Making sense of the new AZ-305 exam: A Q&A with Microsoft MVP Dwayne Natwick
Microsoft is poised to retire the AZ-303 and AZ-304 exams in March 2022. These two established exams will be replaced with a new exam, AZ-305. MSCloudNews spoke with Microsoft MVP and trainer Dwayne Natwick about what the change means for users, particularly those planning to get certified.
MSCN: What does the retirement of AZ-303 and AZ-304 mean for users? Why did Microsoft choose to retire these two exams?
Dwayne Natwick: Users were required to sit for and pass both the AZ-303 and AZ-304 exams to obtain their Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification. Previously, there was no certification that was obtained once a user passed the AZ-303 exam. This deviated from the Azure DevOps Expert path where the AZ-104 or AZ-204 Associate certifications were step one to an Expert certification and then the Expert certification was obtained after passing AZ-400.
Additionally, the AZ-104, Azure Administrator Associate exam and AZ-303 exam have historically had a large amount of overlap. When I taught an AZ-104 class and was asked about what exams to take next, I always recommended that [students] prepare for the AZ-303 next because of this overlap. I have had multiple students sit for and pass the AZ-303 just a couple of weeks following their passing of the AZ-104. Microsoft finally decided that maintaining these two exams was unnecessary.
Microsoft has simplified and created consistency with the next certification path to Azure Solutions Architect Expert. The AZ-104 exam along with the new AZ-305 exam are now the path to obtaining the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification. For users that have already taken and passed the AZ-303 exam and don't yet have the AZ-104, this retired exam can still be used as the first step to this certification as well.
Overall, the path to the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is a much better representation of understanding Azure administration and Azure design. The AZ-305 exam focuses solely on designing solutions within Azure.
How should users prepare for the new AZ-305 exam?
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