AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals: 2025 Study Plan and Key Topics

Understanding Cloud Concepts for AZ-900

Introduction

The Microsoft AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals certification is designed for individuals starting their journey into cloud computing. A major portion of the exam revolves around understanding cloud concepts – what cloud computing is, its deployment models, service models, and the economic and operational benefits it offers.

This foundational knowledge provides context for why businesses adopt cloud services and how Azure delivers its solutions. Whether you’re a student, IT generalist, or business stakeholder, mastering these core ideas will support your broader understanding of Microsoft Azure.

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services – including storage, servers, networking, databases, analytics, and software – over the internet. Instead of building and maintaining physical servers, users access services on demand from a cloud provider like Microsoft Azure.

Cloud computing enables scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency by allowing organizations to pay only for the services they use and scale resources up or down based on demand.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

High Availability

Cloud platforms like Azure are built on global infrastructure that ensures high availability. This means services are operational and accessible even in the face of hardware failures or network disruptions.

Scalability

Cloud resources can be scaled vertically (upgrading existing resources) or horizontally (adding more instances) to meet changing demand. This ensures optimal performance without over-provisioning.

Elasticity

Cloud environments automatically adjust resources to handle sudden changes in workload. Elasticity is especially valuable for applications with fluctuating usage patterns.

Agility

Cloud computing allows organizations to quickly deploy and iterate solutions without waiting for hardware procurement or infrastructure setup.

Fault Tolerance

Cloud services are designed with redundancy and replication in mind. Systems can continue functioning correctly even when components fail.

Disaster Recovery

Azure provides built-in tools for backup and recovery, enabling organizations to recover from data loss or service outages quickly and with minimal disruption.

Global Reach

Azure operates in multiple regions worldwide. Customers can deploy applications close to their users for lower latency and regional compliance.

Cloud Computing Service Models

Understanding the three core service models is essential for the AZ-900 exam. These models define the level of control and responsibility shared between the cloud provider and the user.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS provides fundamental building blocks like virtual machines, storage, and networks.

User responsibilities include managing:

•         Operating systems
•         Applications
•         Data
•         Runtime environments

Azure services offering IaaS include:

•         Azure Virtual Machines
•         Azure Virtual Network
•         Azure Blob Storage

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS abstracts infrastructure management, enabling users to focus on application development.

User responsibilities include managing:

•         Applications
•         Data

Azure services offering PaaS include:

•         Azure App Service
•         Azure SQL Database
•         Azure Functions

Software as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS delivers fully functional applications accessible through web browsers or APIs.

User responsibilities include:

•         Managing application usage and data

Examples of SaaS:

•         Microsoft 365
•         Dynamics 365
•         Outlook.com

Cloud Deployment Models

Cloud deployment models describe how cloud services are made available. Each model has distinct advantages and is suitable for specific use cases.

Public Cloud

Services are hosted on shared infrastructure managed by a third-party provider. This model provides cost efficiency and minimal management overhead.

Azure is a public cloud platform.

Private Cloud

Private cloud environments are dedicated to a single organization. They can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider, but offer more control and customization.

Private clouds are often used in highly regulated industries.

Hybrid Cloud

The hybrid cloud combines public and private environments. This model supports legacy applications, data residency requirements, and flexible resource scaling.

Azure supports hybrid deployments with tools like:

•         Azure Arc
•         Azure Stack

Shared Responsibility Model

Cloud security is a shared responsibility between the provider and the customer.

Provider responsibilities:

•         Physical datacenter security
•         Network infrastructure
•         Hypervisor-level security
•         Hardware maintenance

Customer responsibilities:

•         User access and identity
•         Data classification and encryption
•         Operating system updates (in IaaS)
•         Network controls and firewall rules

The degree of responsibility varies depending on the service model used. SaaS requires less customer management than IaaS.

CapEx vs OpEx in Cloud Computing

Understanding cost models is crucial in cloud economics and business decision-making.

