Microsoft Azure – Cloud Certification

With the emergence of public cloud providers, IT service delivery has changed. Cloud platforms are evolving day-by-day especially with IT giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon battling for the top place. This growth has a significant effect on the IT market and IT professionals because every decision made on cloud services have a direct impact on cost, availability, and security, software/hardware requirements and personnel.
As Microsoft Azure is one of the major players in the cloud computing market, the demand for IT professionals with technical knowledge and experience has increased. Finding IT professionals with relevant knowledge and experience is hard as there is no proven credential to assess the individual’s skills.

Azure Certifications

To address this Microsoft offers a series of certifications which symbolizes the knowledge and experience of an IT professional. There are series of exams and certain path to achieve greater skill set and high credential.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate is the foundational level certification offered by Microsoft. There are several different categories of MCSA available. Two of the main categories are described below
Microsoft Certification Solutions Associate (MCSA) – Cloud Platform
This certification is primarily for Microsoft Cloud products. You’ll have to pass two exams and showcase your skills as a cloud administrator

• Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-532]
• Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure [Exam 70-533]
• Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-534]
• Designing and Implementing Cloud Data Platform Solutions [Exam 70-473]
• Designing and Implementing Big Data Analytics Solutions [Exam 70-475]

Microsoft Certification Solutions Associate (MCSA) – Linux
Azure offers importance for open source, as shown by MCSA – Linux

• Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure [Exam 70-533]
• Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator [Exam LFCS]

MCSE: Microsoft Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Solutions Expert
MCSE is the Expert level certification on Microsoft Cloud architecture. To get this certification one must get a MCSA Certificate on Windows Server 2016, Cloud Platform, Linux on Azure or Windows Server 2012 and must pass any one of the below exams

• Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-532]
• Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure [Exam 70-533]
• Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-534]
• Designing and Implementing Cloud Data Platform Solutions [Exam 70-473]
• Designing and Implementing Big Data Analytics Solutions [Exam 70-475]
• Securing Windows Server 2016 [Exam 70-744]
• Designing and Implementing a Server Infrastructure [Exam 70-413]
• Implementing an Advanced Server Infrastructure [Exam 70-414]
• Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud [Exam 70-246]
• Configuring and Deploying a Private Cloud [Exam 70-247]

MCSD: App Builder
MCSD Certification is the highest level of certification. For App Builder Certification one must have Certified on both MCSA: Web Applications and MCSA: Universal Windows Platform and then must pass any one of the following exams

• Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-532]
• Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions [Exam 70-535]
• Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services [Exam 70-487]
• Administering Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server [Exam 70-496]
• Software Testing with Visual Studio [Exam 70-497]
• Delivering Continuous Value with Visual Studio Application Lifestyle Management [Exam 70-498]