Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert validates advanced skills for designing cloud and hybrid solutions on Microsoft Azure. The certification focuses on turning business and technical requirements into secure, resilient, scalable, governable, and cost-aware solution designs across compute, networking, storage, monitoring, identity, security, business continuity, and related Azure services.\n\nThe certification requires Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate plus passing Exam AZ-305: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. AZ-305 emphasizes architecture and design decisions rather than basic Azure administration, so candidates benefit from practical experience deploying and operating Azure resources before focusing on solution architecture.\n\nThis credential is best suited to experienced Azure professionals who design end-to-end solutions, advise stakeholders, and work closely with administrators, developers, security engineers, and data engineers.

Recommended experience

Microsoft expects candidates to have advanced experience and knowledge of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance. Candidates should also have experience with Azure administration, Azure development, and DevOps processes. To earn the certification, candidates must first hold Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate and then pass AZ-305.

Estimated study time

100–180 hours

Target job roles

Azure Solutions ArchitectCloud Solutions ArchitectCloud ArchitectInfrastructure ArchitectCloud Consultant