Do you think it is worth it to become Microsoft Azure and 365 certified?

Cromulent · 1 Mar 2021 at 22:07

I'm considering trying to take some exams to improve my knowledge and make my CV look a little better. Since Azure is going to be hosting my next project I thought doing some exams for that would be good and as I use Microsoft 365 for my business already it would also help me with that side of things.

Do you think these exams are worth it?

ecksmen · 1 Mar 2021 at 22:22

Yes, 100% and if you attend ignite tomorrow, and do a cloud skills challenge you can get a free exam voucher.

https://csc.docs.microsoft.com/igni...21?wt.mc_id=ignite2021spring_home_webpage_wwl

I hold AZ-500 and AZ-900, hopefully soon MS-500 and AZ-303.

Zefan · 1 Mar 2021 at 22:59

I came to post the above! Echo those comments. Get on ignite now.

Cromulent · 2 Mar 2021 at 02:26

Thanks, both. I'll look into Microsoft Ignite. Bit of bad timing though as I'm pretty busy this month.

Cromulent · 2 Mar 2021 at 03:24

I got all excited because apparently you can take these exams online and at home but you need some special software to do it. Unfortunately, because I run Linux as my main operating system the only way I can use Windows 10 Pro is through a virtual machine and that isn't supported by the exam software. Not sure what to do. I can't switch back to Windows 10 as too much of my work requires Linux and I can't really go to the exam centres to take the exam either. I will be getting a new laptop at some point which I'd be happy to run Windows 10 Pro on but for the time being I guess I won't be able to do the exams.

Robert T. · 2 Mar 2021 at 17:23

Borrow laptop from someone?

Cromulent · 2 Mar 2021 at 17:34

Robert T. said:
Borrow laptop from someone?

Yeah, I might have to do that. I certainly want to take the exams as they would be a big boost to my confidence.

glenimp617 · 2 Mar 2021 at 17:53

How can you do an exam at home?

Randomface74 · 2 Mar 2021 at 17:58

To know if it's worth it you need to know:
- how much it costs (you know this)
- how much it will make you (probably zero)

Zefan · 2 Mar 2021 at 17:58

TheOracle said:
How can you do an exam at home?

They use special sandbox software so that they know you're not clicking out of it, and they make you take a full 360 view of the room with a camera and then by video before beginning. They then watch you really quite hawkishly throughout, asking you to stop looking away from the screen if you do, or putting your hand to your face. If you do this too many times, or someone enters the room, the exam ends. Pretty good way of doing it IMO.

glenimp617 · 2 Mar 2021 at 18:16

Zefan said:
They use special sandbox software so that they know you're not clicking out of it, and they make you take a full 360 view of the room with a camera and then by video before beginning. They then watch you really quite hawkishly throughout, asking you to stop looking away from the screen if you do, or putting your hand to your face. If you do this too many times, or someone enters the room, the exam ends. Pretty good way of doing it IMO.

ah that's clever

Cromulent · 2 Mar 2021 at 18:34

billysielu said:
To know if it's worth it you need to know:
- how much it costs (you know this)
- how much it will make you (probably zero)

The way I look at it is that I probably need to learn some or most of this stuff anyway. I might as well get a certificate out of my own learning while I am at it.

Richard Slater · 12 Apr 2021 at 21:21

my two pence, yes this is 100% worth it - not just to you to a potential employer, we get about £120k a year in credits and Office 365 licences which makes getting my team pay rises much easier.

Hellsmk2 · 24 Apr 2021 at 11:47

Yes, 100% worth it. Public cloud is only growing to grow.

Furyus · 24 Apr 2021 at 13:47

I'm currently on the AZ-900 Azure cloud Fundamentals, did the Microsoft Learn, and now doing it through Skyline Academy, as they go a bit more in depth, however I think I'll struggle with networking side of it... so might have to look at some Networking material

Cromulent · 24 Apr 2021 at 14:05

I still need that Windows 10 laptop to be able to do the exam remotely, unfortunately.

Zefan · 24 Apr 2021 at 16:21

Furyus said:
I'm currently on the AZ-900 Azure cloud Fundamentals, did the Microsoft Learn, and now doing it through Skyline Academy, as they go a bit more in depth, however I think I'll struggle with networking side of it... so might have to look at some Networking material

The fundamentals is really quite simple. As long as you absorb the concepts and have an even basic background in IT you're golden. Source: I did a one day course at Microsoft's HQ, walked out of the auditorium straight in to the exam and passed. It depends on whether you're a good test taker, if you're like me then the Learn course is going to be OTT for what you require. That is of course off the back of having done quite a few other IT certs (CompTIA, Cisco, ITIL [yeah I know, I know! ]) so your mileage may vary depending on that too.

Furyus · 27 Apr 2021 at 06:47

Zefan said:
The fundamentals is really quite simple. As long as you absorb the concepts and have an even basic background in IT you're golden. Source: I did a one day course at Microsoft's HQ, walked out of the auditorium straight in to the exam and passed. It depends on whether you're a good test taker, if you're like me then the Learn course is going to be OTT for what you require. That is of course off the back of having done quite a few other IT certs (CompTIA, Cisco, ITIL [yeah I know, I know! ]) so your mileage may vary depending on that too.

I'm more of a practical person, I absolutely suck a theory, I'm currently working in the Aviation manufacturing industry, been here for roughly 10 years, before this I was.in 1st line IT support for Fujitsu before been made redundant.
I've now got a keen interest in getting back in IT hence the cloud certification..

Worthy · 27 Apr 2021 at 11:25

The fundamentals exam is really aimed at sales people who need to know juuuust enough of the terminology to schmooze with clients and win that initial pre-sales meeting. It doesn't really give you any insight into the platform from a technical perspective. You need to be flying through AZ-900 and moving on to AZ-104.

Furyus · 27 Apr 2021 at 12:17

Worthy said:
The fundamentals exam is really aimed at sales people who need to know juuuust enough of the terminology to schmooze with clients and win that initial pre-sales meeting. It doesn't really give you any insight into the platform from a technical perspective. You need to be flying through AZ-900 and moving on to AZ-104.

That's the plan, AZ-104 is my end goal

Do you think it is worth it to become Microsoft Azure and 365 certified?

I haz 4090!