On April 17, 2026, Microsoft released a significant update to the AZ-104 (Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate) exam to reflect the latest technological developments and industry practice changes in Azure management.

This update is not a complete overhaul, but rather a refined adjustment to existing content, strengthening hybrid cloud management, AI service integration, cost optimization, and automation capabilities to ensure the certification remains aligned with actual enterprise needs.

1. Basic Exam Information

Exam Code: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)

Exam Duration: 180 minutes

Number of Questions: Approximately 40-60 questions, including multiple choice, case study, and practical questions

Passing Score: 700 out of 1000

Exam Fee: $165

Recommended Experience: At least 6 months of Azure management experience; AZ-900 certification is recommended first.

Certificate Validity: 1 year; requires a free online assessment to maintain validity.

Core Positioning: A foundational expert certification in Azure management, and an important prerequisite for AZ-400 and AZ-305.

2. Weighting of Five Core Areas

Managing Azure Identity and Governance: Emphasis on Microsoft Entra ID functionality (20-25%)

Implementing and Managing Storage: Adding storage security and AI data storage optimization (15-20%)

Deploying and Managing Azure Compute Resources: Adding Azure Container Application and AI Service management (20-25%)

Implementing and Managing Virtual Networks: Enhancing Azure Arc Hybrid network connectivity (15-20%)

Monitoring and maintaining Azure resources: New AI-driven monitoring and troubleshooting (10-15%)

3. Key Area Changes

Key changes in the Azure Identity and Governance area (20-25%)：

(1) Enhanced Microsoft Entra ID

Added consideration of external Microsoft Entra IDs, including B2B/B2C identity management and guest user access control

Enhanced the implementation requirements for Microsoft Entra federated authentication, including integration with third-party identity providers

Added configuration and use of Microsoft Entra ID protection features, such as risk detection and conditional access policy optimization

Removed consideration of the traditional Azure AD PowerShell module, fully transitioning to the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK

(2) Governance Optimization

Added implementation of Azure Policy as Code, using Bicep or ARM templates to deploy and manage policies

Enhanced Azure cost management features, including budget settings, cost alerts, and advanced applications recommended by Advisors

Added advanced configuration of management group hierarchies, such as permission inheritance and policy allocation optimization

Core Updates in the Deployment and Management of Azure Compute Resources area (20-25%)：

(1) AI Service Integration

Added basic consideration of Azure AI service management, including Azure OpenAI Deployment and Access Control of Services and Cognitive Services

Enhance the application of Azure Copilot in management tasks, such as resource querying, troubleshooting, and automation recommendations

Increase understanding of AI-driven virtual machine optimization, such as autoscaling and performance tuning recommendations

(2) Hybrid Cloud Management

Add implementation and management of Azure Arc for managing resources in on-premises and multi-cloud environments

Enhance advanced configuration of Azure virtual machine scale sets, including autohealing and rolling update policies

Add deployment and management of Azure Private Servers to meet compliance and security requirements

Implement and manage updates in the virtual network domain (15-20%)：

(1) Network Security Enhancements

Add examination of advanced Azure Bastion features, including multi-factor authentication and session recording

Enhance the configuration and management of Azure Firewall policies, including application rules and network rule optimization

Add implementation and monitoring of Azure DDoS protection standards, including traffic analysis and attack mitigation strategies

(2) Hybrid Connectivity Optimization

Add deployment and management of Azure ExpressRoute Direct to meet high bandwidth and low latency connectivity requirements

Enhance advanced configuration of Azure VPN gateways, including BGP routing and policy-based VPNs

Add support for Azure virtual WAN implementation simplifies network connectivity in multi-region and hybrid environments.

Updates in the monitoring and maintenance of Azure resources (10-15%):

(1) AI-driven monitoring

Added AI feature exploration in Azure Monitor, including intelligent detection and anomaly analysis.

Enhanced advanced applications of Kusto Query Language (KQL), including complex query writing and performance optimization.

Increased in-depth use of the Azure Advisor recommendation engine, including automatic repair and optimization suggestion implementation.

