AZ-900 covers three domains. Knowing the exact topics — and how much weight each carries — lets you allocate study time intelligently instead of treating everything equally. This breakdown follows the official 2026 Microsoft exam skills outline.
Domain Weights at a Glance
Microsoft uses percentage ranges, not fixed weights. Exact question counts vary slightly between exam versions.
Domain 1: Cloud Concepts
Approximately 25–30% of the exam (~10–15 questions)
This domain establishes the foundation. Most candidates with any IT background find it straightforward. The key is using Microsoft's exact terminology, not your own interpretation.
1.1 — Describe cloud computing
- • Define cloud computing
- • Describe the shared responsibility model
- • Define cloud models: public, private, and hybrid
- • Identify appropriate use cases for each cloud model
- • Describe the consumption-based model
- • Compare cloud pricing models (CapEx vs OpEx)
1.2 — Describe the benefits of using cloud services
- • Describe the benefits of high availability and scalability
- • Describe the benefits of reliability and predictability
- • Describe the benefits of security and governance
- • Describe the benefits of manageability
Exam note: Microsoft distinguishes between these terms precisely. "Reliability" means fault tolerance. "Predictability" means consistent performance and cost. These are different and both appear on the exam.
1.3 — Describe cloud service types
- • Describe Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- • Describe Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- • Describe Software as a Service (SaaS)
- • Identify appropriate use cases for each service type
Exam note: Scenario questions ask "which service type best fits this scenario." Know who manages what in each model (the shared responsibility model overlaps heavily here).
Domain 2: Azure Architecture and Services
Approximately 35–40% of the exam (~15–20 questions)
The largest domain. This is where most study time should go. Focus on understanding when to use each service, not just what it does — exam questions are scenario-based.
2.1 — Describe the core architectural components of Azure
- • Azure regions, region pairs, and sovereign regions
- • Availability zones
- • Azure datacenters
- • Azure resources and resource groups
- • Subscriptions and management groups
- • The Azure hierarchy: management groups → subscriptions → resource groups → resources
2.2 — Describe Azure compute and networking services
- • Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS compute)
- • Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets
- • Azure App Service (PaaS web hosting)
- • Azure Functions (serverless compute)
- • Azure Container Instances and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
- • Azure Virtual Desktop
- • Azure Virtual Networks (VNet)
- • Azure VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute
- • Azure DNS and Azure Content Delivery Network
- • Azure Load Balancer and Application Gateway
Exam note: Know the difference between VPN Gateway (encrypted internet tunnel) and ExpressRoute (private dedicated connection). This distinction appears frequently.
2.3 — Describe Azure storage services
- • Azure Blob Storage (unstructured object storage)
- • Azure File Storage (managed file shares)
- • Azure Queue Storage (message queuing)
- • Azure Table Storage (NoSQL key-value)
- • Storage access tiers: Hot, Cool, Cold, Archive
- • Azure Migrate and Azure Data Box
- • Storage redundancy options: LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS
Exam note: Storage tier questions are common. Archive tier = lowest cost, highest retrieval latency. Hot tier = highest cost, immediate access. Know when to choose each.
2.4 — Describe Azure identity, access, and security
- • Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory)
- • Single sign-on (SSO)
- • Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- • Passwordless authentication
- • Microsoft Entra External Identities and B2B
- • Conditional Access policies
- • Azure role-based access control (RBAC)
- • Zero Trust model
- • Defense-in-depth model
- • Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Practice questions mapped to every topic above
500 questions calibrated harder than the real exam. Organized by domain so you can drill weak areas. Start with 40 free questions — no credit card required.
Domain 3: Azure Management and Governance
Approximately 30–35% of the exam (~12–17 questions)
The most underestimated domain. It's nearly as large as Domain 2, but many candidates spend only a fraction of the time on it. Cost tools, governance, and compliance concepts are Azure-specific — general IT knowledge doesn't help here.