Capital Expenditure (CapEx)

CapEx refers to upfront costs to purchase and own physical assets like servers, storage, and networking equipment.

Operational Expenditure (OpEx)

OpEx covers ongoing costs related to using services. In cloud computing, resources are rented and paid for monthly, aligning better with actual usage.

The cloud model shifts most IT spending from CapEx to OpEx, offering:

•         Better budget predictability
•         Flexibility to scale resources
•         Reduced long-term infrastructure costs

Consumption-Based Model

In the cloud, you typically only pay for what you use. Azure’s consumption-based model is cost-efficient because

•         Services are billed per second or per minute
•         Unused resources can be deprovisioned
•         Budgets can be optimized with tools like Azure Cost Management

Economies of Scale in Cloud Computing

Large-scale cloud providers like Microsoft can purchase hardware in bulk and optimize infrastructure more efficiently than most enterprises. These cost savings are passed on to customers through lower prices for compute, storage, and bandwidth.

Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing

The AZ-900 exam emphasizes the following key characteristics:

High Availability

Systems are accessible and operational with minimal downtime.

Scalability

Services scale based on demand automatically or manually.

Elasticity

Resources expand or contract dynamically with workload changes.

Agility

Quick deployment of services and updates.

Fault Tolerance

Services continue to function even when components fail.

Disaster Recovery

Recovery strategies and backup mechanisms for data continuity.

Serverless Computing

Serverless computing allows developers to run code without managing servers. It is ideal for short-running tasks, event-driven automation, and reducing infrastructure overhead.

Azure offers serverless services like:

•         Azure Functions
•         Azure Logic Apps

These services scale automatically and are billed based on actual execution time. 

Core Azure Services and Architectural Components for AZ-900

Introduction

Understanding Azure’s architecture and core services is essential for passing the AZ-900 exam. This section covers how Azure is structured, the fundamental building blocks of the platform, and the most commonly used services across compute, networking, storage, and identity management.

Microsoft Azure is more than just virtual machines and databases – it’s a global infrastructure supporting a wide range of solutions, from small web applications to enterprise-scale systems. Knowing how these services fit into Azure’s architecture helps you choose the right tools and technologies for specific business needs.

Core Architectural Components of Microsoft Azure

Azure Regions

A region is a geographical area containing at least one, but often multiple, data centers. Azure has more regions than any other cloud provider, enabling customers to deploy services close to users for better latency and data sovereignty.

Each region is associated with:

•         Physical location (e.g., East US, West Europe)
•         Paired with another region to support redundancy

Availability Zones

Availability zones are physically separate locations within a region. Each zone is made up of one or more datacenters equipped with independent power, cooling, and networking.

Zones support high availability by distributing workloads across multiple locations. Key services like Azure Virtual Machines and Azure Kubernetes Service can be deployed across zones for fault tolerance.

Resource Groups

Resource groups are logical containers for Azure resources. They help organize and manage resources like VMs, storage accounts, and databases as a single unit.

Resource groups enable

•         Unified management and monitoring
•         Easier access control with role assignments
•         Automated deployment using templates

Azure Subscriptions

A subscription is an agreement with Microsoft to use Azure services. It groups resources for billing and access control.

Multiple subscriptions can be used to:

•         Separate environments (e.g., development, testing, production)
•         Apply different billing models or departments
•         Enforce role-based access and policies

Management Groups

Management groups help organize subscriptions into hierarchies for governance and policy enforcement across large organizations.

They allow you to:

•         Apply Azure Policy and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
•         Group related subscriptions for compliance management

Core Azure Services

The AZ-900 exam requires familiarity with commonly used Azure services across major categories such as compute, storage, networking, and identity. These services are the foundation for most Azure deployments.

Azure Compute Services

Azure offers several services to run and manage computing workloads.

Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)

VMs are IaaS offerings that allow you to run Windows or Linux instances in the cloud. You choose the VM size, OS, and configuration.

