{"id":101194,"date":"2026-06-08T13:11:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/?p=101194"},"modified":"2026-06-08T13:11:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:41:22","slug":"az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/","title":{"rendered":"AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Which Should You Take First?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-101194-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Should_You_Skip_AZ-104_for_AZ-700-1.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Should_You_Skip_AZ-104_for_AZ-700-1.mp3\">https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Should_You_Skip_AZ-104_for_AZ-700-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&#8217;ve spent years working with firewalls, VPNs, network connectivity, and routing. And now your organisation is moving to Azure, which puts you in an interesting position. You know networking inside out, but the cloud version of it feels like a different language.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So you start looking at certifications. AZ-700 jumps out immediately. It&#8217;s an Azure networking certification. That&#8217;s exactly what you do. Why would you look at anything else?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But then someone tells you to take AZ-104 first. And suddenly you&#8217;re confused, because AZ-104 is for Azure administrators not network engineers. Why would you study storage accounts and virtual machines when you want to work with VPNs and firewalls?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That&#8217;s the exact question this blog answers. By the end, you&#8217;ll know which certification makes more sense for where you are right now and why the answer isn&#8217;t the same for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #ea7e02;color:#ea7e02\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #ea7e02;color:#ea7e02\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Which_Certification_Should_You_Take_First\" >AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Which Certification Should You Take First?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_at_a_Glance\" >AZ-700 vs. AZ-104 at a Glance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#Recommended_Azure_Certification_Path_for_Network_Professionals\" >Recommended Azure Certification Path for Network Professionals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#What_Is_AZ-700_Azure_Network_Engineer_Associate_Certification_Explained\" >What Is AZ-700? Azure Network Engineer Associate Certification Explained<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#What_Is_AZ-104_Azure_Administrator_Associate_Certification_Explained\" >What Is AZ-104? Azure Administrator Associate Certification Explained<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#Why_Network_Engineers_Prefer_AZ-700_Over_AZ-104\" >Why Network Engineers Prefer AZ-700 Over AZ-104<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#Why_AZ-104_Is_Recommended_Before_AZ-700\" >Why AZ-104 Is Recommended Before AZ-700<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Decision_Framework_for_Network_Professionals\" >AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Decision Framework for Network Professionals<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Real_Career_Scenarios_and_Recommendations\" >AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Real Career Scenarios and Recommendations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-104_vs_AZ-700_How_the_Careers_Compare\" >AZ-104 vs. AZ-700: How the Careers Compare<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Difficulty_Comparison\" >AZ-700 vs AZ-104 Difficulty Comparison<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#How_to_Prepare_for_AZ-104_and_AZ-700\" >How to Prepare for AZ-104 and AZ-700<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#Career_Outcomes_What_Each_Certification_Opens_Up\" >Career Outcomes: What Each Certification Opens Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#Final_Recommendation_AZ-104_or_AZ-700\" >Final Recommendation: AZ-104 or AZ-700?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/az-700-vs-az-104-which-should-you-take-first\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Which_Certification_Should_You_Take_First\"><\/span><b>AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Which Certification Should You Take First?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance.webp\" alt=\"AZ-700-vs-AZ-104 at a Glanc\" width=\"2114\" height=\"1519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance.webp 2114w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-300x216.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-1024x736.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-768x552.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-1536x1104.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-2048x1472.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AZ-700-vs-AZ-104-at-a-Glance-150x108.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2114px) 100vw, 2114px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re new to Azure, start with AZ-104. It teaches you how the Azure platform works identity, compute, storage, and networking so that when you get to AZ-700, you&#8217;re not learning Azure and advanced networking at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you already work with Azure regularly and your networking fundamentals are strong, go straight to AZ-700. You don&#8217;t need to take a step back, you need to go deeper.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_at_a_Glance\"><\/span><b>AZ-700 vs. AZ-104 at a Glance<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Factor<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>AZ-104<\/b><\/td>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>AZ-700<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best for<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure administrators<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure network engineers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identity, compute, storage, networking, monitoring<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hybrid networking, routing, security, load balancing<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broad<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialised<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best first choice<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beginners to Azure<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experienced network professionals<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Career path<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud admin, infrastructure engineer<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure network engineer, cloud network specialist<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recommended_Azure_Certification_Path_for_Network_Professionals\"><\/span><b>Recommended Azure Certification Path for Network Professionals<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101202\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp.webp\" alt=\"career journey\" width=\"2114\" height=\"1750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp.webp 2114w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-300x248.