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Ready for this? "Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions" Exam 70-534

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BOOKMARK THIS aka.ms/certification/70-534 to get the updates to this page after I present this content at the first ever Microsoft IGNITE event the week of May4th, 2015.

Here is the Ignite recorded presentation AND the slide deck from my Ignite session for you to download here!  [View:~/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-85-98/Ignite_5F00_70_2D00_534.pptx:550:0]

In studying for this exam, the other post I recently made on https://aka.ms/certification/70-533 is absolutely relevant as well.  Most of the links to sections in the Azure Documentation map closely to sections here.  The difference is that for this exam, you have to think about planning and designing versus implementing and configuring, which are done in the 70-533 and 70-532 exams.  After IGNITE, I will post links to all three session recordings here as well so that you will have all three for reference.  The slide decks that I use for 70-534 and 70-533 are chock full of very specific resource links.  The way I tell the breakout session, preparing for the exams is as easy as ABC!

A. You must know the know the Microsoft Learning Skills measured e.g. Skills Measured for 70-534

B. Then you break those skills down, section by section and line by line, researching each line item.  MOST of this can be found in the Azure Documentation site. In my PowerPoint decks I built them from A. and then did the research and added those links for most of the exam skills measured.

C. Then you study those resources.  In the IGNITE session I will deliver, I will give you the highlights.  So in 1 hour, you should be able to determine what you already know versus what you know nothing about.  In the areas you are weaker in, that is when you dive into the Azure documentation AND into your Azure subscription.  Don't have as Azure Subscription?  Get a FREE TRIAL for 90 days and get busy learning it.

MORE COMING

Step 1 - before you begin to Study!

In this section, we'll show you the things you need to get first to prepare and then take the exam.  Then, a little further down in the next section , we'll give you resources and links that will progressively increase in their depth. You can then start with the initial high level overviews, and then work towards deeper content to get you closer to being ready for the 70-534 Exam.

 

Getting Ready to Study

  1. Book your exam!  There is nothing like putting your money, or your voucher down, to get the clock ticking to motivate you to study
    1.
    Schedule your exam 70-534 here
  2. Block Time on your Calendar for study purposes. It always helps to have a lunch blocked off on your calendar each day. Utilize this hour block of time to tackle a topic and continue your learning.
  3. Bookmark and review the Exam Skills Measured 1.
    Knowing each of these sections and bullets within, in is KEY to knowing what to study. One method to study is to search the Azure Documentation site, and search for either the section title or the specific bullets within each section.
    1.
    For example, the first Skill Measured section is "Design Microsoft Azure Infrastructure and Networking". So you would start in Networking under Documentation by Service.
    2.
    But don't worry, this work has been done for you already!
    1.
    Where? In the 2015 IGNITE presentations. At a high level, they were built off of the Skills Measured. Then each item was researched.  Most of the links will be on the slides that I will post.  70-533 session is already on https://aka.ms/certification/70-533 2. As soon as the recording goes live for 70-534, I will post it here as well.
  4. Get your Free Azure MSPress books ! 
    1.
    If you are already implementing and designing Azure Solutions, getting the exam prep books are good to help you know what is "exam worthy", versus any latest changes or updates that you may be working with. This will happen, so the prep books will help you to know the differences.
  5. Next we'll break down a summary of the best study resources in the next section, starting with the easiest and high-level resources, progressing to the 70-534 Study Guide

Studying is as Easy as A, B, C

Get the resources you need to prepare for the 70-534 Exam.  Each Level will take you more into the learning levels that you want to explore. Use your 70-534 Skills Measured to guide what and where you need to study.

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The A resources, are relatively quick to consume with most sections taking about an hour.

  • The B resources allow you to explore each and any part that you need to work on more, with specific resources linked. These are hour long sessions, but there will be 1 or more per section of the exam.
  • The C resources are internal Microsoft Events around TechReady and a complete virtual classroom experience that each. These will be the most time consuming, but will also be the most complete and thorough.  Be prepared to break these down into manageable chunks of time to get through the 40+ hours to complete these.
     
