Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ‑104) Practice Exams
About the Azure AZ-104 exam
Exam at a glance
Microsoft's most popular Azure certification, sitting at the associate tier.
Domain weighting
- Manage Azure identities and governance: 20–25%
- Implement and manage storage: 15–20%
- Deploy and manage Azure compute resources: 20–25%
- Implement and manage virtual networking: 15–20%
- Monitor and maintain Azure resources: 10–15%
Who this exam is for
AZ-104 targets working Azure administrators who manage production Azure environments — identity, governance, storage, compute, networking, monitoring. Expect both portal and CLI/PowerShell scenarios, drag-and-drop ordering, case studies, and interactive lab-style tasks.
Prerequisites
No formal prereqs. Microsoft recommends six months or more of hands-on Azure admin experience plus comfort with operating systems, networking, virtualization, PowerShell, Azure CLI, ARM templates or Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID. AZ-900 is not required, but candidates new to Azure often clear it first to build vocabulary.
Why take this certification
- Highest-demand Azure credential. AZ-104 is the most-requested Azure certification on job listings worldwide and a baseline expectation for Azure-focused operations and cloud engineering roles.
- Competitive salary. Microsoft Certified Azure Administrators earn an average of $120,000 USD per year in the United States (source: PayScale, 2025), with senior cloud engineers reaching $135,000–$150,000.
- Gateway to the Expert tier. AZ-104 is the recommended stepping stone to the Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) and DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400).
- Practical, real-world skills. AZ-104 tests your ability to run production Azure environments — identity, RBAC, governance, storage, VMs, networking, monitoring — using the Azure portal, CLI, and PowerShell that you would actually reach for on the job.
What you'll learn in the AZ-104 exam
AZ-104 is hands-on. Most questions describe a live administrative task ("a user reports they cannot reach the web tier of an internal app — which NSG rule do you add?") and ask you to pick the right configuration, the right tool, or the right order of operations.
Core Azure services you'll be tested on
- Identity & governance: Microsoft Entra ID (users, groups, devices, application registration, guest invitations), RBAC, Azure Policy, management groups, resource locks, tags.
- Storage: Storage Accounts (Blob, File, Queue, Table), access tiers, lifecycle policies, encryption (SSE / customer-managed keys), Azure Files SMB / NFS, AzCopy, Storage Explorer.
- Compute: Virtual Machines (sizing, availability sets vs availability zones, scale sets, custom images, snapshots, managed disks), VM extensions, Azure App Service, Azure Container Instances, AKS basics.
- Networking: Virtual Networks, subnets, NSGs, Application Security Groups, peering, VPN Gateway (site-to-site / point-to-site), ExpressRoute basics, Application Gateway, Load Balancer (basic / standard), Azure DNS, public/private endpoints.
- Monitoring: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics workspaces, Kusto Query Language (KQL), Application Insights, metric alerts, action groups, diagnostic settings.
- Backup & recovery: Recovery Services Vault, Azure Backup (VM / files / SQL), Azure Site Recovery, soft delete, restore points.
Administrative patterns you'll need to recognize
- Granting access using the right RBAC role at the right scope (management group → subscription → RG → resource) and knowing when to use Azure Policy instead.
- Choosing storage replication (LRS / ZRS / GRS / RA-GRS / GZRS) for a given durability and read-region requirement.
- Designing VM high availability — availability sets, availability zones, scale sets — and matching them to SLA targets.
- Locking down a VNet with NSGs and ASGs, deciding between VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute, picking between Application Gateway, Load Balancer, and Front Door.
- Investigating an incident in Log Analytics with KQL, then wiring up alerts and action groups so it doesn't happen silently again.
- Recovering from data loss with Azure Backup or Site Recovery and meeting RTO/RPO requirements.
- Optimizing cost — reserved instances, Azure Hybrid Benefit, dev/test pricing, autoshutdown — without breaking SLAs.
How the practice exams help
Each free question and every premium exam mirrors the scenario-style format Microsoft uses — short stem with constraints, four to six plausible options, one or two correct. Detailed explanations cover not just why the right answer is right but why the distractors are wrong, so you learn the trade-offs rather than memorizing answers.
How to prepare for the AZ-104 exam
A successful AZ-104 preparation strategy combines structured study with daily hands-on portal time. Recommended approach:
- Study Azure services (3–4 weeks). Walk the official Microsoft Learn AZ-104 learning path. Hit identity, storage, and compute first — they account for roughly 60% of the exam.