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-1024x848.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-768x636.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-1536x1272.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-2048x1695.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Where-These-Certifications-Fit-in-Your-Career-Journey-webp-150x124.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2114px) 100vw, 2114px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before choosing between AZ-700 and AZ-104, it helps to see where both certifications sit inside a full Azure career path. These two credentials do not sit side by side; they sit on top of each other, as part of a longer progression.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Traditional Network Engineer <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2193 <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-certification-az-104\/\"><b>AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2193 <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-exam-az-700\/\"><b>AZ-700 Azure Network Engineer Associate <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2193 <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-certification-az-500\/\"><b>AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Associate <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2193 <\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/designing-microsoft-azure-infrastructure-solutions-az-305\/\"><b>AZ-305 Azure Solutions Architect Expert<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104 gives you the platform foundation. AZ-700 lets you specialise in networking. AZ-500 extends that expertise into cloud security, and AZ-305 opens the door to senior architecture roles. Each step builds on the last\u00a0 which is exactly why the order matters more than most people realise when they are starting out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_AZ-700_Azure_Network_Engineer_Associate_Certification_Explained\"><\/span><b>What Is AZ-700? Azure Network Engineer Associate Certification Explained<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-exam-az-700\/\"><b>AZ-700 is Microsoft&#8217;s Azure Network Engineer certification<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It validates your ability to design, implement, and manage Azure networking solutions\u00a0 including hybrid connectivity, routing, network security, and private access to Azure services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/credentials\/certifications\/azure-network-engineer-associate\/?practice-assessment-type=certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <b>Microsoft Learn<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to sit the AZ-700 exam you are expected to already understand IP addressing, DNS, routing, VPN and WAN connectivity, and know your way around the Azure portal and Azure PowerShell. This is not an entry-level exam; it assumes you are bringing real networking experience to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the salary side, the specialisation pays off. According to <\/span><b>ZipRecruiter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Azure Network Engineers in the United States earn between <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ziprecruiter.com\/Salaries\/Azure-Network-Engineer-Salary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>$109,040<\/b><b> annually<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with senior roles in major cities frequently exceeding that range.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who should take AZ-700?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You are a strong fit if you can already plan and implement hybrid connectivity, network security, core network infrastructure, application delivery services, and private access to Azure services. If those areas feel comfortable, AZ-700 is your next logical move.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_AZ-104_Azure_Administrator_Associate_Certification_Explained\"><\/span><b>What Is AZ-104? Azure Administrator Associate Certification Explained<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-certification-az-104\/\"><b>AZ-104 is Microsoft&#8217;s Azure Administrator Associate certification<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It validates your ability to manage Azure identity, compute, storage, virtual networks, and resource monitoring across a cloud environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/credentials\/certifications\/azure-administrator\/?practice-assessment-type=certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <b>Microsoft Learn<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, AZ-104 covers five domains: identities and governance, compute resources, storage, virtual networking, and monitoring. As an Azure Administrator, you are not the specialist; you are the generalist who keeps everything running across multiple services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On salary, AZ-104 certified professionals in the United States typically earn between <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ziprecruiter.com\/Salaries\/Azure-104-Salary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>$121,476<\/b><b> annually<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with the credential frequently listed as a baseline requirement for mid-level cloud infrastructure roles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who should take AZ-104?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is the right choice if you want to build a solid Azure foundation before specialising, if your role touches multiple areas of Azure beyond networking, or if you are making the jump from a traditional IT role to cloud for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Network_Engineers_Prefer_AZ-700_Over_AZ-104\"><\/span><b>Why Network Engineers Prefer AZ-700 Over AZ-104<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The instinct to go straight to AZ-700 makes complete sense. Here is exactly why.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It feels closer to what you already do.