
Knox Hutchinson
Cloud Computing & DevOps
Spotlight
The Microsoft certifications IT directors most often standardize their teams on. Each one comes with virtual labs, unlimited practice exams, and team admin reporting included.
The Azure Security Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of security engineers to design, implement, and manage the security of Azure solutions. This certification is ideal for security engineers who want to demonstrate their expertise in implementing secure solutions in Azure.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals to evaluate, plan, deploy, and manage Microsoft 365 services, including Microsoft 365 security, compliance, and governance. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft 365 administration.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate validates the skills to deploy, configure, and manage devices and applications in a Microsoft 365 environment. This certification is ideal for endpoint administrators, desktop administrators, and IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in managing and securing endpoint devices and applications.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of security operations analysts to detect and respond to threats, and to configure and use threat detection tools, and who should pursue this certification are security operations analysts, security engineers, and security consultants.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert validates your skills in designing and maintaining a secure computing environment. This certification is ideal for cybersecurity architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in protecting Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and hybrid environments. Pursue this certification to showcase your ability to design and implement solutions that meet the security and compliance requirements of an organization.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate validates the skills and knowledge required to manage and maintain Windows Server hybrid environments, including on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their ability to implement and manage Windows Server hybrid environments.
Exam investment: 165 USD per exam
The Azure AI Fundamentals exam validates the candidate's knowledge of machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, and is ideal for developers, data scientists, and AI engineers who want to build AI-infused solutions on the Azure platform.
Exam investment: $99
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) validates the candidate's understanding of core data concepts, including data types, data processing, and data security. This certification is ideal for data professionals, data analysts, and data engineers who want to demonstrate their skills in designing, implementing, and managing data solutions on Azure.
Exam investment: 99 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate validates the skills to implement and manage cloud-based relational databases, including data security, performance, and scalability. This certification is ideal for database administrators, database developers, and data architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in designing, implementing, and managing Azure database solutions.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Azure Network Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of network engineers to design, implement, and maintaining Azure networking solutions. It is ideal for professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in networking and Azure. This certification is suitable for network engineers, network architects, and IT professionals who want to enhance their skills in Azure networking.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals who design, implement, and manage Microsoft 365 collaboration and communication solutions. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft 365 collaboration and communication solutions.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals in configuring, deploying, and managing Microsoft Teams, as well as managing chat, meetings, and calling features. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft Teams administration.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate validates the skills to design, implement, and manage identity and access management systems, including identity protection, access management, and identity governance. This certification is ideal for identity and access administrators, security engineers, and consultants who want to demonstrate their expertise in identity and access management.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate validates the skills to design and build scalable data models, clean and transform data, and create reports and dashboards using Power BI. This certification is ideal for data analysts, business analysts, and data scientists who want to demonstrate their skills in data analysis and visualization.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate validates the skills to implement and configure Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, and to create solutions that meet business requirements. This certification is ideal for functional consultants who work with the Power Platform and want to demonstrate their expertise in implementing and configuring the platform.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate validates the skills and knowledge of professionals who design and implement analytics solutions on Azure Fabric, ensuring efficient data processing and insights. This certification is ideal for data engineers, analytics engineers, and solution architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in fabric analytics.
Exam investment: $165
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals certification validates foundational skills in managing and deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent services. It is designed for IT professionals and administrators who are responsible for managing Microsoft 365 environments and want to enhance their capabilities with AI-driven tools.
Exam investment: $99 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification validates a candidate's understanding of security, compliance, and identity concepts, as well as their ability to identify and mitigate security threats. This certification is ideal for IT professionals, security analysts, and compliance officers who want to demonstrate their knowledge of security best practices and Microsoft security solutions.
Exam investment: $99
Mid-market IT leaders measure Microsoft training value in operational terms — cleaner audit trails for compliance, faster onboarding into Azure and M365 admin roles, and a shared Microsoft vocabulary across cloud, security, and endpoint teams. Those are the outcomes leadership cares about, not seat-time or completion percentages.
Role-based paths
Match Microsoft certs to the actual roles your team holds. Each path bundles the right certs plus the operational depth engineers need day-to-day.
Cloud admins, network engineers, and security operators running production Azure workloads. AZ-500 is the associate-level security baseline; AZ-700 covers network engineering (ExpressRoute, Virtual WAN). AZ-900 establishes the team's shared cloud vocabulary.
The Azure Security Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of security engineers to design, implement, and manage the security of Azure solutions. This certification is ideal for security engineers who want to demonstrate their expertise in implementing secure solutions in Azure.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Azure Network Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of network engineers to design, implement, and maintaining Azure networking solutions. It is ideal for professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in networking and Azure. This certification is suitable for network engineers, network architects, and IT professionals who want to enhance their skills in Azure networking.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Azure AI Fundamentals exam validates the candidate's knowledge of machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, and is ideal for developers, data scientists, and AI engineers who want to build AI-infused solutions on the Azure platform.
