Azure Fundamentals in London
Microsoft's entry-level Azure certification covering cloud concepts, core Azure services, security, privacy, and pricing.
What is Azure Fundamentals?
The Azure Fundamentals certification (AZ-900) is Microsoft's entry-level cloud credential, designed to validate your understanding of core cloud concepts, Azure services, security, privacy, compliance, and pricing models. It requires no prior technical experience, making it the ideal starting point for career changers, business analysts, and junior IT staff. In London — one of Europe's largest cloud computing hubs — Azure skills are in constant demand. Major financial institutions, consultancies, and tech firms across the City and Canary Wharf have standardised on Microsoft Azure, meaning even a foundational certification can open doors that were previously closed to non-certified candidates.
At $165 USD for the exam, AZ-900 is one of the most cost-efficient certifications available to London-based professionals. With the average IT salary in London sitting around $85,000/yr, a documented $6,000/yr salary uplift represents roughly a 7% pay increase from a single beginner-level credential. The exam can be prepared for in under three months alongside full-time work. London employers — particularly in banking, insurance, and consulting — increasingly list Azure familiarity as a baseline requirement. Holding the AZ-900 signals credibility, accelerates promotion conversations, and positions you for higher-value Azure associate-level certifications that carry even greater earning potential.
Exam details
Prerequisites: None required
12-week study plan
Exam tips
Know the difference between Capital Expenditure (CapEx) and Operational Expenditure (OpEx) cold — Azure's cost model questions appear frequently and hinge on this distinction.
Memorise the specific Azure SLA uptime percentages for key services like VMs and Storage, as the exam tests whether you can select the right service tier for a given availability requirement.
Understand Azure regions, availability zones, and availability sets as separate concepts — confusing these three is one of the most common reasons candidates lose marks on AZ-900.
Pay close attention to the Azure governance section: know what Azure Policy, Management Groups, Resource Locks, and Blueprints each do and when you would use one over another.
Use Microsoft Learn's official AZ-900 learning path as your primary study resource — the exam is written by Microsoft, and the Learn content closely mirrors the exact language and framing used in real exam questions.