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When you look at the AZ-104 syllabus, you see governance, storage accounts, and identity management. That is not your world. But when you look at AZ-700\u00a0 VPNs, firewalls, network security groups, load balancing\u00a0 that is Tuesday morning for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You do not want to be a generalist.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You have spent years building networking expertise. The last thing you want is to spend months studying for a broad certification when what you actually need is to deepen your cloud networking skills. AZ-700 feels like the direct route to exactly where you want to go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Your existing experience builds real confidence.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You have worked with VPNs, routing protocols, and firewall rules for years. AZ-700 concepts do not feel alien; they feel like your existing knowledge is applied to a new platform. That confidence is not arrogance; it is experience talking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The career payoff looks faster.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Specialisation typically pays more than generalisation. The gap between an Azure Administrator&#8217;s salary and an Azure Network Engineer&#8217;s salary reflects that specialised demand\u00a0 and AZ-700 feels like the faster route to the higher number.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_AZ-104_Is_Recommended_Before_AZ-700\"><\/span><b>Why AZ-104 Is Recommended Before AZ-700<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even with all those valid reasons to go straight to AZ-700, there is a strong case for building the foundation first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Azure networking does not live in a bubble.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Every network you configure in Azure is going to interact with compute resources, storage accounts, identity systems, and security controls. If you do not understand how those pieces work, you will hit knowledge gaps constantly\u00a0 even after earning AZ-700. The platform context matters more than it seems upfront.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>AZ-700 topics click faster when you already know Azure.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> VNets, subnets, NSGs, and VPN Gateways are manageable topics on their own. But when you already know how Azure organises resources, what resource groups do, how subscriptions work, and how identity flows through the platform, those AZ-700 concepts become significantly easier to understand and retain. Without that context, you are fighting on two fronts at once.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Your options stay open.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Plenty of network professionals move into security, DevOps, infrastructure, or cloud architecture as their careers evolve. AZ-104 gives you the broader exposure that makes those moves possible. If you jump straight to AZ-700, you are specializing before you have had a chance to see the whole landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Decision_Framework_for_Network_Professionals\"><\/span><b>AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Decision Framework for Network Professionals<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stop trying to figure out which certification is objectively better; they serve different purposes. The right question is which one is right for you, right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Start with AZ-104 if:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are transitioning from a traditional IT or system administration role and have not spent much time in Azure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want to understand how the whole platform works before narrowing your focus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your current or future role involves responsibilities beyond networking\u00a0 compute, storage, or identity management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want career flexibility to move into security, architecture, or DevOps later<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Start with AZ-700 if:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You already work with Azure regularly and have hands-on experience with its core services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your networking fundamentals\u00a0 routing, VPNs, firewalls, security\u00a0 are solid and well-practised<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your job specifically requires cloud networking expertise and you do not need a broad Azure administration background to get there<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are a CCNA or CCNP certified engineer ready to apply your skills in Azure<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And remember\u00a0 even if you take AZ-700 first, the administrative knowledge will catch up with you eventually. Real-world Azure networking roles pull you into conversations about identity, compute, and governance whether you are prepared for them or not.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Real_Career_Scenarios_and_Recommendations\"><\/span><b>AZ-700 vs AZ-104: Real Career Scenarios and Recommendations<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>You are a Windows System Administrator.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You have managed Active Directory, Group Policy, on-premises servers, and user accounts for years. Azure feels like a natural extension of that world\u00a0 and it is. But you still need to understand how Azure organises resources, manages identity, and handles networking in the cloud before specialisation makes sense. Take AZ-104 first. It bridges exactly the gap between where you are and where AZ-700 picks up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You are a CCNA or CCNP Certified Network Engineer.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Routing protocols, VPNs, firewall configuration, network security architecture\u00a0 this is your daily work. You understand connectivity at a level most people never reach. The concepts in AZ-700 are not going to be foreign; you are just learning how to apply them within Azure&#8217;s framework. Start with AZ-700. Your existing expertise makes it an efficient and logical choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You are a Cloud Engineer Already Working in Azure.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You are in the Azure portal every day. Resource groups, subscriptions, core services\u00a0 you know how they work. What you want now is to formalise and deepen your networking expertise. AZ-700 is exactly the right next step. It validates skills you are likely already using on the job and positions you for more specialised roles.