Azure AZ-104 Administrator Associate Philippines Guide 2026

The Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) is one of the highest-demand Microsoft credentials in the Philippines in 2026. It targets IT admins and cloud engineers who manage Azure subscriptions, identities, virtual machines, storage, and networking. If you already work with Windows Server, Active Directory, or Microsoft 365, AZ-104 is your natural cloud upgrade path. This guide covers the exam, cost, prep timeline, and salary outcomes for Filipino candidates.

What AZ-104 tests you on

The exam has 40 to 60 questions and gives you 100 minutes. Question types include multiple choice, drag-and-drop ordering, and hands-on labs (case studies with clickable Azure portal simulation). Domains and weights:

• Manage Azure identities and governance (20-25%): Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), users, groups, roles, subscriptions, policies
• Implement and manage storage (15-20%): Storage accounts, blob storage, file shares, Azure Backup basics
• Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20-25%): VMs, VM scale sets, containers, App Service, availability sets
• Implement and manage virtual networking (15-20%): VNets, subnets, NSGs, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway, DNS
• Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10-15%): Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts, backup, disaster recovery

Pass score is 700 out of 1000. Microsoft uses a variable question count and question difficulty affects scoring, so the number of correct answers to pass is not fixed.

Exam cost for Filipinos in 2026

The AZ-104 exam costs USD 165, roughly PHP 9,200 to 9,500 after processing fees. Microsoft periodically offers 50% discount vouchers for candidates who complete official Microsoft Learn learning paths, which brings the cost down to about PHP 4,700.

Additional costs to budget:

• Video course (Udemy, Pluralsight, or Microsoft Learn free): PHP 0 to 2,500
• Practice exam set (MeasureUp is official, Tutorials Dojo has a lower-priced set): PHP 1,500 to 3,500
• Azure free account with USD 200 credit for 30 days (do all hands-on labs during this window): free
• Retake fee (if needed): USD 165

Realistic total: PHP 11,000 to 15,000 for a first-time pass.

Study path for Filipino IT admins

Recommended 6-to-8-week plan:

Week 1: Set up your Azure environment. Create a free Azure account with the USD 200 credit. Get comfortable with the Azure portal, Azure CLI, and Azure PowerShell. Set up Microsoft Entra ID and add a few test users.

Week 2-3: Identity and networking. The two largest domains. Study Entra ID users, groups, role-based access control (RBAC), and conditional access. Then VNets, subnets, NSGs, and the Load Balancer.

Week 4-5: Compute and storage. Deploy a Windows VM and a Linux VM. Attach a disk. Create a storage account and upload blobs. Set up an Azure Files share and mount it from a VM.

Week 6: Monitoring and backup. Configure Azure Monitor, set up an alert on VM CPU usage, run a backup on a VM, restore it to a new resource group. This section is small on the exam but easy points.

Week 7-8: Practice exams. Take three full-length practice tests. Aim for 80% or higher. Review every wrong answer in Microsoft’s official documentation.

Study materials that Filipino candidates use

• Microsoft Learn (free). The official learning paths are surprisingly good in 2026. Do the AZ-104 Prerequisites and AZ-104 Learning Path completely.
• Scott Duffy’s Udemy course. Most Filipino candidates’ first paid resource. Often PHP 500-800 during Udemy sales.
• John Savill’s YouTube channel. Free, deep, and current. His AZ-104 study guide series is one of the best resources available.
• MeasureUp practice tests. The official Microsoft-partnered practice exam. Highest match to real exam difficulty.
• Azure architecture center. Free reference documentation from Microsoft.

Salary impact after passing in the Philippines

• Fresh graduate with AZ-104: PHP 35,000 to 55,000 starting
• Junior sysadmin, 1-3 years: Bump from PHP 40,000-60,000 to PHP 65,000-90,000
• Mid-level sysadmin or cloud admin, 3-5 years: PHP 90,000 to 140,000
• Senior Azure admin or cloud engineer: PHP 150,000 to 220,000, up to USD 4,500-6,500 monthly for remote roles

Azure demand in the Philippines is particularly strong at BPOs, banks, and companies with existing Microsoft 365 or on-prem Windows Server environments. Manila-based multinationals with US and European clients often pay a premium for AZ-104 holders who can also handle Entra ID and Intune.

Should you pick AWS or Azure?

Simple answer for Filipino candidates:

• Your background is web development or you want a startup or SaaS company job: AWS. It dominates that market.
• Your background is Windows Server or Microsoft 365 or you want an enterprise IT job: Azure. It dominates that market.
• You do not care about background and want the highest job count: AWS still has more jobs in Manila, but Azure is growing faster percentage-wise.
• You have time and budget for two certs: Do AZ-104 first (Microsoft ecosystem), then SAA-C03 (broader cloud fluency). This combo covers 90% of Filipino cloud job listings.

Common mistakes Filipino candidates make

• Skipping hands-on labs. AZ-104 includes portal-based lab questions. If you have never clicked through the Azure portal, you will get them wrong even if you know the concept.
• Not learning Azure CLI and PowerShell. Many exam questions ask for the correct command. Memorize the common az commands and Azure PowerShell cmdlets.
• Confusing role assignments and permissions. Entra ID roles vs Azure RBAC roles is a common confusion. Study the difference carefully.
• Ignoring monitoring. Only 10-15% of the exam but easy points if you know Log Analytics query basics (KQL).
• Booking too early. Wait until you consistently score 80%+ on full practice tests. Do not rush.

Booking your AZ-104 exam

Book through the Microsoft Learn Certification Portal. You have three delivery options:

• Pearson VUE test center: Same locations as AWS exams (Makati, Ortigas, QC, Cebu, Davao).
• Online proctored via Pearson VUE: Requires webcam, stable internet, and a clean room.
• Microsoft-owned test centers (rare in PH): Manila has one at Bonifacio Global City.

Book at least a week in advance. AZ-104 slots fill up faster than AWS slots in the Philippines because there are fewer Microsoft-authorized centers.