This might just be my last post in 2014. I have already gotten several requests to write this study guide therefore I wanted to share it before the end of 2014. The exam 70-534 is another Azure exam which is more focused on the architecting side of Azure. The exam is currently in beta but will be scheduled available in Q1 2015.
So as usual Im going to list the curriculum in the post and add URLs to the different subjects beneath. More information about the exam can be found here –- https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-534.aspx
Design Microsoft Azure infrastructure and networking (15–20%)
Describe how Azure uses Global Foundation Services (GFS) datacenters
Understand Azure datacenter architecture, regional availability, and high availability
Azure Data center http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/cloud-os/global-datacenters.aspx
Links to regional availability and high availability cloud services http://bit.ly/1xZhMGN http://bit.ly/16Ykml0 http://bit.ly/16YkpgE
Azure regions http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/regions/
Design Azure virtual networks, networking services, DNS, DHCP, and IP addressing configuration
Extend on-premises Active Directory, deploy Active Directory, define static IP reservations, understand ACLs and Network Security Groups
Guidelines for deploying Active Directory in Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj156090.aspx
Azure DNS http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj156088.aspx
Extending Active Directory to Azure http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2013/01/20/step-by-step-extending-on-premise-active-directory-to-the-cloud-with-windows-azure-31-days-of-servers-in-the-cloud-part-20-of-31.aspx
Defining static IP reservations Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn690120.aspx
Azure ACLs http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn376541.aspx
Network security group http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn848316.aspx http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2014/11/04/network-security-groups/
Design Azure Compute
Design Azure virtual machines (VMs) and VM architecture for IaaS and PaaS; understand availability sets, fault domains, and update domains in Azure; differentiate between machine classifications
Azure availability sets http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-manage-availability/ http://michaelwasham.com/windows-azure-powershell-reference-guide/understanding_configuring_availability_sets_powershell/
Machine Classifications
Azure VM config http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn763935.aspx
Comparison between Paas and Iaas http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/choose-web-site-cloud-service-vm/
Describe Azure virtual private network (VPN) and ExpressRoute architecture and design
Describe Azure point-to-site (P2S) and site-to-site (S2S) VPN, understand the architectural differences between Azure VPN and ExpressRoute*
Point to site VPN azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn133792.aspx
Site to site VPN azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn133795.aspx
Secure Cross-premises Connectivity http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn133798.aspx
Expressroute http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn606309.aspx
Describe Azure services
Understand, at a high level, Azure load balancing options, including Traffic Manager, Azure Media Services, CDN, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), Azure Cache, Multi-Factor Authentication, and Service Bus
Azure load balancing http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn655058.aspx
Azure CDN: http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/cdn-how-to-use/
What is Azure AD http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/active-directory-whatis/
Azure Cache http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/gg278356.aspx
Azure Multi-Factor authentication http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/services/multi-factor-authentication/
Azure Service Bus http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/services/service-bus/
Secure resources (15–20%)
Secure resources by using managed identities
Describe the differences between Active Directory on-premises and Azure AD, programmatically access Azure AD using Graph API, secure access to resources from Azure AD applications using OAuth and OpenID Connect
Difference between Azure AD and on premise AD http://blogs.technet.com/b/chrisavis/archive/2013/04/24/active-directory-the-difference-between-on-premise-and-in-the-cloud.aspx
Use Graph API to query Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn151791.aspx
Secure Access to Resources with Azure AD http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn132599.aspx
Secure resources by using hybrid identities
Use SAML claims to authenticate to on-premises resources, describe DirSync synchronization, implement federated identities using Azure Access Control service (ACS) and Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS)
DirSync http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj573653.aspx
Azure SAML claims http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn641269.aspx
ADFS http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn296436.aspx
Secure resources by using identity providers
Provide access to resources using identity providers, such as Microsoft account, Facebook, Google, and Yahoo
Secure resources with Google, Facebook http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/services/mobile-services/
Access Control Service http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/gg185939.aspx
Security guidance http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/best-practices-security/
Identify an appropriate data security solution
Use the appropriate Access Control List (ACL), identify security requirements for data in transit and data at rest
Design a role-based access control strategy
Secure resource scopes, such as the ability to create VMs and websites
Role based access control http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/role-based-access-control-configure/
Secure resource scopes http://video.ch9.ms/sessions/teched/eu/2014/CDP-B213.pptx
Design an application storage and data access strategy (15–20%)
Design data storage