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-104_vs_AZ-700_How_the_Careers_Compare\"><\/span><b>AZ-104 vs. AZ-700: How the Careers Compare<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Area<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>AZ-104<\/b><\/td>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>AZ-700<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typical Role<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure Administrator<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure Network Engineer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platform Operations<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Network Architecture<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skill Breadth<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broad<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialised<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enterprise Demand<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Career Flexibility<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very High<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderate<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both paths have strong demand in enterprise environments. AZ-104 keeps your options wide open across cloud roles. AZ-700 focuses those options into a deeper, more specialised and typically better-compensated career lane.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101206\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals.webp\" alt=\"azure certification path for network professionals\" width=\"2114\" height=\"1686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals.webp 2114w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-300x239.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-1024x817.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-768x613.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-1536x1225.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-2048x1633.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Azure-Certification-Path-for-Network-Professionals-150x120.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2114px) 100vw, 2114px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AZ-700_vs_AZ-104_Difficulty_Comparison\"><\/span><b>AZ-700 vs AZ-104 Difficulty Comparison<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have spent time working with Azure resources hands-on, AZ-104 is going to feel manageable. Most of the concepts will map to things you have already touched, which shortens your preparation time considerably.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you know networking,\u00a0 AZ-700 is not going to shock you with its concepts. The challenge is learning how Azure implements those concepts, not learning the concepts themselves. The platform specifics are where the difficulty lives, not the networking fundamentals you have already mastered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The common thread for both exams: watching videos without touching Azure will not get you through either of them. Hands-on practice is non-negotiable.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Prepare_for_AZ-104_and_AZ-700\"><\/span><b>How to Prepare for AZ-104 and AZ-700<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both certifications test practical understanding, not just theoretical knowledge. Microsoft designs these exams around real-world scenarios.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Instructor-Led Training<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 Expert-led video courses break down complex topics into digestible concepts. Structured learning paths aligned to exam domains ensure comprehensive coverage without gaps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Practice Tests<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 Full-length practice exams simulate the real testing experience, assess your readiness, and surface weak areas before exam day. Attempting practice tests under timed conditions builds both knowledge and confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Hands-On Labs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 This is where most candidates fall short. Watching videos without touching Azure is the most common and costly preparation mistake. Both exams test practical implementation, so hands-on experience in a real Azure environment is non-negotiable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whizlabs offers<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/labs\"> <b>hands-on labs<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/labs\/sandbox\"> <b>Azure sandbox environment<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where you can practise real configurations without risk\u00a0 configuring VNets, deploying VMs, setting up NSGs, and testing networking scenarios in a live Azure environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-101200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1.webp\" alt=\"What Youll-actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator\" width=\"2114\" height=\"1582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1.webp 2114w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-1024x766.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-768x575.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-1536x1149.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-2048x1533.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/What-Youll-Actually-Be-Doing-as-an-Azure-Administrator-1-150x112.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2114px) 100vw, 2114px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_Outcomes_What_Each_Certification_Opens_Up\"><\/span><b>Career Outcomes: What Each Certification Opens Up<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Certification<\/b><\/td>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Typical Roles<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure Administrator, Cloud Administrator, Infrastructure Engineer, IT Operations Engineer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-700<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Azure Network Engineer, Cloud Network Engineer, Network Architect, Senior Network Engineer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104 + AZ-700<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, Network and Cloud Operations Lead, Cloud Solutions Engineer<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104 keeps your career options broad across the Azure ecosystem. AZ-700 sharpens your profile into a high-demand, better-compensated specialisation. Holding both positions for senior roles that require both platform breadth and networking depth\u00a0 a combination enterprise employers consistently prioritise.