Use cases:

•         Custom applications
•         Legacy workloads
•         Development environments

Azure App Service

App Service is a PaaS offering to host web apps, REST APIs, and mobile backends. It simplifies deployment and management, with built-in scaling and DevOps support.

Use cases:

•         Public-facing websites
•         Business logic layers
•         API hosting

Azure Functions

Functions provide serverless compute, letting you run code in response to events or triggers without managing infrastructure. They scale automatically and charge only for execution time.

Use cases:

•         File processing
•         Real-time notifications
•         Automation workflows

Azure Container Instances and Azure Kubernetes Service

Azure supports containerized applications through

•         Azure Container Instances (ACI): Run containers without managing servers
•         Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): Managed Kubernetes for orchestrating large containerized applications

Use cases:

•         Microservices architectures
•         DevOps workflows
•         Application modernization

Azure Networking Services

Azure includes several networking tools to securely connect, route, and distribute traffic within and outside the Azure platform.

Azure Virtual Network (VNet)

VNets are private, isolated networks in Azure that enable communication between Azure resources. They support features like:

•         Subnets
•         Route tables
•         Network security groups

Use cases:

•         Multi-tier application design
•         Secure internal communication
•         Hybrid cloud connectivity

Azure Load Balancer

A Layer 4 (TCP/UDP) load balancer for high availability and performance. It distributes traffic across multiple virtual machines.

Use cases:

•         Application scalability
•         Redundancy for services

Azure Application Gateway

A Layer 7 load balancer with web application firewall (WAF) capabilities. It supports HTTP/HTTPS traffic and SSL termination.

Use cases:

•         Secure web application delivery
•         Application-based routing

Azure VPN Gateway

A VPN Gateway enables secure connections between Azure VNets and on-premises networks through IPsec/IKE tunnels.

Use cases:

•         Hybrid cloud connectivity
•         Remote access for employees

Azure ExpressRoute

ExpressRoute offers a dedicated, private connection between on-premises infrastructure and Azure datacenters. It provides higher speed and more security than public internet connections.

Use cases:

•         Mission-critical workloads
•         Compliance-driven applications

Azure Storage Services

Storage is a core Azure component used for files, databases, logs, backups, and media. Azure offers highly scalable, durable, and cost-effective storage options.

Azure Blob Storage

Object storage for unstructured data such as images, videos, and documents. It is highly scalable and accessible via HTTPS/S.

Use cases:

•         Media streaming
•         Static website hosting
•         Backup and archiving

Azure Disk Storage

Provides persistent storage for Azure VMs. Each VM can have one or more attached disks.

Use cases:

•         VM operating systems
•         Database workloads
•         High IOPS requirements

Azure File Storage

Offers fully managed file shares accessible via SMB protocol. It allows for lift-and-shift migrations of legacy applications using shared drives.

Use cases:

•         Shared folders for applications
•         Lift-and-shift migrations

Azure Archive and Cool Storage Tiers

Designed for long-term retention or infrequent access. Cool and Archive tiers reduce storage costs for cold data.

Use cases:

•         Data archiving
•         Regulatory compliance

Azure Database Services

Azure provides various database options based on workload and application needs.

Azure SQL Database

A managed relational database service based on Microsoft SQL Server. It offers high availability, scaling, and automated backups.

Use cases:

•         Enterprise apps
•         SaaS products

Azure Cosmos DB

A globally distributed, multi-model NoSQL database designed for low-latency access.

Use cases:

•         IoT solutions
•         Real-time analytics
•         Web and mobile apps

Azure Database for MySQL and PostgreSQL

Managed open-source relational databases. They provide backup, scaling, and high availability.

Use cases:

•         Open-source application support
•         Web hosting environments

Azure Identity and Access Services

Azure includes integrated tools for managing users, authentication, and access control.

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)

A cloud-based identity and access management service. It enables:

•         Single sign-on (SSO)
•         Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
•         Integration with Microsoft 365, SaaS, and custom applications

Use cases:

•         Secure user access to apps
•         Centralized identity management

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

RBAC allows fine-grained access control by assigning roles to users, groups, or services at different scopes (subscription, resource group, resource).

