I've worked in an administrator role for a little over two years, and my company is planning to move from traditional on-premises Active Directory toward a hybrid environment using Microsoft Entra ID and Intune. I'm improving through hands-on work, but I'd like to accelerate my learning and build a stronger foundation across identity, endpoint management, and Microsoft 365. Which certifications, courses, or study materials would you recommend?
2 Answers
A solid certification path would be AZ-900 for the basic Azure concepts, followed by AZ-104 for Azure administration and AZ-800/AZ-801-style hybrid Windows Server skills. That combination gives you a good foundation for connecting on-premises infrastructure with Microsoft cloud services.
For this specific transition, the fundamentals exam probably won’t add much practical value. MD-102 and the hybrid Windows Server material are more directly relevant to Entra, infrastructure, and endpoint management.
For the device-management side, MD-102 is probably the most directly useful choice. It covers modern desktop administration, Intune, deployment, compliance, and endpoint management. It’s also worth reviewing the newer Microsoft 365 fundamentals material, since your organization will likely need knowledge of the broader Microsoft 365 platform alongside Entra and Intune.
John Savill’s Azure content is also a great supplement, especially for understanding the concepts behind the certifications rather than just memorizing exam topics.