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Recommendation_AZ-104_or_AZ-700\"><\/span><b>Final Recommendation: AZ-104 or AZ-700?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are a network professional standing at this crossroads, the answer depends on where you are starting from, not just where you want to go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with AZ-104 if you are building your Azure foundation, want career flexibility, or plan to grow beyond networking into architecture or security roles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with AZ-700 if you already have deep Azure experience, your role is exclusively networking-focused, and your organisation needs those skills immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the majority of network professionals, AZ-104 followed by AZ-700 is the strongest Microsoft Azure certification roadmap\u00a0 not because AZ-700 is not valuable, but because the foundation makes the specialisation significantly more effective in practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of which Azure certification path you choose,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/microsoft-azure-exam-az-700\/\"> <b>Whizlabs<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides the courses, practice tests, and hands-on labs to help you prepare with confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><b>FAQs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Q1. Should I take AZ-104 before AZ-700?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. AZ-104 builds the Azure foundation that makes AZ-700 significantly easier. Skip it only if you already have solid hands-on Azure experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q2. Is AZ-700 harder than AZ-104?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-700 is harder for Azure beginners. For experienced network engineers, it is often the more approachable exam of the two.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q3. Can I pass AZ-700 without AZ-104?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. AZ-104 is not a prerequisite. However, it reduces knowledge gaps and makes AZ-700 preparation noticeably smoother.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q4. Is AZ-104 worth it for network engineers?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Azure networking interacts daily with compute, storage, and identity. AZ-104 gives you the platform context to be effective on the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q5. Which Azure certification is most suitable for network engineers?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104 followed by AZ-700 is the recommended path. Experienced Azure professionals can pursue AZ-700 directly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q6. Can I take AZ-104 after AZ-700?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. There is no required order. Many professionals earn AZ-700 first and complete AZ-104 later as their role expands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q7. What career opportunities does AZ-104 open up on its own?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AZ-104 qualifies you for Azure Administrator, Cloud Administrator, and Infrastructure Engineer roles across industries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Q8. Can earning both AZ-700 and AZ-104 increase my salary?<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Combining platform breadth with networking depth commands a meaningful salary premium in enterprise hiring.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You&#8217;ve spent years working with firewalls, VPNs, network connectivity, and routing. And now your organisation is moving to Azure, which puts you in an interesting position. You know networking inside out, but the cloud version of it feels like a different language. So you start looking at certifications. AZ-700 jumps out immediately. It&#8217;s an Azure networking certification. That&#8217;s exactly what you do. Why would you look at anything else? But then someone tells you to take AZ-104 first. And suddenly you&#8217;re confused, because AZ-104 is for Azure administrators not network engineers. Why would you study storage accounts and virtual machines [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":441,"featured_media":101208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"disabled","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[5034,5335],"class_list":["post-101194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-microsoft-azure","tag-az-104","tag-az-700"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104.jpeg",1200,628,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-300x157.jpeg",300,157,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-768x402.jpeg",768,402,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-1024x536.jpeg",1024,536,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104.jpeg",1200,628,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104.jpeg",1200,628,false],"profile_24":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-24x24.jpeg",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-48x48.jpeg",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-96x96.jpeg",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-300x300.jpeg",300,300,true],"tptn_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-250x250.jpeg",250,250,true],"web-stories-poster-portrait":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-640x628.jpeg",640,628,true],"web-stories-publisher-logo":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-96x96.jpeg",96,96,true],"web-stories-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/az-700-vs-az-104-150x79.jpeg",150,79,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Prabhu Subramanian","author_link":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/author\/prabhu-subramanian\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"You&#8217;ve spent years working with firewalls, VPNs, network connectivity, and routing. And now your organisation is moving to Azure, which puts you in an interesting position. You know networking inside out, but the cloud version of it feels like a different language. So you start looking at certifications. AZ-700 jumps out immediately. It&#8217;s an Azure&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/441"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101194"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101207,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101194\/revisions\/101207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.whizlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}