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AZ-700 Exam Study Guide: Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate

AZ-700 Study Guide: Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate

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Updated – 04/11/2022 – AZ-700 Official Exam Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions video course released by Microsoft Press.

Updated – 29/10/2021 – The exam guide below shows the changes that will be implemented starting on November 23, 2021. The study guide has been updated to reflect the new exam objectives added by Microsoft.

Are you preparing for the AZ-700 Design and Implement Azure Network Solutions exam?

This study guide will share with you how to prepare and pass the AZ-700: Microsoft Certified Azure Network Engineer Associate successfully (with links to exam objectives).

Introduction

Microsoft is keeping evolving its learning programs to help you and your career keep pace with today’s demanding IT environments. The new updated role-based certifications will help you to keep pace with today’s business requirements. Microsoft Learning is constantly evolving its learning program to better offer what you need to skill up, prove your expertise to employers and peers, and get the recognition—and opportunities you’ve earned.

After the recent announcement of the new certifications exams that focus on Security, Compliance, and Identity (SCI) solutions and the Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop specialty exam, Microsoft Learning announced a new associate certification exam for Azure Networking Solutions which expands Azure training and certification portfolio.

AZ-700 Exam Prep

How do you prepare for AZ-700?

I would like to share with you how to prepare and pass the AZ-700: Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions exam successfully. To prepare for this exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs, Microsoft Learn, and Training Labs, which I am going to share with you in the next section.

Updated on 16/08/2021 – In this exam, I got around 59 questions in total with 2 case studies, and 2 sections with Yes/No answers. The total time for this exam is 120 minutes (2 hours). The exam is very long and tough, you need to manage your time and prepare very well. The questions do pretty much match the list of skills measured below.

Updated on 18/04/2022 – Important information for Microsoft certification candidates: You should prepare for the performance-based testing (PBT) lab questions, starting now. Whether you see PBT or not depends on which exam, where you take the exam, etc. You would expect to see lab questions for the AZ-700 exam. It’s important to know you do NOT have to wait for deployments to complete these performance-based (lab) tests. As long as the deployment passes validation, you’re good to go. Every minute counts on these exams. Hands-on labs are the best way of demonstrating ability.

The exam is available starting mid of July 2021 in the Beta phase at the time of this writing. Beta exams are not scored immediately because Microsoft is gathering data on the quality of the questions and the exam. This exam is out of the Beta phase now and it’s Public.

Updated on 07/10/2021 – I am so happy and grateful now that I received the final report for the AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions with a passing score as shown in the report below! I want to mention that I did not prepare well when I sat for this exam in August 2021, there were no resource materials available during the beta phase, but since I work with Microsoft Azure on daily basis, I managed to answer most of the questions within 2 hours.

AZ-700 - Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions
AZ-700 – Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions

Updated on 08/07/2022 – For the renewal assessment, I got 25 questions in total without any case study. The performance assessment is based on the following topics:

> Introduction to Azure Virtual Networks.
> Design and implement hybrid networking.
> Design and implement Azure ExpressRoute.
> Load balance non-HTTP(S) traffic in Azure.
> Load balance HTTP(S) traffic in Azure.
> Design and implement network security.
> Design and implement private access to Azure Services.
> Design and implement network monitoring.

Renewal assessment results for Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate
Renewal assessment results for Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate

Exam Target Audience

The candidates for the Azure Network Engineer Associate certification should have subject matter expertise in planning, implementing, and maintaining Azure networking solutions, including hybrid networking, connectivity, routing, security, and private access to Azure services.

Responsibilities for this role include recommending, planning, and implementing Azure networking solutions. Professionals in this role manage the solutions for performance, resiliency, scale, and security. They deploy networking solutions by using the Azure Portal and other methods, including PowerShell, Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI), and Azure Resource Manager templates (ARM templates).

