The AZ-400 certification exam measures your ability to accomplish key technical tasks involved in implementing DevOps methodologies on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. Candidates should have hands-on experience with Azure administration and development using tools like Azure DevOps and GitHub.
The exam covers topics like configuring processes and communications through integrating repositories with Azure Boards and setting up notifications with webhooks. You’ll need to know how to implement source control with Git and design, build, and release pipelines for continuous integration and deployment using YAML, Azure Pipelines, and GitHub Actions.
Testing is a big focus, including test automation, UI testing, and testing strategies like unit, integration, and load testing. The exam also covers monitoring and instrumentation using tools like Azure Monitor, Application Insights, and container scanning.
Security is key, so you’ll need to know how to do security scanning, implement governance policies, and analyze licensing and vulnerabilities. Hybrid and containerized deployments are also covered.
To prepare, hands-on experience is crucial. Use resources like Microsoft Learn, community sites, documentation, and training courses. Focus your studies on the skills measured and use the exam guide to understand the topics covered.
Exam AZ-400: Microsoft DevOps Solutions Glossary
To succeed on the AZ-400 exam, you’ll need to understand key concepts like Azure DevOps, GitHub, containers, Kubernetes, infrastructure as code, continuous integration, continuous delivery, and monitoring.
Focus your studies on Azure tools for implementing DevOps, including Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Artifacts. Know how to manage work with Agile processes, backlogs, sprints, work items, and Kanban boards.
Understand source control with Git repositories in Azure Repos and GitHub. Learn how to configure build pipelines, releases, deployments, testing, and monitoring using YAML, templates, tasks, and extensions.
Review Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights for instrumentation and logging. Study up on containerization with Docker, Azure Container Registry, and Azure Kubernetes Service.
Security is critical, so know how to implement governance policies, access controls, infrastructure as code, and analyze vulnerabilities. Hands-on experience with Azure, Azure DevOps, and GitHub will help you gain the real-world skills covered on the exam.
Exam AZ-400: Microsoft DevOps Solutions Exam Guide
The AZ-400 certification exam covers implementing DevOps methodologies on Azure. Focus your preparation on hands-on experience with Azure tools like Azure DevOps, Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor.
Know how to configure source control with Git, backlogs, sprints, Kanban boards, and YAML pipelines for continuous integration and delivery. Study release management, infrastructure as code, containerization, and testing strategies like unit, integration, and UI testing.
Review monitoring tools like Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights. Understand security concepts like governance policies, access controls, scanning, and license analysis.
Hands-on experience with Azure, Azure DevOps, containers, Kubernetes, and GitHub will help you gain the real-world DevOps and Azure administration skills covered on the exam. Use online training courses, documentation, community forums, and the official exam guide to focus your preparation.
AZ-400 Exam: Microsoft DevOps Solutions Tips and Tricks
When preparing for the AZ-400 exam, focus on gaining hands-on experience with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor. Work through real-world scenarios building CI/CD pipelines with YAML, configuring backlogs, sprints, and work items, and integrating GitHub.
Learn how to automate container builds, implement infrastructure as code with ARM templates, and configure release pipelines. Study application monitoring with Log Analytics and Application Insights.
Review Azure security tools like KeyVault, governance policies, access controls, and penetration testing. Take practice tests to identify knowledge gaps. Leverage online training courses, documentation, forums, and the official exam guide.
Hands-on experience with Azure administration, Azure DevOps, GitHub, containers, and Kubernetes will help you gain the practical skills covered on the exam. Focus your preparation on the objectives, and know how to implement DevOps processes on Azure using the latest tools and features.
Microsoft AZ-400 Exam Study Guide
The AZ-400 certification exam covers implementing DevOps processes on Azure using tools like Azure DevOps, Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor. Focus your preparation on hands-on experience with YAML pipelines, source control, continuous integration, infrastructure as code, release management, and application monitoring.
Use online training courses, documentation, community forums, and the official exam guide to understand the skills measured. Study Azure administration, Azure DevOps, containers, Kubernetes, and GitHub to gain practical expertise for the exam.
Take practice tests to identify knowledge gaps. Review governance policies, access controls, and security concepts. Learn how to configure backlogs, sprints, and work items and integrate GitHub repositories. Build your skills with Azure, Azure DevOps, and GitHub before taking the exam. Leverage real-world scenarios to gain the Azure and DevOps administration abilities covered on the AZ-400.
Analysing the Objectives
When implementing DevOps solutions on Azure, properly analyzing objectives is crucial for project success. Clearly defined goals enable teams to deliver business value and meet stakeholder needs.
To analyze objectives, start by identifying key stakeholders and gathering requirements. Use Azure Boards to manage user stories, prioritize work items, and plan sprints. Engage stakeholders to understand goals.
Analyze how the solution integrates with existing systems. Determine metrics for success. Consider long-term objectives like scalability, maintenance, and extensibility.
Review security, compliance, and regulatory requirements. Analyze technical feasibility and costs. Document findings in the project plan.