Use cases:

•         Access separation by department or role
•         Principle of least privilege

Azure AD Conditional Access

Policies that enforce access controls based on conditions like location, device state, and user behavior.

Use cases:

•         Enhanced security
•         Regulatory compliance

Monitoring and Management Tools

Monitoring helps ensure application performance and system health.

Azure Monitor

Provides metrics, logs, and alerts across Azure services.

Use cases:

•         Performance analysis
•         Troubleshooting

Azure Advisor

Provides personalized recommendations on cost savings, security, and performance optimization.

Use cases:

•         Post-deployment analysis
•         Security improvement

Azure Service Health

Notifies users of Azure service outages and planned maintenance events.

Use cases:

•         Incident response planning
•         Communications with stakeholders

Azure Marketplace

Azure Marketplace is an online store with pre-built solutions, services, and applications that can be integrated into Azure environments.

Examples include:

•         Virtual appliances
•         Machine learning models
•         Development stacks

Use cases:

•         Rapid deployment of solutions
•         Integration with partner ecosystems

Azure Governance, Compliance, and Cost Management for AZ-900

Introduction

Understanding governance, compliance, and cost management is critical for maintaining control over cloud resources, ensuring regulatory alignment, and optimizing budgets. In this part of the AZ-900 study guide, we explore the key tools and services Azure offers to help manage permissions, enforce policies, maintain security, and monitor costs effectively.

These concepts are essential not just for IT professionals but also for business and financial stakeholders responsible for accountability, legal compliance, and strategic planning within cloud environments.

Azure Governance Features

Azure governance refers to the mechanisms that organizations use to manage their cloud environments effectively and securely.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control enables precise control over who can perform what actions on specific Azure resources. RBAC is based on three main components:

•         Security principal (user, group, service principal)
•         Role definition (set of permissions)
•         Scope (level of application – subscription, resource group, or resource)

Examples of built-in roles:

•         Reader (view-only access)
•         Contributor (modify resources, but not grant access)
•         Owner (full control, including assigning access)

RBAC supports the principle of least privilege, ensuring users have only the access they need.

Azure Policy

Azure Policy is a service that enforces standards and assesses compliance at scale.

Key capabilities:

•         Prevents non-compliant resources from being created
•         Remediates existing resources automatically or manually
•         Monitors resource configuration across multiple subscriptions

Common policy scenarios:

•         Enforce resource tagging
•         Allow only specific VM sizes
•         Restrict resource deployment to certain regions

Policies are grouped into initiatives for broader compliance scenarios (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, or GDPR).

Azure Blueprints

Azure Blueprints help define and repeatably deploy a governed environment that includes:

•         Role assignments
•         Policies
•         ARM templates
•         Resource groups

Blueprints are especially useful in enterprise and multi-environment deployments where consistency is critical.

Example use case:

•         Automatically set up a development environment with predefined governance controls and infrastructure.

Resource Locks

Resource Locks prevent accidental deletion or modification of critical resources.

Two types:

•         ReadOnly: Allows read operations only
•         CanNotDelete: Allows all actions except delete

Locks are often applied to production environments, resource groups, or mission-critical services.

Azure Resource Graph

Azure Resource Graph is a query tool that lets you explore and analyze resources across subscriptions using the Kusto Query Language (KQL).

Use cases:

•         Inventory management
•         Compliance auditing
•         Security analysis

It provides visibility into all resources and their properties across large environments.

Compliance in Azure

Azure compliance tools and features help organizations meet regulatory, legal, and internal standards across industries and regions.

Microsoft Compliance Offerings

Azure supports compliance with numerous international standards, including:

•         GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
•         ISO/IEC 27001
•         HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
•         FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program)

Azure’s compliance portfolio is one of the most comprehensive in the cloud industry.

Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager

Microsoft Purview helps manage compliance requirements through

•         Compliance score tracking
•         Workflow-based assessments
•         Mapping controls to regulations

It provides insights into how well an organization complies with standards like NIST or GDPR and suggests improvement actions.

Trust Center

The Microsoft Trust Center provides detailed information on

•         Security best practices
•         Privacy and data handling
•         Legal and regulatory compliance

This is an essential resource for governance professionals and auditors.

Azure Cost Management and Budgeting

One of the most critical concerns for cloud users is controlling and forecasting costs. Azure provides tools to help plan, monitor, and manage cloud spending effectively.

Pricing Calculator

The Azure Pricing Calculator is a free tool that allows you to estimate the cost of Azure services based on your planned configurations and usage patterns.

Features include:

•         Customizable configurations
•         Currency and region selection
•         Exportable estimates for reporting

It’s commonly used in project planning, forecasting, and proposal development.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator

The TCO Calculator estimates the cost savings of moving on-premises workloads to Azure. It helps compare:

•         Hardware expenses
•         Software licensing
•         Electricity and cooling
•         Personnel costs

It’s a strategic tool for financial and business decision-makers.

Azure Cost Management and Billing

Azure Cost Management is a suite of tools integrated into the Azure portal that helps monitor usage and control expenses.

Key features:

•         Cost analysis dashboards
•         Budget creation and alerts
•         Forecasting and anomaly detection
•         Department or project-level spending breakdowns

This tool can be used by account administrators and cost managers to stay within financial targets.

Budgets and Alerts

Azure allows you to set spending thresholds for:

•         Subscriptions
•         Resource groups
•         Services

When a budget limit is approached or exceeded, alerts are triggered via email or automation actions (e.g., scaling down services).

Example scenario:

•         Set a $500 monthly budget for a development subscription and alert developers at 80% usage.

Resource Tagging

Tags are name-value pairs that are assigned to resources for categorization and cost tracking.

Examples of tags:

•         Environment: Production, Test, Dev
•         Department: HR, Marketing, IT
•         Project: AppA, Migration2023

Tags make it easier to:

•         Track resource ownership
•         Segment billing reports
•         Enforce policies using Azure Policy

Tags can be applied manually or automatically through ARM templates or policies.

Azure Management Tools Overview

Management tools in Azure help monitor, configure, and respond to resource health and performance issues.

Azure Monitor

Azure Monitor collects metrics, logs, and diagnostics for all Azure services. It helps visualize performance and set alerts.

Components:

•         Metrics Explorer: Chart real-time performance data
•         Alerts: Trigger notifications or automated actions
•         Logs: Query diagnostic and audit logs

Azure Service Health

Service Health informs users of outages, planned maintenance, or other changes affecting Azure services.

Features:

•         Personalized dashboard based on subscription
•         Email and webhook notifications
•         Root cause analysis

It helps organizations respond to platform-wide issues proactively.

Azure Advisor

Azure Advisor is a recommendation engine that suggests best practices for

•         Cost savings
•         High availability
•         Performance
•         Operational excellence
•         Security

Example recommendations:

•         Resize underutilized VMs
•         Enable soft delete for backup vaults
•         Configure high availability for databases

Identity Governance

Azure AD offers tools to manage identity lifecycle and access policies.

Conditional Access

Conditional Access policies evaluate conditions such as:

•         User location
•         Device health
•         Risk level
•         Application being accessed

These policies enforce:

•         Multi-factor authentication
•         Session limits
•         Access restrictions

Access Reviews and Entitlement Management

Azure AD Premium includes governance tools for:

•         Periodic access reviews for users and groups
•         Automating role assignments for onboarding/offboarding
•         Managing external collaboration securely

Exam Preparation Tips for This Section

•         Study real-world scenarios where policies, blueprints, and RBAC are used to maintain control.
•         Practice building budgets and running cost analysis in the Azure portal.
•         Understand the difference between Azure Monitor, Service Health, and Advisor.
•         Use sandbox environments in Microsoft Learn to create and manage governance policies.

