AZ-104 and AZ-500 are both Microsoft Azure certifications, but they target very different job responsibilities. AZ-104 focuses on administering Azure environments, while AZ-500 focuses on securing Azure resources, identities, networks, workloads, and security operations.

For someone choosing between them in 2026, there is another important factor: AZ-500 is being retired on August 31, 2026, while AZ-104 remains active. Microsoft is replacing the older Azure Security Engineer Associate path with the newer Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate certification based on SC-500.

AZ-104 vs AZ-500 at a Glance

The easiest way to understand the difference is to compare the job roles.

Factor	AZ-104	AZ-500
Certification	Azure Administrator Associate	Azure Security Engineer Associate
Main Focus	Azure administration	Azure security
Role	Administrator	Security Engineer
Skill Emphasis	Compute, storage, networking, identity, governance	Identity security, network security, workload protection, security operations
Difficulty	Intermediate	Intermediate to advanced
Best For	Cloud administrators	Cloud security professionals
2026 Status	Active	Retires August 31, 2026

Microsoft describes Azure administrators as professionals who implement, manage, and monitor Azure environments, including identity, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networking.

Azure security engineers, by comparison, implement, manage, and monitor security across Azure, hybrid, and multi-cloud infrastructure.

What Is AZ-104?

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator AssociateAZ-104 is the exam for .

It is designed for professionals who manage Azure subscriptions, identities, governance, virtual networks, storage, and compute resources. Microsoft’s official training also covers managing infrastructure, configuring virtual networking, securing identities, and administering subscriptions.

Key AZ-104 Skills

Candidates should understand areas such as:

Microsoft Entra ID
Azure subscriptions
Role-based access control
Azure virtual machines
Azure Storage
Virtual networks
Network security groups
Load balancing
Azure Monitor
Backup and recovery
Resource governance

AZ-104 is therefore broader than a security-only certification. It tests whether you can operate an Azure environment effectively.

What Is AZ-500?

AZ-500 is the Microsoft Azure Security Technologies exam associated with Azure Security Engineer Associate.

The role focuses on protecting Azure infrastructure through identity controls, secure networking, workload protection, Defender for Cloud, and security monitoring. Microsoft describes security engineers as professionals who protect identities, data, applications, and infrastructure while ensuring alignment with security standards and best practices.

Key AZ-500 Skills

Major preparation areas include:

Microsoft Entra ID security
Privileged access
Conditional Access
Network security
Secure compute
Storage security
Database protection
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Microsoft Sentinel
Security governance
Threat monitoring

This makes AZ-500 much more security-focused than AZ-104.

AZ-104 vs AZ-500 Difficulty

Both exams are classified at an intermediate professional level, but AZ-500 is often more difficult for candidates without strong Azure administration experience.

Why AZ-104 Can Be Difficult

AZ-104 covers a wide range of Azure services.

Candidates must understand how resources interact rather than simply memorizing service names. You may need to determine which networking configuration, storage option, permission model, or compute solution best fits a scenario.

Common difficult areas include:

Virtual networking
RBAC
Storage permissions
Azure Monitor
Virtual machine availability
Resource governance

Hands-on administration makes these topics much easier.

Why AZ-500 Can Feel Harder

AZ-500 assumes you understand Azure infrastructure before deciding how to secure it.

Security candidates need familiarity with compute, networking, identity, storage, and hybrid environments in addition to dedicated security tools. Microsoft’s newer SC-500 guide similarly states that security professionals should have practical Azure and hybrid administration experience involving compute, networking, and storage.

AZ-500 can therefore be harder if you are learning Azure administration and security at the same time.

Should You Take AZ-104 Before AZ-500?

Microsoft does not require AZ-104 as a formal prerequisite for AZ-500.

However, taking AZ-104 first can make security concepts easier because it builds familiarity with the resources that security engineers must protect.

For example, understanding Azure virtual networks first makes concepts such as network security groups, private endpoints, firewalls, and segmentation easier to understand.

A sensible progression is:

Learn Azure fundamentals.
Study Azure administration.
Build hands-on experience with compute, networking, storage, and identity.
Move into Azure security.
Practice Defender for Cloud and security monitoring.

For beginners, this sequence is usually more practical than starting directly with advanced cloud security.

Career Opportunities With AZ-104

AZ-104 supports roles focused on cloud infrastructure operations.

