Developer Chronicles on Azure, Cloud, IoT, Modern Javascript and .NET

Few Microsoft Certification Exams are retiring – MCSA, MCSD, MCSE

February 27, 2020 Azure Certifications, Certification, MCP, MCPD, MCSA, MCSD, MCSE No comments

With the progress of new role based certification, Microsoft is officially retiring these older MCSA,MCSD and MCSE certification exams by June 30, 2020:

Below is the new Role Based certifications you can follow from now onwards:

az

Certifications with exams scheduled to retire on June 30, 2020

  • MCSA: BI Reporting
  • MCSA: Dynamics 365 for Operations
  • MCSA: SQL 2016 BI Development
  • MCSA: SQL 2016 Database Admin
  • MCSA: SQL 2016 Database Dev
  • MCSA: SQL Server 2012/2014
  • MCSA: Universal Windows Platform
  • MCSA: Web Applications
  • MCSA: Windows Server 2012
  • MCSA: Windows Server 2016
  • MCSD: App Builder
  • MCSE: Business Applications
  • MCSE: Core Infrastructure
  • MCSE: Data Management & Analytics
  • MCSE: Productivity

Exams Retiring on June 30, 2020    (These exams retire at 11:59 PM Central Time on June 30, 2020)

  • 70-333: Deploying Enterprise Voice with Skype for Business 2015
  • 70-334: Core Solutions for Microsoft Skype for Business 2015
  • 70-339: Managing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016
  • 70-345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016
  • 70-457: Developing Mobile Apps
  • 70-410: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012
  • 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012
  • 70-412: Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 Services
  • 70-413: Designing and Implementing a Server Infrastructure
  • 70-414: Implementing an Advanced Server Infrastructure
  • 70-417: Upgrading Your Skills to MCSA Windows Server 2012
  • 70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014
  • 70-462: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014 Databases
  • 70-463: Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014
  • 70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014 Databases
  • 70-465: Designing Database Solutions for Microsoft SQL Server
  • 70-466: Implementing Data Models and Reports with Microsoft SQL Server
  • 70-467: Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server
  • 70-480: Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3
  • 70-483: Programming in C#
  • 70-486: Developing ASP.NET MVC Web Applications
  • 70-487: Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services
  • 70-537: Configuring and Operating a Hybrid Cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack
  • 70-705: Designing and Providing Microsoft Licensing Solutions to Large Organizations
  • 70-740: Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server 2016
  • 70-741: Networking with Windows Server 2016
  • 70-742: Identity with Windows Server 2016
  • 70-743: Upgrading Your skills to MCSA: Windows Server 2016
  • 70-744: Securing Windows Server 2016
  • 70-745: Implementing a Software-Defined Datacenter
  • 70-761: Querying Data with Transact-SQL
  • 70-762: Developing SQL Databases
  • 70-764: Administering a SQL Database Infrastructure
  • 70-765: Provisioning SQL Databases
  • 70-767: Implementing a Data Warehouse using SQL
  • 70-768: Developing SQL Data Models
  • 70-777: Implementing Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB Solutions
  • 70-778: Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Microsoft Power BI
  • 70-779: Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Microsoft Excel
  • MB2-716: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customization and Configuration
  • MB6-894: Development, Extensions and Deployment for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance
  • MB6-897: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail
  • MB6-898: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Human Resources

Refer to more here

New Azure Solution Architect Expert Exams (AZ-303, AZ-304)

February 23, 2020 Azure Certifications, Azure Solution Architect Expert, Certification, Microsoft No comments

Microsoft has recently announced phasing out of AZ-300 & AZ-301 exams for Azure Solutions Architect Expert, and these exams would be replaced with AZ-303 & AZ-304, these exams will be simplified and included support for latest azure features.

AZ-303 Azure Architect Technologies:

Validates your ability to accomplish the following technical tasks:

  • Implement and monitor an Azure infrastructure (50-55%)
  • Implement management and security solutions (25-30%)
  • Implement solutions for apps (10-15%)
  • Implement and manage data platforms (10-15%)

AZ-304 Azure Architect Design :

Validates  your ability to accomplish the following technical tasks: 

  • Design monitoring (10-15%)
  • Design identity and security (25-30%)
  • Design data storage (15-20%)
  • Design business continuity (10-15%)
  • Design infrastructure (25-30%)

Stay tuned for more details these exam will be available on or around April 28, 2020. Learning paths also will be updated soon.