(2) Backup and recovery optimization

Added use of Azure Backup Center for centralized management of backup resources across regions and subscriptions.

Enhanced disaster recovery strategies for Azure Site Recovery, including RTO/RPO optimization and failover drills.

Added implementation of Azure Backup Policy as Code, deploying backup strategies using Bicep or ARM templates.

Other important updates:

(1) Storage implementation and management

Added advanced configuration of Azure storage account tiers, including automatic conversion between cold and archive tiers.

Enhanced implementation of Azure File Sharing SMB Multichannel functionality to improve file transfer performance.

Added support for Azure... Advanced policy configuration for storage lifecycle management, including tag-based automatic migration

(2) Key updates across domains

Unified automation tools: Remove traditional configuration management tools such as Chef/Puppet and fully transition to Azure Automation and Ansible integration

IaC enhancement: Strengthen the application of Bicep in all resource deployments, including module reuse and conditional deployment

Cost optimization: Add consideration of usage strategies for Azure Spot virtual machines and Azure Savings Plan to reduce computing costs

3. Comprehensive Guide to Adjusting Test Preparation Strategies

Based on the updates mentioned above, the following are targeted suggestions for adjusting your test preparation strategies to help you effectively prepare for the new AZ-104 exam in 2026.

(1) Phased Learning Plan (8-10 weeks)

Phase 1: Foundation Consolidation (2-3 weeks)

Core Concept Review: Review the Azure infrastructure and service model, focusing on new naming conventions and features such as Microsoft Entra ID and Azure Arc.

Tool Environment Preparation: Create a free Azure account, familiarize yourself with the Azure portal and Cloud Shell operations, install Azure PowerShell and CLI, practice basic command-line operations, and configure the Microsoft Learn sandbox environment for practical exercises.

Official Documentation In-depth Reading: Read through the Microsoft Learn AZ-104 Learning Guide and mark the updated content.

Phase 2: Domain Intensive Study (4-5 weeks)

Study in depth according to the exam domain, focusing on the updated content:

Identification and Governance Domain: Dedicate 1 week to mastering advanced features and governance strategies of Microsoft Entra ID.

Compute and Container Domain: Dedicate 1.5 weeks to mastering container application and AI service management.

Network and Storage Domain: Dedicate 1 week to each, focusing on hybrid network and storage security.

Monitoring and Maintenance Domain: Dedicate 0.5 weeks to mastering AI monitoring and KQL Query Writing

Phase 3: Practical Reinforcement (2 weeks)

Complete Project Practice: Build an end-to-end Azure management solution, including:

Identity Management (Microsoft Entra ID Configuration)

Compute Resource Deployment (Virtual Machines, Container Applications, Functions)

Network Configuration (VNet, NSG, Azure Arc)

Storage Management (Blob, File Storage, Security Configuration)

Monitoring and Maintenance (Azure Monitor, Automation)

Troubleshooting Exercises: Intentionally introduce common configuration errors to practice rapid diagnosis and repair skills.

Phase 4: Simulated Sprint (1 week)

Official Simulated Test: Complete the free practice assessment provided by Microsoft Learn

Time Management Training: Simulate the exam environment and practice completing all questions within 180 minutes

Weakness Reinforcement: Conduct final reinforcement for weak areas, focusing on updated content.

(2) Recommended Core Learning Resources

Microsoft Learn AZ-104 Learning Path: The updated official learning path, perfectly matching the exam blueprint.

Azure Documentation: Focusing on Microsoft Entra ID, Container Applications, and AI Services.

Azure Quickstart Templates: Basic templates for practicing deploying various Azure resources.

Third-party high-quality resources such as SPOTO's updated AZ-104 complete learning path (updated to version 2026) can also greatly assist your learning.

Summary: The 2026 AZ-104 exam update reflects the latest trends in Azure management practices, with a focus on strengthening the assessment of hybrid cloud management, AI service integration, security governance, and automation capabilities.

SPOTO exam preparation plans are adjusted based on updates, focusing on key areas such as Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Container Applications, Azure Arc, and AI service management. This balanced approach between theoretical learning and practical exercises will help you achieve rapid improvement!