AZ-700 Practice Test

AZ-700 Exam Cost 2026

The AZ-700 exam costs $165 USD in 2026. This is the standard Microsoft Associate-level certification price. Pricing varies by country — approximately ₹4,800 INR in India, £113 GBP in the UK, and roughly €165 EUR in most European markets. Always confirm the current price on the official Microsoft Learn scheduling page for your region.

There are no formal prerequisites, though Microsoft strongly recommends hands-on Azure networking experience and prior completion of AZ-104 or equivalent broad Azure knowledge. AZ-700 expires annually — renewal is free via a shorter online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Microsoft Ignite, Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI), and Microsoft Learn Cloud Skills Challenges occasionally offer free or discounted vouchers.

AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Specialization vs Broad Administration

Both are Microsoft Associate-level Azure certifications at $165, but they serve different career paths. AZ-104 builds breadth; AZ-700 builds depth in networking.

Take AZ-104 first if you want broad Azure career flexibility. Add AZ-700 if your role focuses on enterprise networking topology, hybrid connectivity, or network security. Many enterprise network architects earn both.

AZ-700 vs AZ-500: Networking Depth vs Security Breadth

AZ-700 (Azure Network Engineer, $165) focuses on designing and implementing Azure networking — connectivity, routing, application delivery, and network security. AZ-500 (Azure Security Engineer, $165) covers Azure-wide security including identity, network security, compute security, Defender for Cloud, and Sentinel basics. The two overlap on network security primitives (NSGs, Azure Firewall, WAF, DDoS Protection), but AZ-700 goes much deeper on Azure Firewall policy hierarchies, Virtual WAN secure hubs, and Private Link patterns, while AZ-500 covers more breadth across non-network topics. Take AZ-700 if your role is network design; take AZ-500 if your role is cross-cutting Azure security. Network security architects often earn both.

AZ-700 vs AZ-305: Networking Specialist vs Solutions Architect

AZ-700 (Associate, $165) is a specialized networking certification — designing and implementing Azure networking in depth. AZ-305 (Expert, $165) is the broad Azure Solutions Architect certification — designing across compute, storage, networking, identity, and business continuity at an Expert level. AZ-305 covers Azure networking at much shallower depth than AZ-700. They complement each other rather than overlap: AZ-305 holders who want deep network design credentials often add AZ-700. AZ-305 assumes AZ-104-equivalent broad experience; AZ-700 builds on the same Associate-level Azure foundation but specializes vertically.

AZ-700 Salary and Career Outlook (2026)

AZ-700 is one of the higher-paying Microsoft Associate certifications because Azure networking is a specialized skill set most general Azure admins don't have. Reported US salary ranges in 2026:

• • Entry-level Azure network engineer (1–3 yrs): $80,000–$105,000 USD
• • Azure network engineer (3–6 yrs): $110,000–$135,000 USD
• • Senior Azure network engineer / SDN engineer: $135,000–$160,000 USD
• • AZ-700 + AZ-305 (Network Architect): $140,000–$180,000 USD
• • AZ-700 + AZ-500 (Network Security Architect): $130,000–$170,000 USD

AZ-700 is particularly valuable for IT professionals transitioning from traditional networking (Cisco, Juniper, on-premises) into cloud networking — it explicitly signals Azure-native networking competency that organizations need as they migrate workloads. ExpressRoute, Virtual WAN, and Azure Firewall expertise commands premium compensation in enterprise environments.

AZ-700 Exam Topics 2026: Domain Breakdown

AZ-700 covers five domains. Microsoft refines wording periodically but the weights remain stable. Always verify the latest objectives on the official Microsoft Learn AZ-700 page.

AZ-700 Study Plan: 8-Week Schedule

Most candidates pass AZ-700 with 6–10 weeks of preparation. This 8-week plan assumes AZ-104-equivalent broad Azure knowledge and basic networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, BGP, DNS):

• Week 1: Core networking — VNets, subnets, IP addressing, peering, hub-spoke topology, Azure Virtual Network Manager, DNS. Build at least one hub-spoke VNet topology hands-on.
• Week 2–3: Connectivity services — Site-to-Site VPN, Point-to-Site VPN, ExpressRoute peerings and circuits, Virtual WAN hub design. This domain has the trickiest configuration questions.
• Week 4: Application delivery — Load Balancer SKUs and rules, Application Gateway WAF, Azure Front Door tiers, Traffic Manager routing methods. Practice deciding between AG and Front Door based on regional vs. global scope.
• Week 5: Private access — Service Endpoints vs. Private Endpoints, Private Link Service, Private DNS integration. AZ-700 frequently tests when to use each option.
• Week 6: Network security — NSG/ASG rules, Azure Firewall policy hierarchy (Standard vs. Premium), DDoS Protection plans, WAF rule sets.
• Week 7: Take 40 free practice questions to find weak areas. Re-study the weakest two domains. AZ-700 case studies often combine connectivity + security trade-offs.
• Week 8: Two full timed mock exams. Review every wrong answer. Target consistent 80%+ before booking. Budget 12–15 minutes per case study.