Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, has become a cornerstone of modern IT infrastructure.
It provides a vast array of services, from virtual machines and databases to artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, empowering businesses to build, deploy, and manage applications and services in the cloud.
Learning Azure opens doors to a wide range of in-demand careers, including cloud engineers, data scientists, and DevOps professionals.
Finding the right Azure course can be overwhelming, with so many options available online.
You’re searching for a program that provides a comprehensive understanding of Azure’s core services, prepares you for relevant certifications, and equips you with the practical skills needed to succeed in the cloud computing field.
For the best Azure course overall, we recommend the Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 Exam Prep Specialization on Coursera.
This specialization provides a comprehensive introduction to Azure’s data services, covering everything from relational and non-relational databases to data warehousing and analytics.
It also includes a dedicated course to prepare you for the DP-900 exam, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a strong foundation in Azure data services and a recognized certification.
While this is our top pick, there are other excellent Azure courses available, tailored to various interests and skill levels.
Whether you’re interested in Azure administration, AI, DevOps, or specific Azure services, we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to explore our full list of recommendations and find the perfect Azure course to launch your cloud computing journey.
Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals DP-900 Exam Prep Specialization
Provider: Coursera
This specialization provides a strong foundation in cloud data services, preparing you for the DP-900 exam and a potential career as a Data Engineer or Database Administrator.
You will begin by diving into the fundamentals of data concepts.
You will explore relational and non-relational databases, big data, and analytics.
Additionally, you will gain an understanding of different data job roles and the differences between batch and streaming data.
The specialization then delves into specific Azure offerings like Azure SQL, where you will learn to query data, understand SQL dialects, and grasp the provisioning and deployment of relational databases.
You will then explore Azure Cosmos DB, gaining hands-on experience with non-relational databases and learning to manage non-relational data.
Further, you will develop practical knowledge of modern data warehousing with Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Databricks, and Azure HDInsight, mastering data ingestion and processing techniques.
You will also learn about powerful data visualization tools like Microsoft Power BI.
Finally, a dedicated course will prepare you for the DP-900 exam, complete with practice exams, test-taking strategies, and insights into the Microsoft certification program.
You will walk away with a solid understanding of Azure data services and be well-equipped to advance your career in the field.
AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam Prep - JAN 2024
Provider: Udemy
This AZ-900 course, taught by Scott Duffy, is your guide to the world of Microsoft Azure.
It’s designed to help you conquer the AZ-900 exam and build a strong foundation in cloud computing.
You’ll start with the basics of cloud concepts, including the benefits of cloud services like scalability and high availability.
You’ll also explore the different types of cloud platforms: public, private, and hybrid, gaining a clear understanding of their differences.
You’ll then dive into Azure’s core architectural components, learning about regions, availability zones, and resource groups.
This course doesn’t just scratch the surface.
It takes you deep into Azure’s compute and networking services, introducing you to virtual machines, app services, containers, and essential networking concepts.
You’ll learn about Azure Active Directory, RBAC, MFA, and the zero-trust model to fortify your understanding of identity, access, and security in Azure.
You’ll discover how to manage your Azure resources effectively, using tools like the Azure Pricing Calculator and understanding the factors that influence your cloud spending.
The course also covers Azure governance and compliance, equipping you with knowledge about Azure Policy and Azure Blueprints.
You’ll gain hands-on experience by creating virtual machines, deploying Azure App Services, and exploring practical applications of the concepts you learn.
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of Azure’s monitoring tools, including Azure Monitor, Azure Advisor, and Azure Service Health, ensuring you can effectively manage your cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Exam Prep Specialization
Provider: Coursera
This Coursera specialization breaks down the fundamentals of Azure and gets you ready to ace the AZ-900 certification exam.
The specialization starts with the basics.
You learn about cloud computing and why Azure is a top choice for businesses.
You get to experiment with Azure resources in a risk-free sandbox environment, building your confidence.
Next, you discover the tools Azure offers for managing your cloud environment.
The course covers practical skills like selecting the right management tools and protecting your applications from security risks.
You even touch on cutting-edge topics like Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, opening up exciting possibilities for your cloud projects.
As you progress, you delve into securing access to cloud resources and ensuring your Azure deployments meet industry standards.
You learn to build a cloud governance strategy and understand how Azure’s Service Level Agreements (SLAs) can impact your application design.
Finally, you have the chance to solidify your knowledge and prepare for the AZ-900 exam.
You take practice exams, learn valuable test-taking strategies, and gain insights into the Microsoft certification program.
This preparation ensures you are ready to confidently demonstrate your understanding of Microsoft Azure fundamentals.
Microsoft Azure - Beginner’s Guide + AZ-900
Provider: Udemy
This Microsoft Azure course is perfect if you’re new to cloud computing and want a strong foundation in Azure.
You’ll start with the basics, understanding cloud computing and setting up a free Azure account to explore the Azure portal.
This course teaches you about essential concepts like Resource Groups and the Shared Responsibility Model, so you understand how Azure works.
Next, you’ll get your hands dirty with Azure’s compute services, focusing on Virtual Machines.
You’ll learn to deploy and manage both Windows and Linux virtual machines.
The course guides you through connecting to these virtual machines from your computer, whether you are using Windows or macOS.
You’ll even learn to install software like Internet Information Services.
This course doesn’t just stop at the basics; you’ll dive into advanced concepts like Availability Sets and Availability Zones to ensure your applications are always up and running.
This course then moves into the world of Azure networking.
