Grab Your Favorite Beverage

As most of you know, a lot of my day is spent around Azure. I started using Azure several months before I joined Microsoft via an agency. After a good two years of becoming familiar with Azure, I decided to write 70-533 Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. I’m not going to lie, it was hard, really hard, and time-consuming. It’s been a long time since I have heard my heart pounding that loud after clicking the “submit” button. Luckily (and yes, I think there was some luck or good guesswork) I passed. It was a great way to end the year!

Of course I can’t tell you what was on the exam, but I can advise you to be familiar with every study objective:

I think I have been lucky regarding my last several exams, as I have only had to write the upgrade exams; but that has also been a downfall. Everyone keeps telling me the new exams are Powershell heavy, but until this exam, I’ve been able to get by with my limited PowerShell knowledge. All I can say is know your PowerShell, not only for exams but for all MS solutions. I do love PowerShell and I know I have to use it more now that I have completed this exam. I always recommend PowerShell in a Month of Lunches as a great way to learn PowerShell.

My only other challenge was my lack of development. I really struggled with the web and cloud services objectives and my mark reflected those weaknesses.

Here’s a list of the resources I used to prepare for the exam:

Azure for IT Professionals

In-person events and other resources

Now onto 70-534 Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions – once the exam is out of beta and I find some free time (that objective will be harder than the exam!). For those of you looking for study materials for this exam, Keith Mayer has a great study guide.

Let us know how your studying is going, and please feel free to join me at a ModernBiz session at a local MS office!