Potential career directions include:

Azure administrator
Cloud administrator
Systems administrator
Cloud operations engineer
Infrastructure engineer
Azure support engineer
Junior cloud engineer

The certification is particularly valuable for professionals responsible for keeping Azure environments available, configured, monitored, and properly governed.

AZ-104 can also provide a foundation for more advanced Azure architecture, networking, DevOps, and security certifications.

Career Opportunities With AZ-500

AZ-500 supports professionals moving toward cybersecurity roles inside Azure environments.

Relevant positions include:

Azure security engineer
Cloud security engineer
Security administrator
Cloud security analyst
Infrastructure security engineer
Security operations specialist
Cloud security consultant

The career focus is narrower than AZ-104 but more specialized.

However, candidates planning their certification path now should consider the retirement date. Microsoft confirms that AZ-500 and Azure Security Engineer Associate retire on August 31, 2026.

What Replaces AZ-500 in 2026?

SC-500 Cloud and AI Security Engineer AssociateMicrosoft is introducing as the successor path.

The newer certification expands the security engineer role beyond traditional Azure infrastructure to include cloud, hybrid, and AI-enabled environments. Microsoft describes it as validating the ability to design, implement, and manage end-to-end security controls across identities, data, applications, infrastructure, and AI-enabled workloads.

This creates an important decision:

If you are already prepared for AZ-500 and can test before August 31, 2026, completing it may still make sense.
If you are starting from zero, SC-500 may offer a more future-focused path.

Which Certification Is Better in 2026?

AZ-104Choose if you want to manage Azure infrastructure.

It is the better option for candidates interested in cloud administration, compute, networking, storage, identity, monitoring, and general Azure operations.

Choose the Azure security path if you want cybersecurity responsibilities. In 2026, however, new candidates should compare AZ-500 with SC-500 because of the retirement transition.

Prepare for AZ-104 or AZ-500 with updated practice questions and study materials: https://certmage.com/exams/microsoft/

How to Prepare for AZ-104 or AZ-500

Use practical experience as the foundation of your preparation.

Download the current Microsoft study guide.
Review every exam objective.
Complete relevant Microsoft Learn modules.
Build resources in an Azure lab environment.
Practice identity and access management.
Configure virtual networking and storage.
Add security controls where relevant.
Use Microsoft Practice Assessments.
Review every incorrect answer.
Revisit weak technical areas before scheduling.

Microsoft explicitly notes that Practice Assessments are not a replacement for training or practical experience.

Conclusion

AZ-104 and AZ-500 serve different career goals. AZ-104 is the stronger choice for Azure administration, infrastructure, networking, storage, compute, and operational roles. AZ-500 is more specialized around securing Azure environments.

For beginners, AZ-104 usually provides the broader foundation. Security-focused professionals may prefer the security path, but the timing matters: AZ-500 retires on August 31, 2026, and SC-500 is becoming Microsoft’s newer Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate certification.

Choose the exam based on the job you want, not simply which certification sounds more advanced.

FAQs

Is AZ-104 easier than AZ-500?

For many candidates, yes. AZ-104 covers broad Azure administration, while AZ-500 requires understanding Azure infrastructure plus security controls, identity protection, networking security, and security operations.

Is AZ-104 required before AZ-500?

No. Microsoft does not list AZ-104 as a prerequisite for AZ-500. However, Azure administration knowledge can make security topics considerably easier to understand.

Is AZ-500 retiring in 2026?

Yes. Microsoft lists August 31, 2026 as the retirement date for AZ-500 and Azure Security Engineer Associate.

What replaces AZ-500?

Microsoft is introducing SC-500 and the Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate certification as the newer security path for cloud, hybrid, and AI-enabled environments.

Which is better for cloud careers, AZ-104 or AZ-500?

AZ-104 is better for general Azure administration and infrastructure careers. The security certification path is better for professionals focused specifically on cloud security, identity, risk, and security operations.

Read More: Fortinet NSE 4 vs NSE 7: Which Is Better in 2026?

AZ-104 vs AZ-500: Key Differences, Difficulty, and Career Opportunities

Compare AZ-104 vs AZ-500 by exam focus, difficulty, skills, career opportunities and 2026 changes, including the AZ-500 retirement and SC-500 transition.