Design storage options for data, including Table Storage, SQL Database, DocumentDB, Blob Storage, MongoDB, and MySQL; design security options for SQL Database or Azure Storage; identify the appropriate VM type and size for a solution
Azure Storage Scailabillity http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn249410.aspx
Security Options for Azure Storage http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn249410.aspx
VM types and sizes http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn197896.aspx
Azure table Storage http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj553018.aspx
Azure SQL storage http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/jj553018.aspx
Design applications that use Mobile Services
Create Azure Mobile Services, consume Mobile Services from cross-platform clients, integrate offline sync capabilities into an application, extend Mobile Services using custom code, implement Mobile Services using Microsoft .NET or Node.js, secure Mobile Services using Azure AD
Using Offline Sync http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/mobile-services-windows-store-dotnet-get-started-offline-data/
Create Mobile Services http://blogs.msdn.com/b/azuremobile/archive/2014/04/10/creating-an-azure-mobile-services-net-backend-from-scratch.aspx
Registrering with Azure AD and mobile services http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/mobile-services-how-to-register-active-directory-authentication/
Design applications that use notifications
Implement push notification services in Mobile Services, send push notifications to all subscribers, specific subscribers, or a segment of subscribers
Get Started with Push notification http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/mobile-services-javascript-backend-windows-store-dotnet-get-started-push/
Design applications that use a web API
Implement a custom web API, scale using Azure Websites, offload long-running applications using WebJobs, secure a web API using Azure AD
Secure a Web Api using Azure AD http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dn463788.aspx
Use WebJobs http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-create-web-jobs/
Implement custom web api http://blogs.msdn.com/b/carlosfigueira/archive/2013/06/14/custom-apis-in-azure-mobile-services.aspx
How to scale azure websites http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/web-sites-scale/
Design a data access strategy for hybrid applications
Connect to on-premises data from Azure applications using Service Bus Relay, BizTalk Hybrid Connections, or the VPN capability of Websites, identify constraints for connectivity with VPN, identify options for joining VMs to domains or cloud services
Service bus relay http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/service-bus-dotnet-how-to-use-relay/
BizTalk Hybrid Connection http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/web-sites-hybrid-connection-connect-on-premises-sql-server/
VPN websites http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2014/09/15/azure-websites-virtual-network-integration/
VPN Azure AD http://blogs.technet.com/b/askpfeplat/archive/2014/03/03/connect-an-on-premises-network-to-azure-via-site-to-site-vpn-and-extend-your-active-directory-onto-an-iaas-vm-dc-in-azure.aspx
Design a media solution
Describe Media Services, understand key components of Media Services, including streaming capabilities, video on-demand capabilities, and monitoring services
Azure Media Services http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/hh973629.aspx
Live streaming http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn783466.aspx
Monitoring Media Service http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/media-services-monitor-services-account/
Video on demand http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn735912.aspx
Design an advanced application (15–20%)
Create compute-intensive applications
Design high-performance computing (HPC) and other compute-intensive applications using Azure Services
Design HPC in Azure http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/azure/high-perf-computing-on-windows-azure.pdf
HPC Batch in Azure http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/set-up-hybrid-cluster-microsoft-hpc-pack-2012-sp1/
HPC capabilities in Azure http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowshpc/archive/2014/01/30/new-high-performance-capabilities-for-windows-azure.aspx
Create long-running applications
Implement worker roles for scalable processing, design stateless components to accommodate scale
Scalable Processing http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/storage-performance-checklist/
Worker roles in Azure Select the appropriate storage option
Use a queue-centric pattern for development, select the appropriate storage for performance, identify storage options for cloud services and hybrid scenarios with compute on-premises and storage on Azure, differentiate between cloud services and VMs interacting with storage service and SQL Database
Storage Best practice http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/best-practices-performance/
Storage Options http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/gg433040.aspx*
Azure Storage premium http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/storage-premium-storage-preview-portal/
SQL Hybrid http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn606154.aspx
Desining Hybrid Scenarois Azure http://video.ch9.ms/sessions/teched/eu/2014/CDP-B209.pptx
Integrate Azure services in a solution
Identify the appropriate use of machine learning, big data, Media Services, and search services
Machine learning document http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/services/machine-learning/
Big data http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/solutions/big-data/
Search Services Azure http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/services/search/
Media Services Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/hh973629.aspx
Design websites (15–20%)
Design websites for scalability and performance
Globally scale websites, create websites using Visual Studio, debug websites, understand supported languages, differentiate between websites to VMs and cloud services
Globally scale websites http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/3-626
Azure Websites and Visual Studio http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/web-sites-dotnet-get-started/
