Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
AZ-900 course and syllabus
AZ-900 proves you understand cloud concepts and the core of Microsoft Azure. It is the usual first step into an Azure career, and it is the right place to start if you are new. This course follows the official skills outline topic by topic.
Exam at a glance
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Level
- Fundamentals
- Domains
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
Syllabus: skills measured as of July 20, 2026, checked against Microsoft Learn on 11 November 2026. Always confirm exam length, price and format on the official exam page. Microsoft also offers a free practice assessment.
The three exam domains
Describe cloud concepts
What the cloud actually is, why businesses moved to it, the cloud models and service types, and the benefits every Azure conversation is built on.
24 of 24 tutorials published
Describe Azure architecture and services
How Azure is physically and logically organised, and the core compute, networking, storage, identity and security services you will meet in every project.
38 of 38 tutorials published
Describe Azure management and governance
Keeping Azure under control: cost, compliance, policy, the tools you deploy and manage with, and how you monitor what is running.
17 of 17 tutorials published
Complete official syllabus
Every objective Microsoft lists, with the tutorials that teach it. Topics marked “coming next” are being written. We do not publish empty pages. Topics marked “beyond the exam” are not in the current outline but come up in real projects and interviews.
Describe cloud computing
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1.1.1 Define cloud computing
What is Cloud Computing?What is Microsoft Azure?Why Companies Use the CloudOn-premises vs Cloud
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1.1.2 Describe the shared responsibility model
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1.1.3 Define cloud models, including public, private, and hybrid
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1.1.4 Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud model
On-premises vs CloudPublic CloudPrivate CloudHybrid and Multi-cloud
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1.1.5 Describe the consumption-based model
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1.1.6 Compare cloud pricing models
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1.1.7 Describe serverless
Describe the benefits of using cloud services
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1.2.1 Describe the benefits of high availability and scalability in the cloud
Why Companies Use the CloudHigh AvailabilityScalabilityElasticity
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1.2.2 Describe the benefits of reliability and predictability in the cloud
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1.2.3 Describe the benefits of security and governance in the cloud
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1.2.4 Describe the benefits of manageability in the cloud
Describe cloud service types
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1.3.1 Describe infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
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1.3.2 Describe platform as a service (PaaS)
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1.3.3 Describe software as a service (SaaS)
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1.3.4 Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud service type (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS)
Describe the core architectural components of Azure
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2.1.1 Describe Azure regions, region pairs, and sovereign regions
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2.1.2 Describe availability zones
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2.1.3 Describe Azure datacenters
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2.1.4 Describe Azure resources and resource groups
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2.1.5 Describe subscriptions
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2.1.6 Describe management groups
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2.1.7 Describe the hierarchy of resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups
Describe Azure compute and networking services
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2.2.1 Compare compute types, including containers, virtual machines, and functions
Compute Types: VMs, Containers and FunctionsAzure FunctionsContainer Instances, Container Apps and AKS
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2.2.2 Describe virtual machine options, including Azure virtual machines, Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets, availability sets, and Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual MachinesVM Scale Sets and Availability SetsAzure Virtual Desktop
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2.2.3 Describe the resources required for virtual machines
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2.2.4 Describe application hosting options, including web apps, containers, and virtual machines
Azure App ServiceContainer Instances, Container Apps and AKS
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2.2.5 Describe virtual networking, including the purpose of Azure virtual networks, subnets, peering, Azure DNS, Azure VPN Gateway, and ExpressRoute
Virtual Networks and SubnetsVirtual Network PeeringNetwork Security GroupsAzure VPN GatewayAzure ExpressRouteAzure DNS
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2.2.6 Define public and private endpoints
Describe Azure storage services
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2.3.1 Compare Azure Storage services
Storage Accounts and Storage TypesBlob Storage and Access TiersAzure Files, Queues, Tables and Managed Disks
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2.3.2 Describe storage tiers
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2.3.3 Describe redundancy options
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2.3.4 Describe storage account options and storage types
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2.3.5 Identify options for moving files, including AzCopy, Azure Storage Explorer, and Azure File Sync
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2.3.6 Describe migration options, including Azure Migrate and Azure Data Box
Describe Azure identity, access, and security
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2.4.1 Describe directory services in Azure, including Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Entra Domain Services
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2.4.2 Describe authentication methods in Azure, including single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication (MFA), and passwordless
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2.4.3 Describe external identities in Azure
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2.4.4 Describe Microsoft Entra Conditional Access
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2.4.5 Describe Azure role-based access control (RBAC)
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2.4.6 Describe the concept of Zero Trust
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2.4.7 Describe the purpose of the defense-in-depth model
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2.4.8 Describe the purpose of Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Beyond the exam (real-world extras)
Not listed in the current skills outline, but interviewers and projects expect you to know them.
Load Balancer, Application Gateway and Front Door · coming nextAzure Virtual WAN · coming nextAzure SQL, SQL Managed Instance and Cosmos DB · coming next
Describe cost management in Azure
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3.1.1 Describe factors that can affect costs in Azure
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3.1.2 Explore the pricing calculator
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3.1.3 Describe cost management capabilities in Azure
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3.1.4 Describe the purpose of tags
Describe features and tools in Azure for governance and compliance
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3.2.1 Describe the purpose of Microsoft Purview in Azure
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3.2.2 Describe the purpose of Azure Policy
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3.2.3 Describe the purpose of resource locks
Describe features and tools for managing and deploying Azure resources
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3.3.1 Describe the Azure portal
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3.3.2 Describe Azure Cloud Shell, Azure CLI, and Azure PowerShell
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3.3.3 Describe the purpose of Azure Arc
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3.3.4 Describe infrastructure as code (IaC)
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3.3.5 Describe Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and ARM templates
Describe monitoring tools in Azure
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3.4.1 Describe the purpose of Azure Advisor
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3.4.2 Describe Azure Service Health
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3.4.3 Describe Azure Monitor, including Log Analytics, Azure Monitor alerts, and Azure Monitor Application Insights
Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Alerts and Application Insights
Beyond the exam (real-world extras)
Not listed in the current skills outline, but interviewers and projects expect you to know them.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) · coming nextSLAs and the Service Lifecycle · coming next