Continuously revisit objectives during solution development. Review progress in sprint demos. Adjust course as needed. Use Azure Monitor logs and dashboards to track key metrics.
Analyzing objectives upfront and consistently reviewing goals helps DevOps teams deliver maximum value. The process gives direction, aligns stakeholders, and enables data-driven decisions.
Configure processes and communications (10 to 15%)
The AZ-400 exam covers configuring processes and communications for DevOps solutions on Azure. Focus on skills like integrating Azure Boards with repositories, configuring notifications and alerts, and enabling traceability.
Use Azure Boards to create Kanban boards, backlogs, sprints, and work items. Integrate Azure Repos and GitHub to track code changes. Configure service hooks for notifications on build and release events.
Implement instrumentation with Azure Monitor to analyze logs and set alerts. Gain visibility into deployments with Azure Monitor dashboards.
Enable traceability end-to-end across the DevOps lifecycle. Link work items to code commits, builds, releases, and issues. Track progress and dependencies.
Communication and collaboration are key. Structure teams, streams, and channels in Azure DevOps. Configure notifications and integrate tools like Slack.
Hands-on experience with Azure Boards, Repos, Pipelines, and Monitor will help master the skills covered in this AZ-400 objective.
Design and implement source control (15 to 20%)
The AZ-400 exam covers designing and implementing source control with Git. Know how to manage repositories, branches, commits, and pull requests.
Set up Azure Repos or GitHub for version control. Implement branching strategies like Gitflow. Secure access with SSH keys and access controls. Integrate repos with Azure Boards and Pipelines.
Manage code reviews and approvals with pull requests. Use branch policies to enforce quality. Perform inline code reviews.
Implement source control workflows, including peer reviews, gated checks, and policies. Enable traceability by linking work items to commits.
Study Git commands, workflows, integrations, and repositories. Containerize applications and store images in Azure Container Registry.
Gain hands-on experience with Git, Azure Repos, GitHub, and Azure DevOps. Focus your preparation on real-world source control scenarios to master the skills covered in this objective.
Design and implement build and release pipelines (40 to 45%)
This objective covers a large portion of the AZ-400 exam. Focus your preparation on hands-on experience with build and release pipelines.
Learn how to automate builds and deployments using YAML pipelines in Azure DevOps. Implement continuous integration and delivery with quality and release gates. Integrate security scanning, license checks, and testing into the pipeline.
Study releases management concepts like rolling deployments, traffic routing, and hotfix workflows. Monitor pipeline health using Azure Monitor. Optimize for speed, reliability, and efficiency.
Containerize applications with Docker and store images in Azure Container Registry. Implement infrastructure as code with Bicep, ARM templates, or Terraform to automate provisioning.
Use Azure Pipelines, GitHub Actions, Azure Policy, and other tools to build sophisticated deployment pipelines. Follow best practices for pipeline design, troubleshooting, maintenance, and optimization.
Develop a security and compliance plan (10 to 15%)
Security and compliance are crucial for Azure DevOps implementations. Study Azure security tools like Azure Security Center, Key Vault, and role-based access controls.
Learn how to perform security scanning, license analysis, and penetration testing. Implement secure development practices like secret management, infrastructure as code, and the principle of least privilege.
Understand regulatory compliance considerations. Review industry regulations and certification requirements that apply.
Document security and compliance requirements early in the project lifecycle. Perform threat modeling to identify risks. Define security controls and policies for data, systems, and processes.
Monitor security posture using Azure Monitor dashboards. Analyze vulnerabilities and remediate issues. Maintain compliance through audits and reviews.
Focus your preparation on real-world security scenarios like implementing governance policies and access controls and analyzing licensing and vulnerabilities. Hands-on practice with Azure security tools will help master the skills covered in this objective.
Implement an instrumentation strategy (10 to 15%)
Instrumentation and monitoring are key for Azure DevOps solutions. Focus on implementing a logging and monitoring strategy with tools like Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights.
Configure diagnostic settings to collect platform logs and metrics. Analyze data with Log Analytics queries and dashboards. Set alerts for critical events and metrics.
Enable Application Insights SDK in applications to collect telemetry. Analyze usage, performance, and errors. Integrate monitoring data with Azure Boards.
Implement a logging schema using JSON or other structured formats. Follow best practices for logging and monitoring.
Use Azure Policy to audit configurations. Monitor Kubernetes health and container resource usage. Troubleshoot deployments with Azure Monitor Workbooks.
Hands-on experience with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Application Insights will help master the instrumentation skills covered in this objective.
Visit the Official Microsoft Page
The official Microsoft website provides key resources to assist you in your preparation for the AZ-400 certification exam.
Review the skills measured to understand the topics covered. Study the exam guide and objectives to focus your preparation. Sign up for hands-on labs to gain practical experience with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor.
Leverage Microsoft Learn for official training content and practice exams. Join the community forum in order to connect with others preparing for the AZ-400. Use the Azure free account trial subscription to get hands-on with Azure administration and DevOps workflows.
