My Journey to AZ-104: Bridging Traditional Infrastructure and Cloud

Professional Background

Over the past 15 years, I've held diverse roles that have shaped my technical expertise:

• System Administrator

• Network Engineer

• NOC Engineer

• SOC Engineer

• Platform Engineer

• Sr Platform Engineer

• Sr Cloud Engineer

I share this not to boast, but to provide context for the experience I brought to my AZ-104 certification journey.

The Hybrid Reality

Let's be honest: while "cloud-first" is the buzzword, the reality is hybrid. During the exam, I found myself drawing on my networking fundamentals constantly. Understanding concepts like subnetting, routing, and network security isn't just helpful—it's essential for:

• Virtual Network planning

• Network Security Group configurations

• VPN and ExpressRoute scenarios

• Load balancer setups

Key Areas Where Experience Shines

Network Security Groups (NSGs)

Those years of configuring ACLs? They translate directly to NSG rules. The logic is the same—you're still controlling traffic flow, just in a cloud context.

Connectivity Solutions

Understanding the difference between site-to-site VPNs and ExpressRoute is much easier when you've configured physical WAN connections. The principles haven't changed, only the implementation.

Study Tips from the Trenches

1. Hands-on Labs are Non-Negotiable

   • Practice disaster recovery scenarios

   • Configure cross-region connectivity

   • Explore Azure Storage

   • Master AzCopy

   • Understand Azure File Sync

   • Design 3-Tiered Applications

2. Focus on Azure-Specific Services

   • Azure Monitor

   • Azure Backup

   • Azure Site Recovery

   • Azure Storage Services

   • Azure Load Balancers

   • Virtual Machines

   • Virtual Machine Scale Sets

The Reality Check

Here's what surprised me: while I could leverage my experience, Azure introduced new paradigms I had to master:

• VM SKU sizing

• Cross-Region replication

• Monitoring from an Azure Perspective

• Azure-based tools (PowerShell, AZ CLI, AzCopy)

Final Thoughts

The AZ-104 isn't just a cloud certification—it's a test of your ability to bridge traditional infrastructure knowledge with modern cloud services. Don't discount your networking experience; it's your secret weapon.

Remember: Azure isn't replacing the skills you have; it's extending them to the cloud.