- Hands-on labs (2–3 weeks). Spin up a free Azure account (12 months of popular services free, $200 credit for 30 days). Build the scenarios you read about — RBAC across scopes, storage account replication, VM scale sets, hub-and-spoke VNets, an alert in Log Analytics. Pair the portal with Cloud Shell so you build CLI / PowerShell reps at the same time.
- Review the official study guide (1 week). The AZ-104 study guide spells out exactly what is in scope. Pay attention to the change log at the top — Microsoft updates the skills measured roughly every 6–12 months.
- Practice exams (1–2 weeks). Take timed practice tests to surface weak areas. Detailed explanations on every answer option help you learn the reasoning rather than memorize answers. Aim for consistent 80%+ scores before scheduling.
Recommended timeline
6–10 weeks of focused study (8–12 hours per week) for IT admins with some Azure exposure. Pure beginners should expect 10–14 weeks and consider sitting AZ-900 first.
Official resources
Download the official AZ-104 study guide, walk the free Microsoft Learn AZ-104 learning path, and take the official Microsoft practice assessment for a feel of question style and difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
Are these actual exam questions?
No. All Nex Arc Azure AZ-104 practice questions are original content based on the provider's published exam blueprint, official documentation, and real-world scenarios across every topic the exam covers. We do not offer brain dumps, leaked questions, or actual exam content. Using or distributing real exam questions violates certification provider agreements and can result in certification revocation.
How many questions are in the Azure AZ-104 exam?
Microsoft does not publish a fixed question count, but candidates typically see 40 to 60 questions across multiple formats: multiple choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop, case studies, and interactive lab-style tasks. You have 100 minutes to complete the assessment.
What's the AZ-104 passing score?
The passing score is 700 out of 1000. Microsoft uses a scaled scoring model, so not every question carries equal weight. You will not see a per-domain breakdown of your score, only an overall pass/fail result with a high-level score report.
How do I access the full AZ-104 practice exam?
Click on the Buy Now button in the sidebar to purchase the complete Azure AZ-104 course. After payment, you'll have instant access to 12 practice exams with detailed explanations and lifetime access.
What are the prerequisites for the AZ-104 exam?
There are no formal prerequisites. Microsoft recommends at least six months of hands-on experience administering Azure, plus familiarity with operating systems, networking, servers, virtualization, PowerShell, Azure CLI, the Azure portal, ARM templates or Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID. AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals is not required but is a useful warm-up if you are new to Azure.
How long is the AZ-104 certification valid?
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification is valid for one year. Microsoft offers free annual renewal via an online assessment on Microsoft Learn — you don't need to retake the full proctored exam or pay another fee. The renewal opens six months before your expiration date, and Microsoft sends reminder emails.
What's the exam cost and can I retake it if I fail?
The AZ-104 exam costs $165 USD in the United States (prices vary by country). The exam is delivered through Pearson VUE at testing centers or via online proctoring. If you fail, you must wait 24 hours before your first retake. Subsequent retakes have longer waiting periods (14 days), with a maximum of five attempts per 12-month period. Each attempt requires a new exam fee.
What Azure services are most heavily tested on AZ-104?
Based on the five exam domains, the most frequently tested services are: Microsoft Entra ID (users, groups, devices, RBAC), Azure Resource Manager and Azure Policy, Storage Accounts (Blob, File, lifecycle, encryption), Virtual Machines (sizing, availability sets vs zones, scale sets, disks, snapshots), Virtual Networks (NSGs, peering, VPN Gateway, Application Gateway, Load Balancer), Azure Monitor and Log Analytics (KQL, alerts, action groups), and Azure Backup and Site Recovery. Expect both portal-based and CLI/PowerShell scenarios.
How does AZ-104 differ from AZ-900 and AZ-305?
AZ-900 (Fundamentals) is an entry-level conceptual exam — no hands-on Azure required, focuses on cloud concepts, core services, pricing, and governance. AZ-104 (Administrator Associate) is the hands-on operations exam — you manage live Azure environments and need real CLI / portal experience. AZ-305 (Solutions Architect Expert) sits above AZ-104 and focuses on designing solutions rather than administering them — it tests trade-offs between services across identity, data, business continuity, and infrastructure.
Can I retake the AZ-104 exam if I fail?
Yes. Microsoft requires a 24-hour wait before the first retake. From the second retake onward you must wait 14 days, with a maximum of five attempts in any 12-month period. You pay the full $165 exam fee each time. Microsoft occasionally bundles an Exam Replay voucher (one paid retake) at a discount when you first register.