New Azure Exam – AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Azure (BETA)

February 21, 2020 Azure Certifications, Azure Developer Associate, Certification, Microsoft No comments

Microsoft Learning team has recently announced phasing out of AZ-203 currently active exam for Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certification credential by May 31, 2020. Replacement exam AZ-204 will be active by May 31, 2020.

AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Azure (BETA) exam is currently available for developers to try it on and you should be taking the beta exam by March 27, 2020.

If you’re a cloud developer who participates in all phases of development, including requirements definition and design, development, deployment, and maintenance.

The exam measures proficiency in Azure SDKs, data storage options, data connections, APIs, app authentication and authorization, compute and container deployment, debugging, performance tuning, monitoring, and more.

Skills measured:

  • Develop Azure compute solutions (25-30%)
  • Develop for Azure storage (10-15%)
  • Implement Azure security (15-20%)
  • Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions (10-15%)
  • Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services (25-30%)

To take beta exam follow the steps below:

  • Microsoft will offer first 300 people who take the AZ-204 beta exam on or before March 27, 2020, 80% off on price!
  • To  get discount, register now and, use the code AZ204WINTERSET.
  • ** Remember first come, first serve basis only.

Featured in Office 365 Developer Newsletter November 2019

November 5, 2019 Announcements, Microsoft, Office 365, Share Point No comments

As an Office 365 Developer and organizer of Office 365 developer events in local community, I have got an opportunity to be featured in November 2019 newsletter.

image

image

image

.NET Framework 4.8–Released (Download Now)

April 19, 2019 .NET, .NET 4.8, .NET Framework, ASP.NET, Microsoft, Visual Studio 2017, Visual Studio 2019, VisualStudio, VS2017 No comments

Much awaited .NET Framework 4.8, newed improvements to .NET Framework has been released today.

The .NET Framework 4.8 includes an updated toolset as well as improvements in several areas:

  • [Runtime] JIT and NGEN Improvements
  • [BCL] Updated ZLib
  • [BCL] Reducing FIPS Impact on Cryptography
  • [WinForms] Accessibility Enhancements
  • [WCF] Service Behavior Enhancements
  • [WPF] High DPI Enhancements, UIAutomation Improvements

You can see the complete list of improvements in the .NET Framework 4.8 release notes. Reference sources have also been updated for .NET 4.8.

You can install .NET 4.8 from .NET Download site.  Alternatively, use the following direct links:

For .NET 4.8 Download :

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate–Exam Changes

March 26, 2019 Azure, Azure, Azure Administrator, Azure CLI, Certification, Cloud Computing, Infrastructure, Microsoft, Platforms No comments

Earlier during Microsoft Ignite 2019 conference, Microsoft Learning team has rolled out exams various role based certification exams for Administrators, Developers, Architects and DevOps engineers.

Initially there was a requirement for passing two exams: AZ-100 and AZ-101

  • AZ-100 – Microsoft Azure Infrastructure and Deployment
  • AZ-101 – Microsoft Azure Integration and Security
  • AZ-102 – (Upgrade Exam) – Microsoft Azure Administrator Certification Transition

As on 20th March, Microsoft has made announcement to simiplify these requirements by introducing a single exam, instead of taking two exams. Here is how it would look like. 

image

What’s included in AZ-103 ?