Azure websites, Cloud Services and VMs http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/choose-web-site-cloud-service-vm/
Troubleshooting Azure Websites http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-dotnet-troubleshoot-visual-studio/
Remote Debugging Azure Websites with Visual Studio http://blogs.msdn.com/b/webdev/archive/2013/11/05/remote-debugging-a-window-azure-web-site-with-visual-studio-2013.aspx
Deploy websites
Implement Azure Site Extensions, create packages, hosting plans, deployment slots, resource groups, publishing options, Web Deploy, and FTP locations and settings
Site Extensions http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/web-sites-transform-extend/
Create Packages http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/cloud-services-how-to-create-deploy/
Web Hosting plans Azure http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/azure-web-sites-web-hosting-plans-in-depth-overview/
Deploying web sites http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-deploy/
FTP websites http://blogs.msdn.com/b/kaushal/archive/2014/08/02/microsoft-azure-web-site-connect-to-your-site-via-ftp-and-upload-download-files.aspx
Staged deployment websites http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-staged-publishing/
Design websites for business continuity
Scale up and scale out using Azure Websites and SQL Database, configure data replication patterns, update websites with minimal downtime, back up and restore data, design for disaster recovery, deploy websites to multiple regions for high availability, design the data tier
SQL replication Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn741339.aspx
Azure Websites backup http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-backup/
Global web precense Azure http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/web-sites-global-web-presence-solution-overview/
Design for disaster recovery Azure http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn251004.aspx
Design a management, monitoring, and business continuity strategy (15–20%)
Evaluate hybrid and Azure-hosted architectures for Microsoft System Center deployment Understand, at an architectural level, which components are supported in Azure; describe design considerations for managing Azure resources with System Center; understand which scenarios would dictate a hybrid scenario
Managing Hybrid Clouds with System Center http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2014/06/18/managing-hybrid-clouds-with-microsoft-azure-and-system-center-2012-r2.aspx
Supported workloads Azure http://support2.microsoft.com/kb/2721672
Azure Hybrid scenarios http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2014/02/19/key-windows-azure-hybrid-cloud-scenarios-coming-to-a-city-near-you.aspx
Design a monitoring strategy
Identify the Microsoft products and services for monitoring Azure solutions; understand the capabilities of System Center for monitoring an Azure solution; understand built-in Azure capabilities; identify third-party monitoring tools, including open source; describe use cases for Operations Manager, Global Service Monitor, and Application Insights; describe the use cases for Windows Software Update Services (WSUS), Configuration Manager, and custom solutions; describe the Azure architecture constructs, such as availability groups and update domains, and how they impact a patching strategy
Global Service Monitor http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/system-center-2012-r2-global-service-monitor/
Monitoring Azure with System Center http://blogs.technet.com/b/cbernier/archive/2013/10/23/monitoring-windows-azure-with-system-center-operations-manager-2012-get-me-started.aspx
Application insight http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn481103.aspx
Open Source monitoring http://msopentech.com/opentech-projects/zabbix-azure-monitoring-alerting/
Azure monitoring http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2014/09/02/windows-azure-virtual-machine-monitoring-with-wad-extension/
Describe Azure business continuity/disaster recovery (BC/DR) capabilities
Understand the architectural capabilities of BC/DR, describe Hyper-V Replica and Azure Site Recovery (ASR), describe use cases for Hyper-V Replica and ASR
Site Recovery http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/services/site-recovery/
Hyper-V replica to Azure http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2014/06/23/hyper-v-replica-to-azure.aspx
Getting started with Azure Site Recovery http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/hyper-v-recovery-manager-azure/
Use cases Azure Site recovery http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/hyper-v-recovery-manager-azure/
Design a disaster recovery strategy
Design and deploy Azure Backup and other Microsoft backup solutions for Azure, understand use cases when StorSimple and System Center Data Protection Manager would be appropriate
Configuring Azure Backup http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/backup-configure-vault/
StorSimple http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/services/storsimple/
Azure and Data Protection Manager http://technet.microsoft.com/nb-no/library/jj728752.aspx
Design Azure Automation and PowerShell workflows
Create a PowerShell script specific to Azure
Describe the use cases for Azure Automation configuration
Understand when to use Azure Automation, Chef, Puppet, PowerShell, or Desired State Configuration (DSC)
Azure Automation http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/automation-create-runbook-from-samples/
Azure runbooks http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/automation-create-runbook-from-samples/
Azure PowerShell http://azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/documentation/articles/install-configure-powershell/
Using Chef or Puppet http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2014/12/15/azure-virtual-machines-using-chef-puppet-and-docker-for-managing-linux-vms/
Chef or Puppet Azure http://video.ch9.ms/sessions/azure/IaaS-for-IT-Pros/Day3-Mod2LeveragingExistingToolkitsForManagingAzureIaaS.pptx
Azure desired state configuration http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/archive/2014/08/07/introducing-the-azure-powershell-dsc-desired-state-configuration-extension.aspx
This is a brilliant repository of resources. Danke !! 🙂