What Is An Azure Certification? (Definition And Examples)

Updated 14 March 2023

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Azure is a cloud-computing service offered by Microsoft and benefits developers and administrators to perform their daily tasks. It helps build, deploy, maintain and improve existing business technologies. Learning about Azure certifications may help you improve your skills, get better work opportunities and advance your career successfully. In this article, we answer the question "What is an Azure certification?", discuss several Azure certifications, their benefits in the workplace and how you may highlight them on your resume, cover letter or interview.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What Is An Azure Certification?

To answer the question "What is an Azure certification?", it is accreditation from Microsoft that adds credibility to your proficiency in the Azure platform. It substantiates your ability to use the platform for various processes, including building, testing and deploying their services and applications within data centres. Understanding Azure and cloud computing help professionals focus on specific specialisations depending on their skill set. The categorisation of the certifications depends on the technical requirements and roles of the industry. The certifications have different levels, like the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, to show your expertise.

Examples Of Azure Certifications

Here are some of the role-based and fundamental Azure certifications offered by Microsoft:

Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

The Azure fundamentals certificate validates your basic knowledge of cloud services. It demonstrates your knowledge of Azure, its services, workloads, security, privacy and other support. Gaining certification in Azure fundamentals also shows your ability to use cloud computing concepts, models and services to make applications for infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS).

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate

This associate certification is suitable for cloud developers working in all phases of software or application development. It tests and focuses on proficiency in Azure SDKs, data storage, data connections, APIs, computations, debugging and performance tuning. The certification is suitable for people with one to two years of professional experience in development, using Microsoft Azure and its associated programming languages like Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate

The Microsoft Azure database administrator associate certification is suitable for database administrators who implement and manage operational aspects of solutions built with Microsoft SQL and Microsoft Azure data services. The certification tests the ability to implement a secure environment, optimise query performance, automate tasks and perform administration using Transact-SQL (T-SQL). It shows your ability to perform daily operations using cloud-native and hybrid data platform solutions offered by Microsoft.

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

Azure artificial intelligence (AI) engineers leverage Azure Cognitive Services to build, manage and deploy AI solutions for businesses. They understand all processes, from design and development to deployment and maintenance of the AI solutions. AI engineers work closely with data engineers, internet of things (IoT) specialists and data scientists. The Azure AI engineer associate certification tests and substantiates their ability to implement computer vision solutions, mining solutions and conversational AI solutions. AI engineers are competent in C#, Python, application programming interface (API) and software development kits (SDKs) before appearing for this certification.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty

Azure Cosmos DB developer speciality certification substantiates expertise in working with Azure Cosmos DB database technologies to design, implement and monitor cloud-native applications. It provides the knowledge and expertise to develop applications with Core (SQL), API and SDKs, write queries, create index policies and manage resources in Azure. The certification also prepares you to interpret JSON, C#, Java code and use PowerShell.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

An Azure solutions architect works with stakeholders to understand business requirements and to design secure and scalable Azure solutions for them. They partner with developers and administrators to implement these solutions. This certification by Microsoft tests the ability to design cloud and hybrid solutions on Microsoft Azure.

It is an advanced certification that requires prior knowledge and expertise in information technology (IT) operations, networking, virtualisation, security and disaster recovery. The certificate substantiates your ability in Azure administration, development, DevOps processes, design data storage solutions, business continuity solutions and infrastructure solutions. It is vital to earn the Azure Administrator Associate's certificate before appearing for this exam.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate

A security engineer manages security postures, identifies threats, and implements protection and troubleshooting procedures. Gaining an Azure security engineer's associate certification substantiates your knowledge to protect identity, access data and networks in cloud and hybrid environments and implement end-to-end security systems. Gain practical experience in the administration of Azure and hybrid environments before appearing for this certification. Experience in infrastructure as code, cloud capabilities and Azure services may benefit during the certification process.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Stack Hub Operator Associate

Stack Hub operators provide cloud services to end users using Azure Stack Hub. They plan, deploy, update and maintain the infrastructure and perform necessary operations to manage infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) for businesses. Azure stack hub operator associate certification substantiates the ability of a stack hub operator to recommend, plan and implement Azure networking solutions and manage them to ensure scalability, performance, security and resiliency. It also enhances their knowledge of development-operations (DevOps) processes and Azure Stack Hub.

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals

The Microsoft certification in Azure AI fundamentals is a beginner certification to show your knowledge of AI and machine learning workloads and your proficiency to use Azure services to implement them effectively. Learning about AI may help advance careers in healthcare, financial management, blockchain, marketing and eCommerce. Basic knowledge or experience in programming may benefit while appearing for the examination.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Support Engineer For Connectivity Specialty

Support engineers are experts in using advanced troubleshooting methodologies to resolve issues in Azure. They are vital in hybrid environments to resolve issues with Azure virtual machines, networks and connectivity quickly and effectively. The Azure support engineer for connectivity speciality certificate is an advanced certification that substantiates knowledge of routing and permissions vital to hybrid Azure environments. It demonstrates the ability to resolve issues in IaaS, PaaS and virtual machines.

Tips For Choosing An Azure Certification

Here are some tips that you may follow to choose a certification that helps advance your career:

Define your career goals. Identify your long-term and short-term goals. Understand the skills necessary to achieve your goals and how Azure certifications may benefit you.
Understand your industry and career. Azure certifications focus on role-based skills. Understanding the industry requirements and your career may help identify relevant certifications to complement your career.
Evaluate your skills. Several Azure certifications require specific knowledge and experience. Understanding your current expertise may help you choose a certification that matches your skills.

Azure Certifications In A Workplace

Here are some ways in which you may use Azure certifications to advance your career in a workplace:

Gain more experience. Use the knowledge you gain through an Azure certification to expand the types of projects you choose. You may further use this experience to gain advanced Azure certifications.
Improve your skills. Azure certifications help you improve your existing skills and may benefit you in enhancing the contributions you make to a project. You may learn a new skill to diversify your skill sets and become more employable.
Gain better opportunities. Azure certifications substantiate your knowledge and skills. They may help you change career paths or jobs.

Highlighting Your Azure Certifications

Mentioning your Azure certifications in vital documents like a resume, cover letters and during an interview may improve your chances of leveraging them to advance your career. Here are some tips to highlight your Azure certifications:

Azure certification on a resume

Most Azure certifications expire in a year, making it vital for you to keep up with the changing technology and syllabus of the certification. Ensure you mention the expiry date of the certification on your resume. Dedicate a separate section on your resume to better highlight the accreditation and substantiate its application through your work experience to potential employers.

Azure certification on a cover letter

Understand the job role and the relevance of your Azure certification to it. Highlight the relevant certification on your cover letter. Ensure you mention the level of certification and its application in your daily work to help employers understand how the company may benefit from hiring you and assess your suitability for the role.

Azure certification in an interview

It is important to listen to the interview questions before mentioning your certification. Highlight your job role and skills and share experiences that substantiate your expertise. Discuss your certification if it is relevant to the question and may help you better demonstrate why you can be efficient in performing specific job duties.