Hands-on labs and practice exams are especially helpful for mastering this part of the exam. Focus on the purpose of each governance and management tool, when to use it, and what business problems it solves.

Azure Support, SLA, Lifecycle, and Innovation for AZ-900

Introduction

The final area of the AZ-900 exam explores Microsoft Azure’s customer support offerings, service lifecycle policies, and commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. Understanding how Azure maintains service reliability, responds to incidents, and supports your workloads with defined guarantees and structured plans is crucial, especially for professionals in governance, management, and procurement roles.

This section helps you identify appropriate support plans, interpret SLAs, and understand how Microsoft keeps its platform up-to-date with evolving technology demands.

Azure Support Plans

Azure provides a range of support plans to meet the needs of organizations at different stages of cloud adoption. Each plan includes different levels of technical support, response times, and proactive services.

Overview of Azure Support Plans

There are five main support plans:

1. Basic (Free)

•         Available to all Azure customers
•         Access to:

o    Azure documentation

o    Community support forums

o    Azure status dashboard

o    Limited billing and subscription support

2. Developer

•         Designed for trial, development, and non-production workloads
•         Cost: Paid monthly (low cost)
•         Includes:

o    Business hours access via email

o    Support for one user

o    8-hour response time for low-severity issues (Severity C)

3. Standard

•         Intended for production workloads
•         Cost: Higher than Developer
•         Includes:

o    24/7 technical support for critical issues

o    Response time:

• Severity A (critical): 1 hour
• Severity B: 4 hours
• Severity C: 8 hours

4. Professional Direct (ProDirect)

•         For critical business applications
•         Includes:

o    All Standard features

o    Fast-track support for Severity A

o    Access to ProDirect Delivery Manager

o    Advisory and operational reviews

5. Premier

•         Tailored for enterprise-scale businesses with complex workloads
•         Includes:

o    Custom agreements

o    Engineering support

o    Onboarding assistance

o    Deep architecture reviews

Choosing the right support plan depends on the criticality of your workloads and the internal resources available for issue resolution.

Azure Knowledge Resources

Azure provides multiple self-service and guided resources for learning and issue resolution.

Azure Documentation

The official product documentation for every Azure service, including tutorials, conceptual overviews, and quickstarts.

Microsoft Learn

Interactive learning platform offering:

•         Guided modules
•         Sandbox environments
•         Hands-on labs

It’s a free and recommended study source for AZ-900.

Azure Status Page

Public dashboard showing real-time information on the health of Azure services across regions.

Azure Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

An SLA (Service Level Agreement) defines Microsoft’s uptime guarantee for Azure services. Understanding SLAs helps organizations plan for availability and understand risk levels.

SLA Basics

Each Azure service includes an SLA that outlines:

•         Uptime guarantee (e.g., 99.9%, 99.95%, 99.99%)
•         Definitions of downtime and unavailability
•         Conditions under which credits are issued

Common SLA Examples

•         Virtual Machines (two or more instances in an Availability Set): 99.95%
•         App Services (Premium tier): 99.95%
•         Azure SQL Database (Business Critical tier): 99.99%

SLA Aggregation

When combining multiple services, overall availability must be calculated based on the joint probability of each service’s uptime.

Example:
If two services each have a 99.9% SLA:

•         Combined SLA = 0.999 x 0.999 = ~99.8%

Understanding combined SLA helps estimate total system availability.

Service Lifecycle in Azure

Azure follows a structured lifecycle for launching, supporting, and retiring services. This ensures clarity around support timelines and technology changes.

Preview

•         Features are available for early evaluation
•         May be public or private
•         No SLA guaranteed
•         Limited support

Previews allow customers to test new features and provide feedback but should not be used in production.