A.      Azure IaaS for IT Pros Event 60 minutes per module  While this large event was designed publically to help with the Azure Infrastructure exam 70-533, these overviews presented by Microsoft Product Groups take each of the sections a little bit deeper in content and knowledge. Just like the TR session did above, when looking over resources like this, always keep in mind and follow the 70-534 Skills Measured to guide you
B.     Microsoft Virtual Academy: Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions   Ignite Azure Exam Prep Session 70-534... I will Link this when ready from IGNITE)   Guide your reading through the 70-534 Study Guide 60 minutes per module     60 minutes per session       As much time as needed! Experts Michael Withrow, Ranger Due, Brett Hacker, Walter Myers, Cale Teeter, and Ryan Volum explore infrastructure and platform solutions to meet the functional, operational, and deployment requirements through the solution lifecycle. Get conceptual overviews and useful tips, and see demos that showcase skills and technical tasks verified by the exam.   Based on the Microsoft Virtual Academy Sessions, these sessions are delivered by different people in the communities, with the goal of doing more demos and diving a little deeper into each of the topics.       There are numerous links all based off of the Skills Measured. As you browse through the Skills measured identify what parts you do not know yet, and then use these links to help you learn those areas that are more unfamiliar to you.

What IS the Secret Sauce, you ASK? 

Absolutely on the Azure site!

If you prefer reading, check out the Azure Documentation page.

If you prefer to listen or watch...then check out the Azure Videos. Click on the drop-down in the upper left hand corner to select the category of videos that make to your exam objective for either

Whenever in doubt about what to study for in the slurry of materials out there....it all comes down to only two things:

  1. What is on the exam objectives (above)
  2. Map those objectives to the specific content on Azure Documentation of the Azure Videos.

When trying to map the objectives to the Azure content, it won't be explicitly spelled out for you.  But....you start with the top level objectives e.g. Websites.  Then, you drill down into the Documentation or Videos by "Service". In this example, I see "Web and Mobile".  Then I continue to drill down the objective and then search for those phrases in the documentation.  In 90%+ of the cases you will drill down to a good hit!

Here is the secret sauce!  People always ask me when the courseware or when the next prep book is coming out.  The answer....I may or may not know exactly (roughly end of May or early June 2015), BUT...I DO know, that the content used for those almost always comes from the sources above.  So the answers you seek are already here.

And to do that work of searching for you already...I did this! When I built the Ignite 2015 sessions for 70-533 and 70-534, I first made the slides in the order of the Exam Objectives, searched the content for the slides. So any notes, tips, or hyperlinks throughout came from the source of truth on the Azure site. Now you know the secret sauce!

Comments

  • Anonymous
    May 28, 2015
    Downloaded the ppt but none of the links that are in the video are there in the slide.can u post the links?
  • Anonymous
    May 28, 2015
    Hi , Slide 11 says "Network Storage Groups" should be Network Access Groups
  • Anonymous
    May 29, 2015
    PS Sat the exam today and passed. Thanks for this / your preso @ Ignite , effective :-)
  • Anonymous
    May 30, 2015
    Thanks Andy....slide should actually be "Network Security Groups" :) @ Srini....the video is herehttp://channel9.msdn.com/events/Ignite/2015/BRK3913
  • Anonymous
    June 08, 2015
    The study guide link just opens a blank page of Yammer. Any ideas?
  • Anonymous
    June 16, 2015
    Thanks Mark... It was a great session and lined me up to pass the 70-534 today!
  • Anonymous
    June 22, 2015
    The study guide link to yammer does NOT work. Please advise
  • Anonymous
    July 22, 2015
    My apologies, the link to Yammer was internal MSFT only. I need to remove that one.
  • Anonymous
    September 13, 2015
    You did talk about your notes in one-note which will you share. we would be thankful if you can share. I am taking for exam tomorrow.
  • Anonymous
    December 21, 2016
    thanks your website helped me pass the 70-533exam! The study guide link for the 70-534 is not working , could you please update.