AZ104 lab experience

---

Azure Lab Experience: Microsoft Learning – Deploy and Manage Azure Arc-enabled Servers
Lab Link: Deploy-and-manage-Azure-Arc-enabled-Servers – MicrosoftLearning

As part of my AZ-104 preparation, I explored Microsoft’s official lab for managing Windows Servers using Azure Arc. This lab simulates a hybrid cloud scenario, where an organization manages both on-premises servers and resources spread across multiple Azure subscriptions. The challenge lies in maintaining consistency across these environments.

To address this, I deployed virtual machines, onboarded them to Azure Arc, and implemented centralized governance using Azure Policy. I enabled Microsoft Defender for Cloud to enhance security, Azure Monitor to track performance and health, and Azure Update Manager to handle patching—all reflecting real-world infrastructure management practices.

I also configured Windows Servers using Azure VM extensions and the azcmagent CLI to ensure consistency across systems. These tools allowed me to enforce standards, automate deployments, and simulate real enterprise IT operations.

This hands-on experience significantly deepened my understanding of Azure Arc and hybrid management. While attention to detail—such as selecting the correct resource group and account—was essential, it was a valuable challenge that reinforced core concepts.

Overall, this lab strengthened my confidence in deploying and managing hybrid environments and provided a solid foundation as I continue on the AZ-104 and DevOps certification paths.

---