General Availability (GA)

•         Feature is fully supported and production-ready
•         Backed by SLAs
•         Subject to standard Azure pricing

Retirement/Deprecation

•         Microsoft periodically retires or replaces outdated features
•         Customers are notified in advance (often 12 months)
•         Documentation includes guidance on migration

Planning for lifecycle changes ensures operational continuity and compliance with organizational standards.

Azure’s Commitment to Innovation

Azure is constantly evolving, with Microsoft investing in:

•         Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)
•         Quantum computing
•         IoT and edge computing
•         Low-code platforms (e.g., Power Platform)
•         Sustainability and green data centers

Azure Updates and Roadmap

Microsoft publishes new releases and changes via:

•         Azure Updates portal
•         Ignite conference announcements
•         Azure Blog

Staying current with these changes helps IT professionals, developers, and architects align their strategies with Azure’s capabilities.

Trust and Security

Azure places strong emphasis on security, compliance, and customer trust.

Microsoft Privacy Principles

Microsoft adheres to global privacy laws and provides transparency regarding:

•         Data usage
•         Location of data storage
•         Customer control of data

Azure enables customers to encrypt, classify, and protect data using tools like:

•         Azure Information Protection
•         Customer-managed keys
•         Private Link and network isolation

Zero Trust Architecture

Azure adopts a Zero Trust model, requiring

•         Explicit verification
•         Least privilege access
•         Assume breach mindset

Services like Azure Active Directory Conditional Access, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Azure Policy are used to implement this model.

Exam Tips for Support, SLA, and Lifecycle

•         Know which support plan fits each scenario (e.g., Developer for testing, ProDirect for critical workloads)
•         Understand SLA percentages and which services offer the highest availability
•         Be familiar with how lifecycle stages affect production usage
•         Know what Microsoft Learn, documentation, and status pages are used for
•         Understand that SLAs apply only to GA services

Support Plans

•         Basic: Free, limited
•         Developer: Email, non-production
•         Standard: 24/7 for production
•         ProDirect: Priority, advisory
•         Premier: Enterprise custom solutions

SLAs

•         Expressed as uptime guarantees
•         SLA credit if Microsoft fails to meet the guarantee
•         SLAs apply only to GA features

Lifecycle

•         Preview: Not supported for production
•         GA: Fully supported with SLA
•         Retirement: Communicated in advance

Tools and Resources

•         Azure Documentation and Microsoft Learn for knowledge
•         Pricing Calculator and TCO Calculator for planning
•         Azure Status Page for service incidents

Azure support, SLAs, and lifecycle policies ensure that customers can trust Azure to run mission-critical workloads. These services, combined with Microsoft’s commitment to innovation and security, make Azure a reliable and forward-looking cloud platform.

For the AZ-900 exam, you should focus on understanding:

•         Which support plans match different business needs
•         How uptime guarantees are calculated and when they apply
•         What the service lifecycle stages mean in terms of usage and reliability
•         Where to find official guidance and learning resources

Now that you’ve completed all four parts of this guide, you have a comprehensive understanding of the AZ-900 exam domains. Combine your reading with practice tests and hands-on Azure experience to reinforce your learning and boost your confidence.

Final Thoughts

The Microsoft AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals certification is an ideal starting point for individuals looking to build foundational knowledge of cloud computing and Microsoft Azure. Whether you’re a student, business professional, or transitioning into a technical role, AZ-900 offers a clear and accessible path into the world of cloud services. The exam covers essential topics such as cloud concepts, core Azure services, governance and compliance, pricing, and support structures – all designed to give you a well-rounded understanding without requiring prior technical expertise. Preparation involves combining theoretical study through resources like Microsoft Learn with hands-on experience using Azure’s free tools. Practice tests help reinforce knowledge and improve confidence with real-world scenarios and exam-style questions. Once certified, candidates gain not only a credential recognized by employers but also a strong foundation for advancing to more specialized Microsoft certifications. By approaching AZ-900 with a structured study plan, practical labs, and clear focus on core concepts, you can confidently take your first step into cloud technology and the broader Microsoft ecosystem.