AZ-300 and AZ-301....no Azure experience but need to past the tests quickly and gain knowledge

gettinold

As an IT pro with 21 years of experience I have always passed tests to make the employer happy and then learn on the job as quickly as possible. There is enough work in the DC area to take that approach.

Now, for the first time ever, I'd like to actually learn the material first. To be honest, I have a hard time focusing (I think that I am not interested most of the time or might have some learning disabilities). 

I like the rush of getting into a role that I don't have the skills for and either sinking or swimming. 

This time around, I don't want that to happen. This seems to be a good role. I was hired as a contractor and was very careful to tell the salespeople who interviewed me that I don't have these skills but feel that I can figure it out like I always have. I was still brought on.

Unfortunately, I know that the end customer will expect me to know it all and I really would like to know as much as I can while I am going through in-processing which will take a few weeks. Further to this has provided me with a $1500 training budget.

Could you please provide me your thoughts on a game plan for learning Azure and getting these 2 certs knocked out?

Thank you!

SteveLavoie

It all depend on what they expect from you.. if they are begininng their transition to the cloud.. maybe start to do AZ-900 to get an high level overview.. 

E Double U

I would not recommend shooting for architect level certifications without the experience. I would say start with the free Microsoft material for AZ-900 (fundamentals) and then move on from there based on your comfort level.

gettinold

Thank you. I agree. Thanks so much!

gettinold

So I passed the AZ-900. I found it to be pretty hard to be honest. I studied the materials for the first time in my life and maybe that helped me pass beyond memorizing questions and answers. Anyways, the environment that I am in is totally different than I thought it would be. I do not have access to the portal. I am working with vendors who will be installing AI and Machine Learning solutions on VM servers that are already provisioned for me. My job is to install the software and the software dependencies. That is something that I have done for a long time so I am comfortable there. 

Other teams will be managing aspects of Azure to include security and probably including nesting applications within the VM. I think it might make sense to get Azure AI or Machine Learning certified so that I have a clue as to what the vendors are doing along with certifying that my background has a nexus to the role. However, I don't know much about either and it might be too much of a transition to go from an understanding of Infrastructure over to those areas.

What do you think? Gotta burn that that training money somehow!

Thanks for your thoughts and encouraging me to get my AZ900.

E Double U

Congratulations! Good to hear you went the AZ-900 route instead of 300/301 since you found fundamentals to be “pretty hard”. If you find the basics difficult then you have a lot more work to do. 

What are the requirements of your employer regarding areas of knowledge? I would hope your manager could push you in the right direction for training based on the company’s needs. 

gettinold

E Double U said:

Congratulations! Good to hear you went the AZ-900 route instead of 300/301 since you found fundamentals to be “pretty hard”. If you find the basics difficult then you have a lot more work to do. 

What are the requirements of your employer regarding areas of knowledge? I would hope your manager could push you in the right direction for training based on the company’s needs. 

Thanks so much and thanks for being candid without being rude. 

I watched the training videos and they did not prepare me for the test. I disagree with Microsoft's assertion that this is an entry level test that non-IT people should be able to pass. Some of the AD related questions that I saw in there were for Systems Engineer level individuals like myself.

As to a manager, I don't have one as I am it. My only report is to the CEO. Everyone is non-technical and the ball is in my court as I manage the environment technically and administratively. 

I don't even have access to the Portal come to find out. I was shocked to find out that I will be working within a provisioned 2016 VM that another team set up.

Data Scientists from large corporate vendors will be setting up their applications for this environment. I will just be installing the applications. 

I will not be doing any hardening of the VM as that is yet another team.

I personally think that since I am really not administering anything outside of that VM, I should probably go after AI or Machine Learning Certs so that I can speak intelligently to the vendors about whatever they are installing.

Thanks.