Because who doesn’t love leveling up their Azure game?
Why Aim for AZ-305?
Shine as a Cloud Architect: Demonstrate real-world expertise in designing top-notch Azure solutions.
Validate Your Skills: Prove you can handle the complexities of Azure from end to end.
Build on AZ-104: You’ve already tackled Azure administration, so now it’s time for the big leagues.
Note: You must have your AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) under your belt first.
AZ-305 Exam at a Glance
When you sit down for AZ-305, expect questions focused on:
Governance & Management (25-30%)
Azure AD, RBAC, Conditional Access
Azure Policy, Blueprints, Cost Management
Monitoring & Logging
Data Architecture (20-25%)
Storage (Blob, Files, Disks)
Azure SQL, Cosmos DB
Backup & Recovery (Azure Backup, ASR)
Infrastructure (35-40%)
VMs, Containers, AKS
Scaling (Autoscale, VM Scale Sets)
Networking (VNets, VPN, ExpressRoute, Firewall)
High Availability & Disaster Recovery
Application Architecture (20-25%)
Serverless (Azure Functions, Logic Apps)
App Services, API Management
Messaging (Service Bus, Event Grid, Event Hub)
Key Resources for AZ-305
- Microsoft Learn Path (AZ-305 Modules + Free Practice Test) ~15 hours
- MeasureUp & Tutorials Dojo Practice Tests (Recommended both, ~20 hours each)
- Exam Readiness Videos ~2 hours
- John Savill’s AZ-305 Study Cram ~5 hours
- Finally, the Big Exam
The 4-6 Week Plan
Before you dive into this plan, confirm you’ve already got AZ-104.
Weeks 1-4: Get the Fundamentals Down First
Week 1: Governance & Basics
Start the Microsoft Learn Path for AZ-305 (~4-5 hours).
Play around with Azure Policy, RBAC, and Blueprints in a test environment.
Make sure you fully grasp cost management and monitoring best practices.
Week 2: Infrastructure & Security
Keep going with the Microsoft Learn Path (~4-5 more hours).
Spin up and secure VMs, containers, AKS—add some load balancers or autoscaling to see it all in action.
Dive into Azure Security Center and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to get a feel for built-in security features.
Week 3: Data Architecture & Backup
Continue (or finish, if you’re on a roll) your Microsoft Learn modules (~4-5 hours).
Experiment with Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, and different storage solutions.
Practice implementing Azure Backup and Site Recovery (ASR)—pretend you’re rescuing your environment after a disaster!
Week 4: Application Architecture & Final Module Wrap-up
Conclude the Microsoft Learn Path (total ~15 hours).
Deploy serverless apps (Functions, Logic Apps) and test out messaging (Service Bus, Event Grid).
Once the modules are done, watch the Exam Readiness Videos (~2 hours) and John Savill’s AZ-305 Study Cram (~5 hours). It’s like a highlight reel for all you’ve learned.
Weeks 5-6: Testing & Confidence Boost
Practice Tests (MeasureUp & Tutorials Dojo)
Tackle these now that the learning modules are out of the way (~20 hours each if you do both).
Aim for scoring 80-90% consistently before moving on.
Review & Refine
Go back to any shaky topics in Microsoft Learn or your notes.
Re-run labs or demos if you didn’t feel 100% confident.
Exam Time!
Schedule at Microsoft Certifications.
Decide between online or Pearson VUE testing center.
Show up rested and ready to crush it.
Tips for an Engaging Study Experience
Make it Real: Spin up actual Azure resources. You’ll remember everything better when you’ve broken (and fixed) it yourself.
Buddy Up: If you can, study with a friend or colleague. Sharing war stories about tricky configurations is half the fun.
Don’t Fear Failure: Practice tests are your playground for mistakes—learn from them here, not during the real exam.
**Stay Curious: **Azure evolves like crazy. Keep an eye on announcements so you’re not caught off guard by new updates.
Final Word
Mastering AZ-305 is your next big leap after AZ-104. By following this plan—finishing all the Microsoft Learn modules, then diving into MeasureUp and Tutorials Dojo practice tests—you’ll develop both the theoretical know-how and the hands-on skills that Azure Solutions Architects rely on every day. Go for it, and remember: every cloud question you answer gets you one step closer to expert status!
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