You can find them detailed out in  official exams page here, but I will give a quick list taken from the official page

Manage Azure subscriptions and resources (15-20%)

  • Manage Azure subscriptions
    • May include but not limited to: Assign administrator permissions; configure cost center quotas and tagging; configure Azure subscription policies at Azure subscription level
  • Analyze resource utilization and consumption
    • May include but not limited to: Configure diagnostic settings on resources; create baseline for resources; create and rest alerts; analyze alerts across subscription; analyze metrics across subscription; create action groups; monitor for unused resources; monitor spend; report on spend; utilize Log Search query functions; view alerts in Log Analytics
  • Manage resource groups
    • May include but not limited to: Use Azure policies for resource groups; configure resource locks; configure resource policies; implement and set tagging on resource groups; move resources across resource groups; remove resource groups
  • Managed role based access control (RBAC)
    • May include but not limited to: Create a custom role, configure access to Azure resources by assigning roles, configure management access to Azure, troubleshoot RBAC, implement RBAC policies, assign RBAC Roles
Implement and manage storage (5-10%)
  • Create and configure storage accounts
    • May include but not limited to: Configure network access to the storage account; create and configure storage account; generate shared access signature; install and use Azure Storage Explorer; manage access keys; monitor activity log by using Log Analytics; implement Azure storage replication
  • Import and export data to Azure
    • May include but not limited to: Create export from Azure job; create import into Azure job; Use Azure Data Box; configure and use Azure blob storage; configure Azure content delivery network (CDN) endpoints
  • Configure Azure files
    • May include but not limited to: Create Azure file share; create Azure File Sync service; create Azure sync group; troubleshoot Azure File Sync
  • Implement Azure backup
    • May include but not limited to: Configure and review backup reports; perform backup operation; create Recovery Services Vault; create and configure backup policy; perform a restore operation.
Deploy and manage virtual machines (VMs) (20-25%)
  • Create and configure a VM for Windows and Linux
    • May include but not limited to: Configure high availability; configure monitoring, networking, storage, and virtual machine size; deploy and configure scale sets
  • Automate deployment of VMs
    • May include but not limited to: Modify Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template; configure location of new VMs; configure VHD template; deploy from template; save a deployment as an ARM template; deploy Windows and Linux VMs
  • Manage Azure VM
    • May include but not limited to: Add data discs; add network interfaces; automate configuration management by using PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) and VM Agent by using custom script extensions; manage VM sizes; move VMs from one resource group to another; redeploy VMs
  • Manage VM backups
    • May include but not limited to: Configure VM backup; define backup policies; implement backup policies; perform VM restore; Azure Site Recovery
Configure and manage virtual networks (20-25%)
  • Create connectivity between virtual networks
    • May include but not limited to: Create and configure VNET peering; create and configure VNET to VNET; verify virtual network connectivity; create virtual network gateway
  • Implement and manage virtual networking
    • May include but not limited to: Configure private and public IP addresses, network routes, network interface, subnets, and virtual network
  • Configure name resolution
    • May include but not limited to: Configure Azure DNS; configure custom DNS settings; configure private and public DNS zones
  • Create and configure a Network Security Group (NSG)
    • May include but not limited to: Create security rules; associate NSG to a subnet or network interface; identify required ports; evaluate effective security rules
  • Implement Azure load balancer
    • May include but not limited to: Configure internal load balancer, configure load balancing rules, configure public load balancer, troubleshoot load balancing
  • Monitor and troubleshoot virtual networking
    • May include but not limited to: Monitor on-premises connectivity, use Network resource monitoring, use Network Watcher, troubleshoot external networking, troubleshoot virtual network connectivity
  • Integrate on premises network with Azure virtual network
    • May include but not limited to: Create and configure Azure VPN Gateway, create and configure site to site VPN, configure Express Route, verify on premises connectivity, troubleshoot on premises connectivity with Azure
Manage identities (15-20%)
  • Manage Azure Active Directory (AD)
    • May include but not limited to: Add custom domains; Azure AD Join; configure self-service password reset; manage multiple directories;
  • Manage Azure AD objects (users, groups, and devices)
    • May include but not limited to: Create users and groups; manage user and group properties; manage device settings; perform bulk user updates; manage guest accounts
  • Implement and manage hybrid identities
    • May include but not limited to: Install Azure AD Connect, including password hash and pass-through synchronization; use Azure AD Connect to configure federation with on-premises Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS); manage Azure AD Connect; manage password sync and password writeback
  • Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA)
    • May include but not limited to: Configure user accounts for MFA, enable MFA by using bulk update, configure fraud alerts, configure bypass options, configure Trusted IPs, configure verification methods

Now that said. Wishing all the best to all exam aspirants who would want to become an Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate.