How to Pass the AZ-104 Exam on Your First Attempt: The Ultimate Guide
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Microsoft Azure Administrator exam is brutal. Ask anyone in the IT industry, and they will tell you that AZ-104 is widely considered one of the hardest associate-level certifications on the market.
It has a notoriously high failure rate because it doesn’t just test definitions; it tests your ability to actually build, break, and fix things in a live cloud environment. If you rely solely on reading whitepapers, the exam’s complex case studies will tear your confidence apart.
But failing and paying that $165 exam fee twice is entirely avoidable. In this guide, we are going to break down exactly how to pass AZ-104 on your first attempt. We will cover the common traps, the updated syllabus, and give you a realistic study plan.
If you are tired of generic advice and want a roadmap that actually works for busy IT professionals, keep reading.
Is AZ-104 Hard? (And Why Most Candidates Fail)
If you are wondering, “is AZ-104 hard?”, the short answer is yes. It is significantly more difficult than the AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals).
The AZ-900 asks you to identify what a Virtual Network is. The AZ-104 asks you to troubleshoot a Virtual Network peering connection between two different Azure regions while applying a custom Network Security Group (NSG) rule.
Most candidates fail on their first try for three specific reasons. First, they underestimate the sheer breadth of the exam, which covers everything from Azure Active Directory (now Entra ID) to Kubernetes containers.
Second, they fail because they lack hands-on experience. You cannot guess your way through a drag-and-drop question about PowerShell syntax if you have never opened the Azure CLI.
Finally, candidates panic during the Microsoft Case Studies. These questions give you three pages of a fictional company’s IT architecture and ask you to fix their specific problems, testing your reading comprehension as much as your technical skills.
The AZ-104 Passing Score and Exam Format
Before you can build a study plan, you need to understand exactly what you are walking into on exam day. There are no surprises if you know the rules of the game.
The AZ-104 exam gives you roughly 100 to 120 minutes to answer between 40 and 60 questions. The exact number fluctuates depending on the specific test bank you receive.
The AZ-104 passing score is 700 out of 1000. This roughly translates to needing about 70% of the questions correct, though Microsoft scales the scoring based on the difficulty of the specific questions you are given.
You will face standard multiple-choice questions, but you must also be prepared for drag-and-drop scenarios, drop-down list selections, and the dreaded Performance-Based Questions (labs) where you actually have to configure resources in a live Azure portal simulation.
Your 8-Week AZ-104 Study Plan (2026 Updated)
If you want to know how to pass AZ-104 on your first attempt, you need a structured timeline. Cramming over a weekend will not work for this exam.
Assuming you are working a full-time IT job, a realistic AZ-104 study plan takes about 8 weeks, dedicating 10 to 12 hours a week. Here is exactly how you should break down the five exam domains.
Weeks 1 & 2: Manage Azure Identities and Governance (20–25%)
Start your journey with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). This is the foundation of everything in Azure. If you don’t understand identity, you can’t secure anything else.
Spend your first two weeks learning how to create users, manage groups, and configure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). You also need to get very comfortable with Azure Policies and management groups.
Do not move on until you understand how to calculate effective permissions when multiple RBAC roles overlap. This is a favorite trick question on the exam.
Weeks 3 & 4: Implement and Manage Virtual Networking (15–20%)
Networking is traditionally the hardest domain for candidates who come from a pure systems administration background. It requires a lot of lab time to master.
You need to know how to configure Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, and VNet Peering. Pay special attention to Network Security Groups (NSGs) and how to evaluate effective security rules.
You will also be tested heavily on Azure Load Balancers and Application Gateways. Understand the difference between Layer 4 and Layer 7 routing, as the exam will force you to choose between them in scenario questions.
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Week 5: Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Resources (20–25%)
This domain is massive. You need to know how to deploy Virtual Machines using both the Azure portal and Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates.
Spend time learning about high availability. You must understand how Virtual Machine Scale Sets and Availability Zones protect your infrastructure when Microsoft’s data centers go offline.
You also need a basic understanding of modern compute. Don’t skip the sections on Azure App Service and Azure Container Instances (ACI), as they frequently pop up in multiple-choice questions.
Week 6: Implement and Manage Storage (15–20%)
Storage in Azure is not just about dumping files into a bucket. You need to understand how to configure storage accounts and secure them using network routing and firewalls.
Make sure you understand the difference between Hot, Cool, and Archive access tiers. The exam will give you a scenario about long-term data retention and ask you to choose the most cost-effective tier.
Finally, practice using tools like Azure Storage Explorer and AzCopy. You will likely see drag-and-drop questions asking you to build the correct AzCopy command-line string.
Week 7: Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10–15%)
This is the smallest domain, but it is easy points if you study it correctly. Focus heavily on Azure Monitor and Log Analytics workspaces.
You need to know how to set up metric alerts and action groups. The exam will ask you what steps are required to send an email to an IT admin when a server hits 90% CPU usage.
Also, spend a solid day on Azure Backup and Recovery Services vaults. Know the exact steps required to restore a deleted Virtual Machine from a snapshot.
Week 8: AZ-104 Performance Based Questions and Mocks
Your final week should be completely dedicated to practice exams. Do not learn new material this week; focus entirely on execution and timing.
Take at least three full-length, timed mock exams. Treat them like the real thing—no pausing, no checking Google.
After each mock exam, spend two hours reviewing your wrong answers. If you are consistently scoring above 80% on high-quality practice tests, you are ready to book the real exam.
The Secret Weapon: Live Hands-On Labs
You can read the Microsoft Learn documentation until your eyes hurt, but nothing replaces the muscle memory of actually clicking through the Azure portal.
However, building your own labs can be risky. If you accidentally leave a massive Virtual Machine Scale Set running over the weekend, you might wake up to a $500 credit card bill from Microsoft.
This is where structured training makes a massive difference. Redshift Institute’s AZ-104 Live Certification Training provides you with guided, safe lab environments.
You get to build complex networking and compute scenarios without worrying about unexpected costs. Plus, when you get stuck trying to peer two VNets, you have a live instructor right there to look at your screen and explain what went wrong.
Tired of studying alone? [Chat with an Azure Expert on WhatsApp] to see if our live AZ-104 classes fit your schedule.
Whatsapp us: +91-92891 98901
Mastering the Microsoft Case Studies
We cannot talk about how to pass AZ-104 on your first attempt without addressing the elephant in the room: Microsoft Case Studies.
These questions appear as a separate block on the exam. You cannot skip them, and once you finish a case study section, you cannot go back to it.
The trick to case studies is to stop reading them like a book. Do not start by reading the three pages of background information. It is designed to waste your time and induce panic.
Instead, go straight to the actual question. Read what it is asking for, identify the key constraint (like “minimize costs” or “ensure high availability”), and then use the search function or skim the text to find only that specific piece of information.
Mastering the Microsoft Case Studies
When exam day arrives, trust your preparation. If you followed an 8-week AZ-104 study plan and put in the lab hours, you have done the hard work.
During the exam, manage your time ruthlessly. If you stare at a complex routing question for more than two minutes, mark it for review and move on. Do not let one difficult question steal the time you need for five easy ones.
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection; the goal is 700 points.
If you want to eliminate the guesswork and ensure your first attempt is your only attempt, you don’t have to do it alone. Redshift Institute specializes in getting IT professionals through these brutal exams.
Ready to get certified? [Download the Full AZ-104 Course Brochure] or [Book a Free Strategy Call] with our instructors today.
Whatsapp us: +91-92891 98901