Azure Monitor and Application Insights: Developers need to be familiar with monitoring tools such as Azure Monitor and Application Insights, which help in tracking application performance, collecting telemetry data, and setting up alerts.
The AZ-204, or the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certification, is designed for developers looking to validate their expertise in building, testing, and maintaining cloud applications and services on Microsoft Azure. This certification covers a wide range of essential skills and knowledge areas needed to work in Azure development, including Azure compute solutions, storage, security, and monitoring. In this article, we’ll go over the main areas of focus for the AZ-204 exam, exploring the specific skills that candidates need to master to pass the exam and succeed in an Azure developer az 204.
Table of Contents:
- Developing Azure Compute Solutions
- Implementing Azure Storage Solutions
- Securing Azure Applications
- Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Optimizing Azure Solutions
- Integrating with Third-Party Services and APIs
1. Developing Azure Compute Solutions
Developing compute solutions is a central skill for Azure developers, covering approximately 25-30% of the AZ-204 exam. This section focuses on the ability to build and deploy applications that leverage Azure’s compute az 204 exam.
Key Areas:
- Azure App Services: This service allows you to build and host web apps, RESTful APIs, and mobile backends. Key tasks include deploying applications, configuring settings, handling scaling options, and securing web apps.
- Azure Functions: This is Azure’s serverless compute service, which allows developers to run code on-demand without provisioning or managing infrastructure. Understanding how to create, deploy, and manage functions, as well as the different triggers available (e.g., HTTP, blob storage, timer), is crucial.
- Container Solutions with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): Containers are widely used in modern application development. The exam covers deploying and managing containers using Azure Kubernetes Service and Azure Container Instances (ACI).
- Implementing IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Candidates should know how to create and configure VMs, install applications, and set up load balancing and autoscaling for IaaS solutions on Azure.
Recommended Skills:
- Hands-on experience with deploying, scaling, and securing applications on Azure App Service.
- Familiarity with serverless computing using Azure Functions, including triggers and bindings.
- Basic knowledge of containers and orchestration with AKS and ACI.
2. Implementing Azure Storage Solutions
Azure offers various storage solutions designed to handle different data types and scenarios. This section accounts for 10-15% of the exam and covers the ability to develop applications that leverage Azure storage services efficiently.
Key Areas:
- Blob Storage: Ideal for storing unstructured data like images, videos, and documents. Knowledge of working with Azure Blob storage, setting up containers, and managing access policies is essential.
- Azure Cosmos DB: A globally distributed, multi-model database service that supports NoSQL. Developers should understand how to create and manage databases, collections, and documents in Cosmos DB, as well as implementing consistency levels and partitioning strategies.
- Azure SQL Database and Azure Table Storage: Skills in managing relational data with Azure SQL and working with NoSQL table storage are also tested. This includes tasks like querying data, managing transactions, and implementing database connectivity.
- File and Queue Storage: Azure Files and Azure Queue storage provide file share and message queue functionalities. Developers need to understand how to implement these storage solutions for various application needs, such as file sharing and messaging between services.
Recommended Skills:
- Proficiency in creating and managing Blob Storage containers and data access.
- Experience with Cosmos DB for NoSQL databases, including creating collections and configuring partitioning.
- Working knowledge of Azure SQL Database and Table Storage for handling relational and NoSQL data storage needs.
3. Securing Azure Applications
Security is a core consideration in cloud development, and Azure provides numerous tools and services to secure applications. This section represents about 15-20% of the AZ-204 exam, with a focus on securing data, services, and applications.
Key Areas:
- Authentication and Authorization: Azure developers should understand how to implement identity solutions using Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), including securing API access and configuring multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Using RBAC to assign roles and manage permissions within Azure. Candidates should know how to assign roles to resources to control access based on job roles and responsibilities.
- Managed Identities for Azure Resources: These identities allow Azure services to access other services securely. Developers should know how to configure managed identities for resources and grant access to Azure Key Vault or storage accounts.
- Implementing Secure Data Solutions: This includes encrypting data at rest and in transit, using Azure Key Vault for managing secrets, and implementing SSL/TLS protocols for secure communication.
Recommended Skills:
- Setting up and managing Azure AD for authentication and authorization.
- Implementing RBAC to control access to Azure resources based on job functions.
- Configuring Azure Key Vault and using managed identities for accessing secure data.
4. Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Optimizing Azure Solutions
This section of the AZ-204 exam focuses on monitoring applications, identifying issues, and optimizing performance. It covers approximately 10-15% of the exam and is crucial for maintaining a well-functioning Azure environment.
Key Areas:
- Azure Monitor and Application Insights: Developers need to be familiar with monitoring tools such as Azure Monitor and Application Insights, which help in tracking application performance, collecting telemetry data, and setting up alerts.
- Implementing Log Analytics: Log Analytics helps consolidate data from multiple sources into a central location, allowing developers to query logs, create custom dashboards, and monitor resources in real-time.
- Error Handling and Retry Policies: Implementing proper error-handling techniques, retry policies, and fault tolerance for applications running on Azure.
- Optimization: Techniques for optimizing Azure resources to reduce costs and improve performance, such as autoscaling, setting up caching, and using Azure’s cost management tools.
Recommended Skills:
- Hands-on experience with Azure Monitor and Application Insights for tracking and analyzing performance.
- Implementing Log Analytics for monitoring and diagnostics.
- Knowledge of optimization practices, including autoscaling and caching, to improve application performance.
5. Integrating with Third-Party Services and APIs
Azure is designed to integrate seamlessly with third-party services and APIs, allowing developers to build connected applications. This section is critical for developers building applications that need to communicate with other systems, and it accounts for 25-30% of the exam.
Key Areas:
- Azure API Management: API Management allows developers to publish, secure, and analyze APIs. Understanding how to configure API Management and manage access to APIs is essential.
- Azure Logic Apps: Logic Apps provide a workflow automation platform that allows developers to create workflows without coding. The exam covers creating and managing Logic Apps to automate tasks and integrate with other services.
- Event Grid and Event Hubs: These services enable event-driven architecture, allowing applications to respond to changes and handle real-time data. Candidates should understand how to use Event Grid and Event Hubs to connect Azure resources and applications.
- Service Bus: Service Bus is a messaging service that facilitates communication between distributed applications. Developers need to understand how to implement queues, topics, and subscriptions for reliable messaging.
Recommended Skills:
- Experience with API Management for publishing and securing APIs.
- Building and managing workflows with Logic Apps.
- Working knowledge of Event Grid, Event Hubs, and Service Bus for integrating and communicating between Azure resources.
Conclusion
The AZ-204 exam covers a broad range of skills that are essential for any Azure developer, from deploying compute solutions and managing data storage to securing applications and monitoring performance. Mastering these key areas will not only prepare you for the AZ-204 exam but also equip you with the knowledge needed to succeed in Azure development.
To effectively prepare, take advantage of hands-on labs, practice tests, and comprehensive study materials on Microsoft Learn and other platforms. By building skills in each of these areas, you’ll be well on your way to passing the AZ-204 exam and earning the Azure Developer Associate certification, a credential that can open doors to numerous opportunities in cloud development.
