Discusses the updated certification scopes and paths in Microsoft Azure as of the refresh in November 2016. As delivered to the Brisbane Azure User Group. Recording available at https://youtu.be/6u2HzShsyPY

1. So You Wanna Be Certified?
Azure Certification Exams
Dan Toomey
Mexia Consulting

2. No… not that.

3. Enabling the Digital Enterprise
Who am I?
• Senior Consultant / Integration Architect
• MCT, MCPD, MCTS BizTalk & Azure
• Pluralsight Author
• www.mindovermessaging.com
• @daniel2me

4. 

5. Reasons for Certification
• Be recognised as a consummate professional
• Validate skills
• Be hired
• Get a promotion
• Develop essential skills

6. 

7. Certification Paths
Azure Solutions
Architect

8. Certification Paths
Azure Solutions
Architect

9. Certification Paths

10. Certification Paths

11. Certification Paths

12. 

13. 70-532: Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions
Pre November 2016
Design and implement websites
Deploy websites * Configure websites * Configure diagnostics,
monitoring, and analytics * Implement web jobs * Configure websites
for scale and resilience * Design and implement applications for scale
and resilience
15‒20%
Create and manage virtual machines
Deploy workloads on Azure virtual machines (VMs) * Create and
manage a VM image or virtual hard disk * Perform configuration
management * Configure VM networking * Scale VMs * Design and
implement VM storage * Monitor VMs
20‒25%
Design and implement cloud services
Design and develop a cloud service * Configure cloud services and
roles * Deploy a cloud service * Monitor and debug a cloud service
20‒25%
Design and implement a storage strategy
Implement Azure Storage blobs and Azure files * Implement Azure
storage tables * Implement Azure storage queues * Manage access *
Monitor storage * Implement SQL databases
20‒25%
Manage application and network services
Integrate an app with Azure Active Directory * Configure a virtual
network * Modify network configuration * Design and implement a
communication strategy * Monitor communication * Implement
caching
15‒20%
Post November 2016 Refresh
Design and Implement Azure PaaS Compute and Web and
Mobile Services
Design Azure App Service Web Apps * Implement Azure Functions *
Implement API Management * Design Azure App Service API Apps *
Develop Azure App Service Logic Apps * Develop Azure App Service Mobile
Apps * Design and implement Azure Service Fabric apps
25-30%
Create and manage Azure Resource Manager virtual machines
Deploy workloads on Azure Resource Manager (ARM) virtual machines
(VMs) * Perform configuration management * Configure ARM VM
networking * Scale ARM VMs * Design and implement ARM VM storage *
Monitor ARM VMs * Manage ARM VM availability
30-35%
Design and implement a storage and data strategy
Implement Azure Storage blobs and Azure Files * Implement Azure storage
tables and queues * Manage access and monitor storage * Implement
Azure SQL Databases * Implement Azure DocumentDB * Implement Redis
caching * Implement Azure Search
25-30%
Manage identity, application, and network services
Integrate an app with Azure Active Directory (AAD) * Design and
implement a communication strategy * Design and implement a messaging
strategy * Develop apps that use AAD B2C and AAD B2B
15-20%
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/learning/exam-70-532.aspx

14. 70-533: Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
Pre November 2016
Deploy Web Apps
Deploy Web Apps * Configure Web Apps * Configure diagnostics, monitoring
and analytics * Configure scale & resilience * Manage App Service Plans
15-20%
Implement Virtual Machines
Deploy workloads on Azure virtual machines (VMs) * Implement images &
disks * Perform configuration management * Configure VM networking *
Configure VM resiliency * Design and implement VM storage * Monitor VMs
15-20%
Implement Storage
Implement Azure Storage blobs and Azure Files * Manage access * Configure
diagnostics, monitoring, and analytics * Implement Azure SQL Databases *
Implement recovery services
15-20%
Implement Azure Active Directory
Integrate an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) with existing directories *
Configure the Application Access Panel * Integrate an app with Azure Active
Directory (AAD)
15-20%
Implement Virtual Networks
Configure virtual networks * Modify network configuration * Design and
implement a multi-site or hybrid network
10-15%
Implement Cloud Services
Configure cloud services and roles * Deploy and manage cloud services *
Monitor cloud services
15-20%
Post November 2016 Refresh
Design and Implement Azure App Service Apps
Deploy Web Apps * Configure Web Apps * Configure diagnostics, monitoring and
analytics * Configure Web Apps for scale & resilience
15-20%
Create and Manage Azure Resource Manager Virtual Machines
Deploy workloads on Azure Resource Manager (ARM) virtual machines (VMs) *
Perform configuration management * Scale ARM VMs * Design and implement
ARM VM storage * Monitor ARM VMs * Manage ARM VM availability
20-25%
Design and Implement a Storage Strategy
Implement Azure Storage blobs and Azure Files * Manage access * Configure
diagnostics, monitoring, and analytics * Implement Azure SQL Databases *
Implement recovery services
20-25%
Implement Azure Active Directory
Integrate an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) with existing directories *
Configure application access * Integrate an app with Azure Active Directory (AAD)
* Integrate AAD B2C and AAD B2B
15-20%
Implement Virtual Networks
Configure virtual networks * Modify network configuration * Design and
implement a multi-site or hybrid network
10-15%
Design and Deploy ARM Templates
Implement ARM templates * Control access * Design role-based access control
(RBAC)
10-15%
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/learning/exam-70-533.aspx