As an Azure Network Engineer, you work and collaborate with solution architects, cloud administrators, security engineers, application developers, and DevOps engineers to deliver Azure solutions.

To prepare for this exam, you should have expert Azure administration skills, in addition to extensive experience and knowledge of networking, hybrid connections, and network security.

Please note that to take this exam, you must have expert Azure administration skills. Check my AZ-104 Exam: Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate study guide to get prepared.

Prerequisites

Successful Azure Network Engineers start this role with experience in enterprise networking, on-premises or cloud infrastructure, and network security. As a prerequisite for this exam, you should be familiar with the following:

  • Understanding on-premises virtualization technologies, including virtual networking and VMs.
  • Understanding network configurations, including TCP/IP, Domain Name System (DNS), firewalls, and encryption technologies.
  • Understanding of software-defined networking.
  • Understanding hybrid network connectivity methods, such as VPN.
  • Understanding resilience and disaster recovery, including high availability and restore operations regarding networking.

Skills measured on this exam

This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical topics listed below based on the latest update from Microsoft Learning.

I have also included the direct link to the Microsoft documentation so you can read more about each objective.

Design, Implement and Manage Hybrid Networking (10–15%)

Design, implement and manage a site-to-site VPN connection

Design, implement and manage a point-to-site VPN connection

Design, implement and manage Azure ExpressRoute

Design and Implement Core Networking Infrastructure (20–25%)

Design and implement private IP addressing for VNets

Design and implement name resolution

Design and implement cross-VNet connectivity

Design and implement an Azure Virtual WAN architecture

Design and Implement Routing (25–30%)

Design, implement and manage VNet routing

Design and implement an Azure Load Balancer

Design and implement Azure Application Gateway

Implement Azure Front Door

Implement an Azure Traffic Manager profile

Design and implement an Azure Virtual Network NAT

Secure and Monitor Networks (15–20%)

Design, implement and manage an Azure Firewall deployment

Implement and manage network security groups (NSGs)

Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) deployment

Monitor networks

Design and Implement Private Access to Azure Services (10–15%)

Design and implement Azure Private Link service and Azure Private Endpoint

Design and implement service endpoints

Configure VNet integration for dedicated platform as a service (PaaS) services

Microsoft Learn – Study Resources

To prepare for this exam, I use the new Microsoft Learn, a great resource that provides self-paced skills training on a variety of Azure Networking topics. I highly recommend checking the following 8 modules:

1) Introduction to Azure virtual networks (11 units)
2) Design and implement hybrid networking (9 units)
3) Design and implement Azure ExpressRoute (11 units)
4) Load balance non-HTTP(S) traffic in Azure (7 units)
5) Load balance HTTP(S) traffic in Azure (7 units)
6) Design and implement network security (11 units)
7) Design and implement private access to Azure Services (8 units)
8) Design and implement network monitoring (5 units)

Microsoft Documentation – Study Resources

I gathered all the resources available on Microsoft documentation to help you get prepared ahead of time and pass this exam.

Links to relevant reading from the official Microsoft documentation for each skill tested in the AZ-700 exam are listed below:

Training Labs

Check the following step-by-step hands-on labs that will help you to gain more practical experience and be ready for the performance-based testing (PBT) lab questions:

1) Exercise 1 – Design and implement a Virtual Network in Azure
2) Exercise 2 – Configure DNS configuration in Azure
3) Exercise 3 – Connect two Azure Virtual Networks using global virtual network peering
4) Exercise 4 – Create and configure a virtual network gateway
5) Exercise 5 – Create a Virtual WAN by using Azure Portal

6) Exercise 6 – Configure an ExpressRoute Gateway
7) Exercise 7 – Provision of an ExpressRoute circuit
8) Exercise 8 – Create and configure an Azure load balancer
9) Exercise 9 – Create a Traffic Manager profile using the Azure Portal
10) Exercise 10 – Deploy Azure Application Gateway

