
- ●Lab: Set up monitoring, alerts, and a backup policy for a VM
Week 8 — Mock Exams & Weak Area Review
- ●Take 3 full-length practice exams (MeasureUp, Whizlabs, or Microsoft Learn)
- ●Review every wrong answer — understand WHY, not just the correct option
- ●Revisit your 2 weakest domains with focused labs
- ●Re-read Microsoft documentation on confusing topics
- ●Rest 24 hours before the exam — avoid last-minute cramming
Warning: Common Mistake to Avoid
Most candidates fail because they memorize answers without understanding the underlying concepts. Azure regularly updates the question bank — understanding WHY an answer is correct is far more valuable than memorizing options.
Best Study Resources
- ●Microsoft Learn — free official learning paths for AZ-104 (learn.microsoft.com)
- ●Azure Free Account — $200 credit for 30 days + 12 months free services for hands-on labs
- ●John Savill's AZ-104 Study Cram on YouTube — excellent visual explanations
- ●MeasureUp practice tests — closest simulation to the real exam format
- ●Whizlabs or ExamTopics — additional question banks for breadth practice
- ●CloudTechTrainings live batch — instructor-led sessions Mon–Sat, Azure 9–10 AM IST
Exam Day Strategy
- 1Read every question twice — Azure questions often contain key qualifying words like "least privilege", "most cost-effective", or "without downtime"
- 2Eliminate obviously wrong answers first — this increases your odds even when guessing
- 3Flag uncertain questions and come back — don't spend 5 minutes on one question
- 4For case studies, read the requirements section FIRST, then the scenario
- 5Check networking questions carefully — NSG priority numbers are often tested (lower number = higher priority)
- 6Submit with time to spare — review flagged questions calmly
Tip: Remember
You need 700/1000 to pass. That's 70%. A strong week of revision in weeks 7–8 can close a significant knowledge gap. Don't reschedule out of anxiety — trust your preparation.
After Passing AZ-104
Congratulations on your future AZ-104 certification! Most Azure Administrators pursue AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer) or AZ-305 (Solutions Architect Expert) next. Both build on the core skills you've just mastered — identity, networking, compute, and storage.
At CloudTechTrainings, our 45-day Azure batch covers AZ-104, AZ-400, and AZ-305 in a single cohort — the most efficient path to becoming an Azure professional.
Ready to Start Your Cloud Journey?
Live batches Mon–Sat — Azure 9–10 AM IST (started 24 august 2026 — join in progress) · AWS 10:30–11:45 AM IST (starts 31 august 2026). Hands-on labs, exam prep, and community support.