I decided this is the year to do certifications. My current plan is one certification test a month until I decide enough. I hope to get to Solutions Architect, which is an expert level certification.

Certification Series

• AZ-900 Azure fundamentals exam
• DP-900 Azure Data fundamentals exam

I put in a forcing function about three weeks ago to take the AZ-900 fundamentals certification test. I’ve been using Azure for several years now, so why not? I should be able to sail through it, right? Heh.

I took three tacks: videos, reading, and sample tests.

Videos: I made good use of Tim Warner’s (b|t) YouTube series on AZ-900. Tim made it last year, and he made some updates along the way, so be warned it won’t exactly line up with the existing certification objectives. And, it is 11 hours long, so be prepared for a longer watch time. I did it over 5 days, but I recommend taking it one or two videos a day so you can also read all the secondary resources he suggests.

I wish I had had time to check out the PluralSight courses, but I procrastinated. I won’t do that for the next test.

I did one video from John Savill (t|y) on Youtube called AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals Hints and Tips. It filled in a couple small holes.

Reading: I give Tim Warner mad props. He did a lot of work on his AZ-900 series, along with a LOT of links to suggested reading. Start there. I also did most of the learning path at Microsoft Learn.

Sample Tests: This one has the potential for some cost here. First of all, I got a MeasureUp sample test through work, so it was free. But they normally cost $99. I do think they’re helpful, but your mileage may vary, especially if you can’t afford it.

There are also sample tests on Udemy. I got this course a while ago and actually went through it this time. They gave me good feedback, so I feel like I’m ready to go forward.

One more thing: I took copious notes based off the skills outline in OneNote. I have gone back a couple times, but it’s helped me to keep everything in my brain going forward.

Taking the test itself was a hoot. Literally throwing everything off my desk, unplugging my second monitor, and then showing it to the proctor multiple times before taking the test. But at the end of the day, it was an easy test for me to sail through after all the preparation.

And yes, I passed.