How I Passed the AZ-400 Certification.
Tags: azure, devops, career
Published: 2021-01-04 06:19:26

I am a DevOps Engineer from Nigeria, I took the Azure DevOps Certification and passed with a good score. In this post, I would like to share a bit of my experience, the resources, and the steps I took that helped me while preparing for the Azure DevOps Certification exam.

Azure DevOps Expert Certification is a 3-star certification that falls under the Microsoft expert-level certifications.

As a professional, certifications provide industry-endorsed proof of mastering the skills in your area of expertise.
[The 2018 Pearson VUE Value of IT Certification] (https://home.pearsonvue.com/voc) survey puts it that **91%** of certified IT professional get more professional credibility, **89%** are more valuable to their employers, and **35%** of the surveyed candidates reported a salary/wage increase as a benefit of getting certified. The Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert certification is no different as regards the above-listed benefits.

###The Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert Code-named, AZ-400, is an exam that validates the skills of subject matter experts working with people, processes, and technologies to continuously deliver business value.

#### Prerequisite 
A candidate for this exam must have written either or both of the Microsoft certification. I chose to write the [Azure Developer Associate](https://www.youracclaim.com/badges/c4177e3a-c0de-430b-84e5-2d9818957832/public_url) because of my experience as a software developer.
* Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
* Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

![Certification Path](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/x4mntivzug0iryerakt0.png)

#### Scheduling your exam
You can schedule or book for your AZ-400 Exam with  [PearsonVue](https://home.pearsonvue.com/), a computer-based testing solution provider. You can choose to take your exam at a test center or at your office/home depending on which is convenient for you. The exam [cost] (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/devops-engineer#certification-exams) differently depending on the country you are taking it from.
I will advise you to schedule for your exam a month or more ahead for effective preparation.

#### Study for your exam
The AZ-400 Exam contains about 40-60 questions with a duration of about 180minutes. Candidates are required to have a passing score of 700/1000 to earn the certification.
##### Structure of the exam
* Single-choice questions( with YES/NO options) **Cannot be reviewed, skipped, or returned to later**.
* Single-choice questions.
* Multiple-choice questions.
* Arrange in the right sequence questions.
* Case-study with multiple questions.

##### Study plan
A typical study plan may last for a month at about 5 hours of daily study. The study plan depends on the level of experience candidates have on the various topics measured in the exam. Experienced DevOps professionals may spend less time compared to the beginner fellows. 
##### Study materials
This exam measures your ability to accomplish the following technical tasks: develop an instrumentation strategy; develop a Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) strategy; develop a security and compliance plan; manage source control; facilitate communication and collaboration; define and implement continuous integration; and define and implement continuous delivery and release management strategy. The following materials should be helpful.
* [Microsoft learn: Azure DevOps Learning Path](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/devops-engineer#certification-exams)
* [Azure Devops Labs](https://azuredevopslabs.com/): get hands-on experience using various Azure DevOps services to solve real-life scenario business problems.
* [Azure DevOps documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/?view=azure-devops)
* [Azure documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/?product=featured)

##### Practice question materials
The listed links below are very helpful and may tell you what the questions may look like. All the objectives of this exam are covered so you'll be ready for any question on the exam.
* [AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions **Microsoft Official Practice Test**](https://global4.mindhub.com/az-400-microsoft-azure-devops-solutions-microsoft-official-practice-test/p/MU-AZ-400?utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=certpage&utm_campaign=msofficialpractice)
* [Whizlabs-AZ-400 Practice test](https://www.whizlabs.com/microsoft-azure-certification-az-400/practice-tests/)
* [ExamTopics-AZ-400 Practice test](https://www.examtopics.com/exams/microsoft/az-400/)

#### Taking your exam
It is important you arrive at your test center 15-30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for an exam and are refused admission, payments are due for the exam and delivery fees.
Be prepared to show two (2) valid forms of personal identification, a National Identity card, Drivers license, or an International Passport.
##### Tips
* Mark questions whose answers you are not sure about for review, and revisit them when done with the others.
* Don't leave any questions unanswered and make sure to submit before proceeding to the next section.
* Case-study questions come after the first section.
* Make sure you keep to time.

You will receive your transcript upon submission in less than an hour, and an acclaim badge upon passing the exam in your mailbox. Share your badge on social networks like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. 
**Voila**, congratulations, you are now a Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Expert, you deserve it. Keep your skills sharp and transfer your knowledge to real work situations.

Thank you for reading, I hope this helps you prepare and pass the AZ-400 examination.
[You can view my Azure DevOps badge here 😊](https://www.youracclaim.com/badges/646f370d-4864-45e2-94db-2240cdbc153d/public_url)


*Reference*
* *[Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert
](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/devops-engineer#certification-exams)*
* *[Azure DevOps Labs
](https://azuredevopslabs.com/)*
* *[2018 Pearson VUE Value of IT Certification
](https://home.pearsonvue.com/voc#myDIV)*