3.1 — Describe cost management in Azure
- • Factors that affect Azure costs (resource type, consumption, region, bandwidth, reserved instances)
- • Azure Pricing Calculator — estimate costs before deployment
- • Azure Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator — compare cloud vs on-premises costs
- • Azure Cost Management tool — monitor and optimize spending
- • Azure tags for cost allocation and billing
Exam note: Know which tool is for which purpose. Pricing Calculator = estimate future costs. TCO Calculator = compare cloud vs on-prem. Cost Management = track actual spending.
3.2 — Describe features and tools in Azure for governance and compliance
- • Microsoft Purview — unified data governance
- • Azure Policy — enforce organizational rules on resources
- • Resource locks — prevent accidental deletion or modification
- • Azure Blueprints — deploy compliant environments consistently
- • Service Trust Portal and Microsoft Trust Center
- • Compliance documentation and frameworks (ISO, SOC, GDPR)
Exam note: Azure Policy = enforce rules (e.g., "all VMs must be in West Europe"). RBAC = control who can do what. Resource locks = prevent specific operations. These overlap in scenarios — know each tool's exact purpose.
3.3 — Describe features and tools for managing and deploying Azure resources
- • Azure portal (GUI)
- • Azure Cloud Shell
- • Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
- • Azure Arc — extend Azure management to non-Azure resources
- • Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and ARM templates
- • Azure Bicep — simplified ARM template language
3.4 — Describe monitoring tools in Azure
- • Azure Advisor — personalized best-practice recommendations
- • Azure Service Health — service outage notifications
- • Azure Monitor — collect and analyze metrics and logs
- • Log Analytics — query and analyze log data
- • Application Insights — application performance monitoring
- • Azure Monitor Alerts — notify on metric thresholds
Exam note: Azure Advisor gives recommendations. Azure Monitor collects data. Azure Service Health tells you about outages. These are three different tools that candidates often confuse.
How to Prioritize Your Study Time
Based on question weights and where candidates most commonly lose points:
Domain 3 — Management & Governance (highest exam failure point)
Most candidates under-study this. It's 30-35% of the exam and covers Azure-specific tools with no general IT equivalent. Give it equal time as Domain 2.
Domain 2 — Azure Services (most content, scenario-heavy)
The largest domain. Focus on use-case scenarios: "which service would you use when..." Don't just memorize service names — know when each one applies.
Domain 1 — Cloud Concepts (foundational, quickly covered)
Spend less time here unless you're new to cloud entirely. Most candidates cover this comfortably in 3-5 hours. Focus on Microsoft's exact terminology for cloud benefits.
Recommended time split (30-hour study plan):
- • Domain 1: 5-6 hours
- • Domain 2: 12-14 hours
- • Domain 3: 10-12 hours
Common Questions
Have the AZ-900 exam topics changed in 2026?
Microsoft updated the AZ-900 skills outline in 2023-2024 to include newer services like Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Entra ID (replacing Azure AD branding), and expanded coverage of Azure Arc. The 2026 exam reflects these updates. Always download the current skills outline from Microsoft before studying.
Are there any hands-on lab questions on AZ-900?
No. AZ-900 is entirely multiple choice (including drag-and-drop and yes/no formats). There are no hands-on lab components. That said, exploring the Azure portal during study makes scenario questions much easier to answer.
How many questions are on the AZ-900 exam?
40-60 questions. The exam has a 45-minute time limit. Microsoft does not publish the exact question count, as it varies between exam versions. Most candidates find the timing comfortable — the challenge is accuracy, not speed.
Which AZ-900 domain should I study first?
Start with Domain 1 (Cloud Concepts) — it builds the vocabulary you need for everything else. Then Domain 2 (Azure Services) — the heaviest content. Then Domain 3 (Management & Governance) — the most underestimated. Don't skip Domain 3 just because it comes last.
About MSCertQuiz
MSCertQuiz provides 500 AZ-900 practice questions covering all three domains, calibrated harder than the real exam and updated for 2026 objectives. Start with 40 free questions — no signup required to see your current readiness level across each domain.