The 10 Most In-Demand Azure Certifications in 2024
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Azure certifications validate the knowledge required to design, build, test and maintain solutions in Microsoft's cloud environment. They demonstrate proficiency with Azure's services across skill sets and use cases like application development, data engineering, cloud administration, and security.
As more organizations adopt cloud computing, Azure certifications and skills are becoming increasingly valuable for IT professionals. They provide third-party validation of abilities, keep skills current in a rapidly changing landscape, and can improve hiring prospects and career advancement.
With Microsoft's cloud dominance only expected to grow in the years ahead, Azure certifications will continue increasing in popularity. This article covers the top 10 Azure certifications advancing your cloud career in 2024 and beyond. They range from foundational to role-based and speciality exams, allowing you to demonstrate Azure expertise across multiple functions.
Top 10 Azure Certifications in 2024
1. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification (AZ-104) is the ideal starting point for anyone looking to demonstrate foundational knowledge of cloud services and how those concepts apply to Azure.
It can be a stepping stone to more advanced Azure certifications or be used to prove your expertise during a job search.
This Azure certification covers cloud concepts, security, privacy, compliance, and trust.
Some key topics include:
- Cloud types and services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). - Core Azure architecture and services like virtual machines, storage, networking, and identity. - Security features like encryption, identity management, and access controls. - Privacy, compliance, and data protection standards in Azure.
The Azure Fundamentals certification is useful for those in non-technical business roles who want to prove fundamental knowledge of the cloud. It's also a good fit for those early in their IT or cloud careers looking to prove core Azure proficiency.
2. Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate certification is designed for data professionals responsible for designing and implementing data solutions on the Azure platform. This certification focuses primarily on skills needed for complex data-related tasks like building analytics solutions, managing self-service platforms, and orchestrating data pipelines.
The Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203) certification covers topics like:
- Designing and implementing data storage solutions on Azure like relational databases, SQL databases, data warehousing, and data lakes.
- Processing big data on Azure using batch processing, streaming analytics, and Hadoop.
- Deploying and managing Azure Databricks and running Spark jobs.
- Automating and monitoring data solutions for scaling and optimization.
The Azure Data Engineer Associate certification is geared towards data architects, engineers, and developers. Data professionals who actively design, develop, maintain, and operate data infrastructure in the cloud will find this certification highly valuable. It focuses directly on practical skills needed for real-world data engineering projects on Azure.
3. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
The Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate certification demonstrates your ability to implement AI solutions involving natural language processing (NLP), speech, computer vision, and conversational AI.
This certification focuses on analyzing data and requirements to design AI solutions; architecting and implementing AI models. It also covers managing, monitoring, deploying AI solutions, and configuring policies and security for responsible AI.
This certification is ideal for software engineers, developers, data scientists, and other IT professionals looking to advance their skills in implementing AI solutions on Azure.
The topics covered include:
- Developing Generative AI solutions with Azure OpenAI Service. - Implementing natural language processing solutions. - Building computer vision solutions with Azure AI Vision. - Deploying, managing, and monitoring AI solutions in Azure.
By earning the Azure AI Engineer Associate certification, you can showcase your expertise in designing and implementing AI solutions on the Azure platform. With Azure's robust AI capabilities, this certification will be essential for IT professionals looking to advance their skills and careers in AI engineering.
4. Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certification is designed for software developers and web developers who design, build, test, and maintain cloud applications and services on Microsoft Azure.
This certification focuses on key skills like implementing solutions using Azure services like App Service, Functions, Logic Apps, and developing Azure storage solutions. The exam covers other important areas like implementing authentication and securing data with Azure solutions.
Some of the key topics covered in this exam include:
- Develop solutions that use Azure Cosmos DB or Azure Storage. - Develop solutions with Azure App Service and Azure Functions. - Implement security for applications and services on Azure. - Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions.
The Azure Developer Associate certification is ideal for programmers and developers who want to demonstrate skills in building complete cloud solutions on Azure. It provides proof of expertise in implementing core Azure services and infrastructure from design and implementation to deployment, management and security.
Earning this certification can help developers stand out and qualify for roles like Azure Developer, Cloud Developer, Azure Software Engineer, and other cloud-focused development positions. The skills covered align with real-world tasks and responsibilities in the workplace.
5. Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate certification validates your skills in implementing security controls and threat protection, managing identity and access. It also involves protecting data, applications, and networks in cloud and hybrid environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure.
This Azure certification is designed for IT professionals with experience managing cloud security. Earning this certification demonstrates your expertise in managing overall security posture, providing security advice to stakeholders, and proactively improving Azure deployments' security.
This exam focuses on four key domains:
- Manage Identity and Access - Manage Security Operations - Secure Data and Applications - Manage Governance and Compliance
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Who Should Earn This Certification?
The Azure Security Engineer Associate certification is ideal for security administrators, IT security specialists, security analysts, security engineers, and other professionals responsible for implementing and managing security solutions on the Microsoft Azure platform.
