About this book

Master the Basics of Azure: The Complete AZ-900 Companion

Cloud fluency is no longer optional, and Microsoft Azure is where millions of careers now begin. This book takes you from "what even is the cloud?" to confidently understanding the services, security, pricing, and governance that power modern IT, with no prior experience required.

Written to cover the full AZ-900 syllabus and reorganized into a clean, distraction-free reading experience, it walks you through all three domains of the AZ-900 exam: cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and Azure management and governance. Every topic is explained in plain language and reinforced with 89 full-color diagrams and 8 embedded Microsoft video lessons, so abstract ideas like the shared responsibility model, IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS, high availability, and total cost of ownership finally click.

Whether you're a student, a career-switcher, a developer who wants to speak cloud, or a manager who needs to understand what your team is actually building, this is the fastest, friendliest on-ramp to Azure, and a direct step toward earning the globally recognized Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals credential.

Inside you'll find:

  • The full 3 learning modules covering the entire AZ-900 syllabus

  • 939 interactive practice questions — drag-and-drop matching, fill-in-the-blank, ordering and multiple choice, with instant feedback on every answer

  • Clear diagrams and short expert videos embedded right where you need them

  • Real-world examples that connect each concept to how businesses actually use the cloud

  • A logical, exam-aligned structure you can read cover-to-cover or dip into by topic

Start where the cloud starts. Read it, understand it, and walk into the exam ready.

Official Microsoft resources to go with it:

Preview

Describe cloud computing

Free sample questions

A free sample of this book's exam questions — no account needed.

Question 1 / 200 / 20 answered
Match each responsibility to who is responsible for it in a cloud provider scenario (provider vs. consumer).
Information and data stored in the cloud
Physical security, power, cooling, and network connectivity
Devices allowed to connect (for example, phones and computers)
Physical datacenter, physical network, and physical hosts
Cloud provider
Drop items here
Consumer
Drop items here
A team uses a managed cloud SQL database service (not a self-managed database on a VM). Which responsibility remains with the customer?
Select one answer
Order the service models by how much responsibility typically falls on the consumer (from most to least).
1.Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
2.Software as a Service (SaaS)
3.Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Cloud platforms can provide global reach, enabling teams to place services closer to users and design for regional resilience without building multiple physical datacenters.
TrueFalse
Fill in the blank
in a hybrid cloud
on a Hyper-V host
in a private cloud
in the public cloud
An organization that hosts its infrastructure Drop here no longer requires a data center.
Match the Azure offering to the scenario it addresses.
Running existing VMware workloads in Azure with integration and scalability
Managing environments across Azure-only, private, hybrid, and multicloud configurations
Azure Arc
Drop items here
Azure VMware Solution
Drop items here
A team deploys a virtual machine and installs an SQL database on it. Compared with using a managed cloud SQL database service, what additional responsibility does the team take on?
Select one answer
Order the retail scaling approach from the scenario in a logical timeline.
1.Expect high traffic during a seasonal launch
2.Deploy additional compute capacity in the cloud for the launch period
3.Scale down capacity after the launch period ends
In a multicloud scenario, an organization uses multiple public cloud providers and must manage resources and security across those providers.
TrueFalse
Fill in the blank
private
public
hybrid
multi-vendor
An Azure web app that queries an on-premises Microsoft SQL server is an example of a Drop here cloud.
Match each Azure capability area to an example service type it supports.
Remote storage services
Centralized account management
Running fully virtualized computers for custom software solutions
Database hosting
Compute
Drop items here
Storage
Drop items here
Databases
Drop items here
Identity/account management
Drop items here
A key reason cloud computing can scale faster than a traditional datacenter is that cloud services are delivered over the internet and therefore are less constrained by physical infrastructure. What is the most direct implication of this?
Select one answer
Order the cloud scaling actions for handling a demand spike using virtual machines.
1.Add virtual machines when more capacity is needed
2.Scale out during peak demand
3.Remove virtual machines when demand drops (scale back in)
Because cloud services are paid for as they are consumed, cloud computing is typically classified as an operational expense (OpEx).
TrueFalse
Fill in the blank
development
private preview
an Enterprise Agreement (EA) subscription
public preview
An Azure service is available to all Azure customers when it is in Drop here.
Match each budgeting term to its meaning.
Up-front spending on physical infrastructure such as servers, network hardware, and datacenter space
Ongoing spending on services over time
CapEx
Drop items here
OpEx
Drop items here
Which statement best defines cloud computing?
Select one answer
Order the actions that align with handling a demand spike using horizontal scaling.
1.Demand later drops
2.Scale out by adding additional instances (manually or automatically)
3.Traffic demand increases sharply
4.Scale in by removing instances to reduce cost
To build a hybrid cloud, you must deploy resources to the public cloud.
TrueFalse
Fill in the blank
in the public cloud
on a Hyper-V host
in a private cloud
in a hybrid cloud
An organization that hosts its own infrastructure Drop here no longer requires a data center.
Answer to continue

What's inside

3 chapters • 12 pages