You’ll learn how to create secure and isolated networks within Azure using Azure Virtual Networks.
You’ll gain hands-on experience configuring these networks and deploying virtual machines within them.
The course covers essential security aspects like Network Security Groups and Application Security Groups to protect your valuable resources in the cloud.
You’ll even learn how to connect your on-premises networks to Azure using VPN connections and Azure ExpressRoute.
Microsoft Azure Data Engineering Associate (DP-203) Professional Certificate
Provider: Coursera
This Microsoft Azure Data Engineering Associate Professional Certificate on Coursera equips you with the skills to design and implement data solutions on Azure.
You begin by mastering data storage fundamentals, including how to select the appropriate storage model and create a Storage Account.
You then explore data integration using Azure Data Factory, learning to build and manage cloud-based data pipelines that move and transform data between various Azure services.
The program then introduces Azure Synapse Analytics, a powerful platform for constructing data warehouses and performing advanced analytics.
You will gain experience working with Azure Synapse Analytics components, including SQL Pools and Apache Spark Pools, used to optimize query performance for analytical tasks.
You will also discover how to perform operational analytics on real-time data using Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Synapse Link.
You will then explore Azure Databricks, a platform for executing large-scale data engineering workloads using Apache Spark.
This includes learning how to work with large datasets, build and query a Delta Lake, and perform complex data transformations using DataFrames.
Finally, you’ll delve into Azure Data Lake Storage, a service designed for efficiently storing and processing big data.
You will learn how to configure Azure Data Lake Storage and explore its robust security features.
You’ll also discover how to set up a stream analytics job to work with streaming data using Azure Stream Analytics.
This comprehensive program culminates in a course dedicated to preparing you for the DP-203: Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure exam, a valuable certification in the tech industry.
You’ll reinforce your understanding of essential Azure data services and languages and gain practical experience through practice exams, ensuring you’re fully prepared to succeed.
AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam Prep - OCT 2023
Provider: Udemy
This Azure Administrator course thoroughly prepares you for the AZ-104 exam and a career managing Microsoft Azure environments.
You’ll begin with fundamental Azure concepts and set up a free account to manage cloud expenses responsibly.
The course guides you through core Azure services, including Azure Virtual Machines, storage solutions like Azure Blob Storage and Azure File Shares, and essential networking components.
You’ll master both PowerShell and the Azure Command Line Interface (CLI) to efficiently manage Azure resources and automate tasks.
The course emphasizes Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and Microsoft Entra ID, teaching you to manage users, groups, and roles and implement robust access controls through role-based access control (RBAC).
You’ll learn to manage subscriptions, implement governance policies using Azure Policy, and secure access to storage accounts, including using Azure Disk Encryption.
The course dives into Virtual Networks (VNets) and teaches you to configure Network Security Groups (NSGs), implement load balancing using solutions like Azure Load Balancer, and manage DNS services with Azure DNS.
You’ll gain practical experience deploying and managing resources with ARM templates and securing your infrastructure.
The course also covers monitoring and troubleshooting Azure environments using Azure Monitor and implementing comprehensive backup and disaster recovery strategies using Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery (ASR).
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals AI-900 Exam Prep Specialization
Provider: Coursera
This program includes five courses that equip you with the basics of AI and how to use Microsoft Azure to create AI solutions.
This specialization begins by introducing you to fundamental AI concepts like machine learning, anomaly detection, computer vision, natural language processing, and conversational AI.
You will learn how to pinpoint the important aspects of different AI workloads and how to responsibly apply AI principles to your projects.
You will then explore Azure Machine Learning Studio, learning how to create and publish machine learning models without the need for coding.
Next, you will dive into computer vision and discover how to use Azure Cognitive Services to analyze images and develop software that can interpret visual information.
You will learn about various types of computer vision solutions and how to use Azure tools to build them.
The specialization then moves on to natural language processing, where you will explore Azure Text Analytics and Language Understanding.
This course teaches you how to build applications that can understand and respond to human language, including sentiment analysis and language translation.
Finally, the specialization culminates with a course dedicated to preparing you for the AI-900 certification exam.
You will review key concepts, test your knowledge with practice exams simulating the actual test format and content, and receive valuable test-taking strategies.
This final course ensures you are well-prepared to succeed in earning your AI-900 certification.
Azure DevOps Fundamentals for Beginners
Provider: Udemy
This course takes you from knowing nothing about Azure DevOps to confidently using it.
You will get experience using popular tools and putting important concepts into practice.
You’ll begin by understanding what DevOps is and why it’s so important for software development.
Then you will create an Azure DevOps organization and set up your first project.
Get ready to dive into the world of Azure Boards, learning how to track your work and organize your projects effectively.
Next, you will explore Azure Repos, learning how to manage your code like a pro.
You’ll learn the ins and outs of Git, a popular version control system, and understand the difference between Git and GitHub.
You’ll create code repositories, make changes to your code, and learn how to work collaboratively with others using pull requests.
The course will guide you through managing your code locally and understanding the history of changes made.
You will then explore the exciting world of Azure Pipelines, where you will automate the process of building and deploying your code.
You will learn the difference between build and release pipelines and learn how to create them for your projects.
You’ll even get to work with a real-world application, the Flatris game, to put your knowledge into practice.
The course also teaches you about Azure Test Plans, a tool that helps you make sure your applications are working correctly.
You will learn about different types of tests, such as manual tests and URL load tests, which will help you ensure the quality and performance of your applications.
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