Consult the documentation library to deepen your expertise. Review sample questions to identify knowledge gaps. Use all of Microsoft’s prep resources together with online courses, hands-on labs, and real-world experience to fully prepare for the skills covered on the AZ-400 exam.
Learning Path
When preparing for the AZ-400 certification, leverage Microsoft’s official learning resources and hands-on labs. Start with the exam guide to understand the skills measured.
Use Microsoft Learn modules for foundational Azure and DevOps concepts. Do hands-on labs to gain practical experience with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor.
Read the documentation to deepen your expertise. Take practice tests to identify knowledge gaps. If you are getting ready for the AZ-400 exam, you can join the community forum to meet and connect with other people who are also preparing for the test.
Leverage online training courses focused on Azure administration, Azure DevOps, GitHub, containers, and Kubernetes. Follow a learning path using multiple study resources together.
Hands-on experience is key for this exam. Set up Azure DevOps projects and work through real-world scenarios. The more practical experience you gain with Azure and Azure DevOps before the exam, the better prepared you will be.
Excellent Books and Guides
When preparing for the AZ-400 certification, leverage study guides and books focused on Azure DevOps to supplement your hands-on experience.
The official exam guide published by Microsoft Press covers all the objectives and skills measured on the test. Books from publishers like O’Reilly and Apress also provide comprehensive AZ-400 exam prep.
Look for study guides and books that walk through real-world scenarios using Azure DevOps, GitHub, containers, infrastructure as code, monitoring, and other key topics. Resources with practice questions, flashcards, and performance-based labs can help reinforce your learning.
Choose books with positive reviews that are up-to-date with the latest Azure DevOps features and best practices. Using multiple study guides together can help provide coverage of the exam from different angles.
Study guides and books are a great way to gain foundational knowledge. However real-world, hands-on experience is crucial for passing the AZ-400. Set up Azure DevOps projects and work through end-to-end workflows to cement your practical skills before exam day.
Azure White Papers
Leverage Azure white papers and guides to deepen your knowledge for the AZ-400 exam. Analyst reports provide independent, in-depth perspectives on implementing DevOps and cloud solutions on Azure.
White papers deliver Microsoft’s guidance on best practices, architecture, security, and other key topics. Review papers on optimizing and managing costs in Azure using tools like Azure Advisor and Azure Monitor.
Find quick reads on hybrid cloud, cloud migration, containers, Kubernetes, and other AZ-400 topics. White papers help reinforce theoretical foundations from a vendor-neutral perspective.
However, hands-on experience is essential to pass the AZ-400. Set up Azure DevOps projects and work through real-world scenarios. Do hands-on labs to gain expertise with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor.
Use white papers to supplement online courses, documentation, and practical experience. Read with a critical eye and focus on official Microsoft guidance over third-party content.
Join Training Programs
Leverage online training programs and courses to gain the hands-on experience needed to pass the AZ-400 exam. Microsoft offers official training courses to help you prepare.
Look for classes focused specifically on the AZ-400 objectives. Courses that provide hands-on labs and demos will be most valuable. Gain practical experience with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, containers, and monitoring.
Training from third-party providers like Cloud Academy can also help. Look for positive reviews and make sure the course maps to the exam guide. Consider boot camps for intensive exam preparation.
Join the Microsoft Learn community to connect with others preparing for the AZ-400. Share experiences and resources. Follow social media groups related to Azure and DevOps certifications.
Hands-on experience is essential to pass this exam. Use training courses with labs and demos to gain the practical skills needed. Supplement with documentation, books, practice tests, and real-world experience.
Study Groups & Forums
Leverage online study groups and forums to connect with others preparing for the AZ-400 exam. The Microsoft certification forum has specific sections for the AZ-400 with advice and discussions.
Follow the AZ-400 tag on sites like Reddit to find study partners. Join LinkedIn groups related to Azure and DevOps certifications to share experiences.
Participate in YouTube study groups and live streams for peer support. Review flashcards on sites like Quizlet to reinforce key concepts.
Ask questions and help others in the community. Contribute your own tips and tricks. Find a regular study group to keep you motivated.
However, hands-on experience is crucial for this exam. Do labs and demos to gain practical skills with Azure DevOps tools like Azure Boards, Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Monitor. Supplement forums and groups with documentation, training courses, practice tests, and real-world scenarios.
Take Practise Tests
Taking practice tests is crucial preparation for the AZ-400 exam. Measure your knowledge and identify gaps by mimicking the real test environment.
Leverage the official practice test from Microsoft to assess your current level. Take tests in one sitting like the real exam. Review explanations to understand concepts.
Search online for additional AZ-400 sample questions and test banks. Take tests in study mode to research answers. Focus on your weak areas and revisit study materials to improve.
Schedule practice exams weeks out to simulate the actual exam day. Take them in a quiet space without distractions. Stay strict on timing.
Repeat practice tests in the final weeks before your exam date. Your scores should steadily improve as you gain more knowledge. Aim for at least an 80% on tests before taking the real AZ-400.
Practice tests reinforce learning, improve recall, and boost confidence. Use them alongside hands-on experience, courses, study groups, and documentation to fully prepare.