11) Exercise 11 – Create a Front Door for a highly available web application using the Azure Portal
12) Exercise 12 – Configure DDoS Protection on a virtual network using the Azure Portal
13) Exercise 13 – Deploy and configure Azure Firewall using the Azure Portal
14) Exercise 14 – Secure your virtual hub using Azure Firewall Manager
15) Exercise 15 – Create an Azure private endpoint using Azure PowerShell

16) Exercise 16 – Restrict network access to PaaS resources with virtual network service endpoints
17) Exercise 17 – Monitor a load balancer resource using Azure Monitor

Books

At the time of this writing, there are three books that you can use to prepare for this exam.

The first one is, the official Exam Ref AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions from Microsoft Press by Pearson. This Exam Ref book Organizes its coverage by exam objectives and features strategic, what-if scenarios to challenge you, assuming you have expertise in planning, implementing, and maintaining Azure networking solutions.

Exam Ref AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions
Exam Ref AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions

You can place the order now, the publication date for the Exam Ref Book is May 4th, 2022.

The second one is, the Azure Networking cookbook published by my fellow MVP, Mustafa Toroman – Manage your network more effectively with the Azure Networking Cookbook – 2nd Edition. You can download this ebook for free here.

The e-book features step-by-step information on how to:

  • Create and work on hybrid connections.
  • Configure and manage Azure network services.
  • Design high-availability network solutions.
  • Monitor and troubleshoot network resources.
  • Connect local networks to virtual networks.

This e-book also includes a link to an example code bundle on GitHub to help you learn. I highly recommend this hands-on guidance book to prepare for this exam.

The third book, Microsoft Azure Network Security published by Microsoft Press and written by two of Microsoft’s leading Azure network security experts. You can purchase this book from Microsoft Press.

This book features expert, start-to-finish guidance for every Azure cloud environment, regardless of size or complexity, and covers the following Azure network security concepts:

  • Chapter 1 Introduction to Azure Network Security
  • Chapter 2 Secure Azure Network architectures
  • Chapter 3 Controlling traffic with Azure Firewall
  • Chapter 4 Traffic Inspection in Azure Networks
  • Chapter 5 Secure application delivery with Azure Web Application Firewall
  • Chapter 6 Mitigating DDoS attacks
  • Chapter 7 Enabling Network Security log collection
  • Chapter 8 Security monitoring with Azure Sentinel, Security Center, and Network Watcher
  • Chapter 9 Combining Azure resources for a holistic network security strategy

This book is for Security Operations (SecOps) analysts, cybersecurity/information security professionals, network security engineers, and other IT professionals. It’s also for individuals with security responsibilities in any Azure environment, no matter how large, small, simple, or complex.

AZ 700 Videos

If you are interested to prepare for this exam using video training, then I highly recommend checking the official AZ-700 full exam course by Microsoft Press.

This course teaches network engineers the AZ-700 coverage: How to design, implement, and maintain Azure networking solutions.

Exam AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions (Video)
Exam AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions (Video)

This course covers the process of designing, implementing, and managing core Azure networking infrastructure, hybrid networking connections, load balancing traffic, network routing, private access to Azure services, and network security and monitoring. The learner will gain knowledge on how to design and implement a secure, reliable network infrastructure in Azure and how to establish hybrid connectivity, routing, private access to Azure services, and monitoring in Azure.

Other video training resources:

AZ 700 Exam Dumps and Practice Test

If you wish to validate and assess your skills before taking the real AZ-700 exam, I highly encourage you to purchase one of the following assessment and practice tests:

> Assessment AZ-700: Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions. This assessment is aimed at Administrators who want to test their skills. This assessment contains 30 questions from the MeasureUp-associated practice test. It does not include explanations or references as this is an assessment-only product.

> Microsoft Official Practice Test AZ-700: Designing and Implementing Azure Networking Solutions. This exam is aimed at Administrators who want to validate and test their skills. This test contains 117 questions and covers all the exam objectives. It also includes explanations and references as this is a practice test product.