15. 70-534: Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions
Current
Design Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Networking
Design Azure virtual networks * Describe Azure VPN and ExpressRoute architecture and design
5-10%
Secure Resources
Secure resources by using managed identities * Secure resources by using hybrid identities * Secure resources by using identity providers * Identify an appropriate data security solution
* Design a role-based access control (RBAC) strategy * Manage security risks by using Azure Security Center, Operations Management Suite, and other services
20-25%
Design an Application Storage and Data Access Strategy
Design data storage * Select the appropriate storage option
5-10%
Design Advanced Applications
Create compute-intensive applications * Create long-running applications * Integrate Azure services in a solution * Implement messaging applications * Implement applications for
background processing * Design connectivity for hybrid applications
20-25%
Design Azure Web and Mobile Apps
Design web applications * Design mobile applications
5-10%
Design a Management , Monitoring, and Business Continuity Strategy
Design a monitoring strategy * Describe business continuity/disaster recovery (BC/DR) by using Azure * Design a disaster recovery strategy * Design Azure Automation and PowerShell
workflows * Describe the use cases for Azure Automation configuration
20-25%
Architect an Azure Compute Infrastructure
Design ARM virtual machines (VMs) * Design ARM template deployment * Design for availability
10-15%
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/learning/exam-70-534.aspx

16. How to study
• Guide books
• Courses
– Next Up Exam Camps
(https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/auspartners/2016/02/29/next-up-exam-camps/)
– Microsoft Virtual Academy (http://mva.microsoft.com)
– Pluralsight
• Study groups
• Practice exams
– Measure Up
– Transcender
• Nothing beats doing!

17. MOOC (Massively Open Online Course)
https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/azureskills

18. 

19. What to expect?
Exam tries to test/validate if you understand the information:
• Less multiple choice
• More Drag and Drop
• Interacting with screen (not a VM) – screenshot and ask what options to configure
• More scenarios / case studies – more real world
• Expect Powershell!

20. Scoring
• 700 is passing (not 70%)
• 40 to 60 questions
• 1 to 4 hours to complete the exam
• No partial credit (answer is completely right or completely wrong)
• No deductions for wrong answer (so leave nothing blank!)
• Can review questions – but only within individual section

21. Case Studies
Case Study 1
•5 questions
Case Study 2
•4 questions
Random
•22 questions
Case Study 3
•5 questions
Case Study 4
•5 questions
Case Study 5
•4 questions
150 minutes
• Lots of case studies
• Each section is isolated – no going back once leaving a section
• Pace yourself!
45 questions total

22. • Some developers are working on a project that requires additional security. You need to
ensure that they can connect to the development and test virtual machines (VMs) over
a Secure Socket Tunnelling Protocol(SSTP) connection.
• What should you create?
Exam Question Types

23. Exam Question Types

24. Exam Question Types

25. 

26. Resources
• MSCE – Cloud Platform and Infrastructure:
– https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/learning/mcse-cloud-platform-infrastructure.aspx
• Microsoft Streamlines Technical Certifications:
– https://borntolearn.mslearn.net/b/weblog/posts/microsoft-streamlines-technical-certifications
• Microsoft Certification Changes & Goodbye MCSD Azure Solutions Architect
– https://buildazure.com/2016/09/27/microsoft-certification-changes-and-goodbye-to-mcsd-
azure-solutions-architect/
• Microsoft Virtual Academy – Azure Courses (146):
– https://mva.microsoft.com/search/SearchResults.aspx#!prod=Microsoft%20Azure&lang=1033
• MOOC (Massively Open Online Course):
– https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/azureskills
• Pluralsight:
– https://www.pluralsight.com/search?q=Azure+certification&categories=all

27. Thank you.