The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 exam covers a range of topics, but one of the most important is Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements. Every organization that uses Azure needs to understand how to manage its costs and how to ensure that it is receiving the proper levels of service from Microsoft. In this article, we will discuss what these components of the exam mean, their importance, and how you can prepare yourself for the exam.
What Are Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Azure Cost Management is the process of tracking, analyzing, optimizing, and controlling the costs associated with using Azure services. This includes understanding the costs of each service, tracking usage, and analyzing and optimizing usage over time. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are legal contracts between you and Microsoft that define the service quality you can expect when you use an Azure service. SLAs define how services should perform, such as performance availability, agreed response times and support services.
Why Are Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements Important?
Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements are important because they help organizations manage their costs and ensure they receive the quality of service they expect. Azure is a large, complex platform, and managing costs can be an intimidating process, particularly for organizations that are new to the platform. SLAs help organizations understand how their service performance will be monitored and how they can expect Microsoft to respond when issues arise.
How to Prepare for the AZ-900 Exam
The Microsoft AZ-900 exam covers all the essentials of Azure, including cost management and service level agreements. To prepare for the exam, be sure to review the following topics:
Azure Cost Management Fundamentals
Learn the basics of Azure Cost Management, including how to view costs and analyze Azure usage. Understand how to use tags and group resources to track costs, and learn how to set and review budgets.
Azure Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Understand how SLAs are expressed in legal contracts and what the different terms mean. Learn how to read, analyze, and interpret SLAs to ensure that you’re getting the appropriate service levels from Microsoft.
Azure Pricing
Understand the different pricing models that Azure offers, including Pay-As-You-Go and Reserved Instances. Learn how to compare different options to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money.
Azure Usage Tracking and Optimization
Learn how to track Azure usage and costs to identify areas of optimization. Develop strategies to reduce costs and maximize the cost-effectiveness of your Azure usage.
Conclusion
Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements are important topics on the Microsoft AZ-900 exam. To prepare for the exam, it’s important to understand the basics of Azure Cost Management and SLAs, Azure pricing models, and how to track and optimize usage and costs. By taking the time to review these topics, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle the exam and get the most out of your Azure experience.