Instructor-led virtual training

Last but certainly not least, if you prefer instructor-led training, Microsoft released the AZ-700T00 3 days course. This course teaches Network Engineers how to design, implement, and maintain Azure networking solutions. This course covers the process of designing, implementing, and managing core Azure networking infrastructure, Hybrid Networking connections, load balancing traffic, network routing, private access to Azure services, network security, and monitoring. Learn how to design and implement a secure, reliable, network infrastructure in Azure and how to establish hybrid connectivity, routing, private access to Azure services, and monitoring in Azure.

If you prefer to get prepare for this exam with Microsoft MCT instructor-led virtual training, you can get in contact with me here.

Schedule AZ-700 Exam

Updated – 20/07/2021 –At the time of this writing, Microsoft launched the AZ-700 exam in beta mode, if you would like to take the beta exam and receive the 80% discount*, use the code below when prompted for payment. This exam is out of the Beta phase now and it’s Public. The beta code below is NOT available anymore.

AZ700MAYESVILLE

You must register for the exam on or before August 17, 2021. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that this beta exam is NOT available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China.

If you would like to take the beta exam and receive the 80% discount*, bookmark my study guide here where I will share the code to register for this exam before the end of July 2021. Please note that the seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Once you are ready, click Schedule exam here and take it online from the comfort of your home/office with proctor supervision.

Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions
Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions

Other Microsoft Azure Exam Study Guides

Are you interested in another Azure certification exam? I highly encourage you to check out the following Azure exam study guides:

If you are planning to take the AZ-700 exam… I wish you all the best and Happy Studying!!!

__
Thank you for reading my blog.

If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment.

-Charbel Nemnom-

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About the Author
Charbel Nemnom
Charbel Nemnom is a Senior Cloud Architect, Swiss Certified ICT Security Expert, Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). He has over 20 years of broad IT experience serving on and guiding technical teams to optimize the performance of mission-critical enterprise systems with extensive practical knowledge of complex systems build, network design, business continuity, and cloud security.

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6 thoughts on “AZ-700 Study Guide: Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate”

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  1. Thanks for this info. I’ve used the promo code, gone directly to the AZ-700 Microsoft exam page to schedule my exam, and will sit for the beta exam!

  5. Charbel,
    Exam AZ-700 was updated today, 11-23-2021. And it is wicked hard and confusing. There are many questions where you need to page through several config tabs where you need to get a bit of info from each screen while trying to remember what the questions were. I thought this exam is incredibly unfair in the way the questions are presented. Microsoft also deceives you about the time. There are some questions at the beginning of the exam you are given unlimited time to answer, but what they don’t tell you is that’s at the end of the exam. And to make things worse, the Official Microsoft Training material does not cover what’s on the exam.
    This has to be one of the worst Microsoft exams I have ever taken.
    You are to be congratulated for passing the exam when you did. I don’t think you would be able to pass the current version of the exam.

  6. Hello Doug my friend, hope you are doing well!
    I am totally aware of the changes of the AZ-700 exam starting 11-23-2021. Hence, I have updated the study guide to meet those changes.
    I totally agree, this exam is one of the toughest exams that I took over the years. The Official Microsoft Training material alone is not enough to pass this exam.
    I understood your frustrations about not passing the AZ-700 exam, but rest assured that I can pass this exam at any time without preparation and with the current version. I am not only MCT, I have a handful of real-world experience with complex networking projects.
    As you’ve read in this study guide, I passed it without preparation and there were no resource materials available during the beta phase which is even harder, but since I work with Microsoft Azure on daily basis, I managed to answer most of the questions within 2 hours. In between, 745 is not a high score :)
    I recommend you submit your feedback about the unfairness in the way the questions are presented directly to Microsoft Learning which can help to improve the exam questions.
    Good luck with the next attempt!

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