Some recommended prerequisites for this certification include having experience with Azure Active Directory, Azure Key Vault, Azure Sentinel, and other Azure security services.
6. Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is one of the most advanced Azure certifications. It validates an individual's expertise in designing and implementing complex Azure solutions that span multiple services and aspects of enterprise cloud infrastructure.
This Azure certification demonstrates proficiency across various aspects of IT architecture including design principles, DevOps, security, identity, governance, cost optimization, and migration. The prerequisite for this exam is the Azure Administrator exam.
Who Should Get This Certification?
The Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is intended for IT professionals like cloud architects, cloud engineers, DevOps engineers, and system architects who advise stakeholders, translate requirements, and design optimal Azure-based solutions.
Some of the key topics and domains covered in this certification include:
- Designing monitoring, identity, governance, and security solutions on Azure - Selecting optimal Azure services and features to meet technical requirements - Designing applications on Azure with appropriate data storage, caching, and analytics services - Architecting cost-optimized and operationally-excellent solutions
Overall, the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification validates technical skills and expertise in designing robust and secure cloud solutions on the Azure platform. It's one of the most valuable cloud certifications for experienced IT architects and Cloud professionals.
7. Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert
The Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert certification demonstrates your skills in implementing DevOps practices. This advanced certification targets experienced DevOps professionals leading DevOps practices across teams with broad and deep technical expertise in Azure administration, infrastructure, networking, DevOps, and development.
This Azure certification covers topics like:
- Adopting DevOps in an organization. - Managing code, Git, and GitHub in Azure DevOps. - Implementing continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). - Managing and monitoring build infrastructure. - Testing applications, databases, and infrastructure. - Managing application configuration and secrets.
The Azure DevOps Engineer Expert certification is recommended for experienced DevOps engineers and technical leaders looking to demonstrate advanced skills. It can help you stand out and pursue senior DevOps roles managing large-scale deployments, automation, and cross-team alignment on implementing DevOps practices. The certification exam requires deep knowledge across Azure, DevOps methodology, infrastructure as code, and next-gen application architectures.
Overall, this advanced certification validates complete proficiency in optimizing Azure DevOps and proving end-to-end capabilities to design and implement robust DevOps solutions on Azure.
8. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
The Azure Administrator Associate certification is designed for individuals responsible for implementing, managing, and monitoring an organization's Microsoft Azure environment. This certification focuses on the skills based on Azure services and workloads.
This Azure certification covers core administrative tasks like managing Azure identities and governance, implementing and managing storage, deploying and managing virtual machines, configuring and managing virtual networks, and monitoring and backing up Azure resources.
To earn the certification, candidates must pass the AZ-104 exam. This exam tests knowledge across services and workloads, including Azure Active Directory, storage, virtual machines, networking, Azure subscriptions, resource groups, and more.
This certification is a good fit for professionals with at least six months of hands-on experience administering Azure and a strong understanding of core Azure services, workloads, security, governance, and general IT processes and procedures.
This Azure certification covers the following topics:
- Manage Azure identities and governance. - Implement and manage storage. - Configure and manage virtual networking. - Monitor and back up Azure resources.
With this certification, you can demonstrate the ability to manage Azure subscriptions and resources, manage storage, virtual networks, virtual machines, and monitor Azure services. It provides a strong foundation for an Azure administration career.
9. Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900)
The Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification is an entry-level certification that validates foundational knowledge of security, compliance, and identity concepts in Microsoft Azure.
SC900 is targeted at those new to the cybersecurity field or those looking to familiarize themselves with Microsoft's security, compliance, and identity products and services.
The Azure certification covers topics like:
- Managing Azure AD identities and roles - Managing identity synchronization with on-premises AD - Securing authentication through methods like MFA and conditional access - Using Privileged Identity Management and entitlement management - Monitoring access and identifying threats
Overall, the SC900 certification brings value by validating core knowledge that organizations need when moving security and compliance workloads to Azure. It provides a competitive edge for those looking to get a start or build a career in cloud security.
10. Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator
The SC300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator certification is designed for IT professionals who manage identity and access management solutions in organizations using Azure AD and third-party components.
The exam covers topics like:
- Managing identity synchronization with on-premises AD - Enabling external identities and social logins - Securing authentication through methods like MFA and conditional access - Providing Single Sign On access to apps and resources - Using PIM and entitlement management
The SC300 is suited for roles like identity administrators, access administrators, and identity DevOps engineers. Some recommended prerequisites are Azure AD fundamentals knowledge and administration experience with Azure AD. It also requires federated identity, entitlement management, and third-party authentication providers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these top 10 Azure certifications for 2024 represent the most valuable credentials for technical roles working with Microsoft's cloud platform.
Earning one or more of these top certifications can showcase expertise to employers, and help professionals stand out for Azure-related positions. The demand for Azure skills will continue rising, so getting certified in 2024 can advance your career in the cloud.