Exam investment: $99
For teams managing Microsoft 365 tenants, Intune-deployed endpoints, and the collaboration stack. MS-102 covers the tenant administrator role; MD-102 covers Intune endpoint admin; MS-700/MS-721 covers Teams platform and collaboration communications.
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals to evaluate, plan, deploy, and manage Microsoft 365 services, including Microsoft 365 security, compliance, and governance. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft 365 administration.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate validates the skills to deploy, configure, and manage devices and applications in a Microsoft 365 environment. This certification is ideal for endpoint administrators, desktop administrators, and IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in managing and securing endpoint devices and applications.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals in configuring, deploying, and managing Microsoft Teams, as well as managing chat, meetings, and calling features. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft Teams administration.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals who design, implement, and manage Microsoft 365 collaboration and communication solutions. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft 365 collaboration and communication solutions.
Exam investment: 165 USD
Defenders running Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, Entra ID, and the broader security stack. SC-200 is the SOC analyst associate; SC-300 is the identity & access administrator. SC-100 is the expert-level architect credential for teams signing off on Microsoft security architecture.
The Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate certification validates the skills and knowledge of security operations analysts to detect and respond to threats, and to configure and use threat detection tools, and who should pursue this certification are security operations analysts, security engineers, and security consultants.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate validates the skills to design, implement, and manage identity and access management systems, including identity protection, access management, and identity governance. This certification is ideal for identity and access administrators, security engineers, and consultants who want to demonstrate their expertise in identity and access management.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert validates your skills in designing and maintaining a secure computing environment. This certification is ideal for cybersecurity architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in protecting Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and hybrid environments. Pursue this certification to showcase your ability to design and implement solutions that meet the security and compliance requirements of an organization.
Exam investment: $165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification validates a candidate's understanding of security, compliance, and identity concepts, as well as their ability to identify and mitigate security threats. This certification is ideal for IT professionals, security analysts, and compliance officers who want to demonstrate their knowledge of security best practices and Microsoft security solutions.
Exam investment: $99
For sysadmin teams running Windows Server in hybrid configurations. The AZ-800/AZ-801 combo covers the full Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate credential — core hybrid infrastructure plus advanced services (clustering, DR, security).
The Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate validates the skills and knowledge required to manage and maintain Windows Server hybrid environments, including on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure. This certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their ability to implement and manage Windows Server hybrid environments.
Exam investment: 165 USD per exam
Data engineers, BI analysts, and AI/Copilot administrators. Covers the DP-300 Azure DBA track, DP-600 Fabric analytics, PL-300 Power BI, and the Copilot/Agent administration credential (AB-900) that's becoming an IT-led initiative at most mid-market customers.
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate validates the skills to implement and manage cloud-based relational databases, including data security, performance, and scalability. This certification is ideal for database administrators, database developers, and data architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in designing, implementing, and managing Azure database solutions.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate validates the skills and knowledge of professionals who design and implement analytics solutions on Azure Fabric, ensuring efficient data processing and insights. This certification is ideal for data engineers, analytics engineers, and solution architects who want to demonstrate their expertise in fabric analytics.
Exam investment: $165
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) validates the candidate's understanding of core data concepts, including data types, data processing, and data security. This certification is ideal for data professionals, data analysts, and data engineers who want to demonstrate their skills in designing, implementing, and managing data solutions on Azure.
Exam investment: 99 USD
The Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate validates the skills to design and build scalable data models, clean and transform data, and create reports and dashboards using Power BI. This certification is ideal for data analysts, business analysts, and data scientists who want to demonstrate their skills in data analysis and visualization.
Exam investment: 165 USD
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals certification validates foundational skills in managing and deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot and agent services. It is designed for IT professionals and administrators who are responsible for managing Microsoft 365 environments and want to enhance their capabilities with AI-driven tools.
Exam investment: $99 USD
The Power Platform functional consultant track for citizen-developer programs IT enables. PL-200 covers Power Apps, Power Automate, and Dataverse integration patterns teams use to ship internal automation.
The Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate validates the skills to implement and configure Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, and to create solutions that meet business requirements. This certification is ideal for functional consultants who work with the Power Platform and want to demonstrate their expertise in implementing and configuring the platform.
Exam investment: 165 USD

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The platform features IT directors evaluating us against Pluralsight, Udemy Business, and LinkedIn Learning ask about most often.
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Built and taught by engineers who have spent decades running production Microsoft infrastructure — not crowd-sourced contributors.

Cloud Computing & DevOps

IT Fundamentals & Systems Administration

End-User Productivity & Project Management
Team outcome
Curated playlists and team assignments make onboarding repeatable instead of relying on ad hoc shadowing and tribal knowledge.
Best fit for: managers scaling a team, backfilling a role, or standardizing skills across distributed engineers.
Common questions IT directors ask when evaluating Microsoft training for their team.