Exam comparison
AZ-104 vs AZ-700: Azure administrator or network engineer
Who Should Take Each Exam
AZ-104 is for administrators who provision, manage, and maintain Azure environments: identities and governance, compute, storage, and networking. AZ-700 is for network engineers who design and implement Azure networking solutions: connectivity, security, and monitoring. Both exams are Associate level and cover 100 minutes of testing.
In short: Take AZ-104 to qualify as an Azure Administrator, or AZ-700 to focus on network engineering. If you work with infrastructure broadly, start with AZ-104; if your role centers on networking, begin with AZ-700.
Exam Format
| Parameter | AZ-104 | AZ-700 |
|---|---|---|
| Code | AZ-104 | AZ-700 |
| Role | Azure Administrator | Azure Network Engineer |
| Duration | 100 minutes | 100 minutes |
| Questions | Not published | Not published |
| Passing Score | 700 or higher | 700 or higher |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Italian, Japanese, Korean | English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Italian, Japanese, Korean |
| Retake | After 24 hours | After 24 hours |
Domains and Weights
AZ-104
- Manage Azure identities and governance 20–25 %
- Implement and manage storage 15–20 %
- Deploy and manage Azure compute resources 20–25 %
- Implement and manage virtual networking 15–20 %
- Monitor and maintain Azure resources 10–15 %
AZ-700
- Design and implement core networking infrastructure 25–30 %
- Design, implement, and manage connectivity services 20–25 %
- Design and implement application delivery services 15–20 %
- Design and implement private access to Azure services 10–15 %
- Design and implement Azure network security services 15–20 %
Scope Overlap and Differences
What both cover: Virtual networks, subnets, public IP addresses, NSGs, load balancing, and network monitoring via Azure Monitor and Network Watcher.
AZ-104 adds: Storage accounts and Blob Storage, virtual machines and scale sets, App Service, Azure Policy, subscriptions and resource groups, backup and disaster recovery, and cost management.
AZ-700 adds: Detailed VPN Gateway design (site-to-site, point-to-site, RADIUS, Entra ID), ExpressRoute (connectivity models, Global Reach, FastPath), Virtual WAN, Application Gateway, Azure Front Door, Private Link, and advanced network security (WAF, Firewall policies).
Question style: AZ-104 tests hands-on administration tasks (create, configure, manage). AZ-700 emphasizes design decisions and connectivity patterns (when to use site-to-site VPN vs. ExpressRoute, how to architect high-availability networks).
Which Should You Choose?
Choose AZ-104 if…
- You manage general Azure infrastructure (identities, storage, compute, networking)
- Your role spans multiple domains rather than networking alone
- You are new to Azure and want a broad foundational certification
- You support applications and resources across Azure services
Choose AZ-700 if…
- Your primary responsibility is designing and maintaining Azure networks
- You work with hybrid connectivity, VPN, or ExpressRoute
- You focus on network architecture, security, and optimization
- You prefer deep expertise in a single domain over broad coverage
How to Prepare
- Review the AZ-104 certification page and AZ-700 certification page for exam rules, scheduling, and languages.
- Work through the AZ-104 study guide or AZ-700 study guide skill by skill.
- Follow Microsoft Learn paths: AZ-104 prerequisites or AZ-700 network engineer.
- Spend extra time on the highest-weighted domains: AZ-104 (identities and compute) and AZ-700 (core infrastructure and connectivity).
- Practice with timed exams: take our AZ-104 practice exam and AZ-700 practice exam, then review weak areas in the AZ-104 study mode or AZ-700 study mode.
Both exams may include interactive components, but our practice questions focus on knowledge assessment via multiple-choice format to reinforce the core concepts.
Try both, free
Original questions, each answer explained with a link to the documentation. Study mode is free and needs no account.
Practice Exam AZ-104: Azure Administrator Associate
25 free questions with explanations
Practice Exam AZ-700: Azure Network Engineer Associate
25 free questions with explanations