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Microsoft · AZ-800 · Associate

Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure

The AZ-800 certification validates skills in deploying and managing Windows Server core infrastructure in on-premises and hybrid environments. 50+ AI-generated practice questions with explanations. Free trial, pass guarantee.

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50 Questions
100min Time Limit
700/ 1000 Pass Score

Overview

About the exam

The AZ-800 certification validates skills in deploying and managing Windows Server core infrastructure in on-premises and hybrid environments. It covers Active Directory Domain Services, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, Hyper-V, Windows Server storage, and Azure hybrid integration including Azure Arc, Azure File Sync, and Azure Backup. This is one of two exams required for the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification.

This certification is designed for experienced Windows Server administrators who manage hybrid environments spanning on-premises datacenters and Azure. Candidates should have strong experience with Windows Server 2019/2022, Active Directory, and networking, plus familiarity with integrating on-premises infrastructure with Azure services.

Exam Domains

What's on the exam

The exam consists of 40–60 questions to be completed in approximately 100 minutes (120 minutes if labs are included). Question types include multiple-choice, multiple-select, drag-and-drop, and hot area formats. Questions test both traditional Windows Server administration and hybrid integration with Azure services. Expect PowerShell commands for server management and Azure Arc onboarding scenarios throughout the exam.

Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments 33%

Deploy and manage AD DS domain controllers (on-premises, Azure, RODCs, FSMO roles), configure multi-site/multi-domain/multi-forest environments (trusts, sites, replication), create and manage AD DS security principals (users, groups, service accounts), implement and manage hybrid identities (Entra Connect Sync/Cloud Sync, Entra Domain Services, staged rollout), and manage Windows Server using Group Policies

Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment 12%

Configure remote management (Windows Admin Center, PowerShell remoting, JEA, SSH, RDP) and manage servers using Azure services (Azure Arc, Azure Machine Configuration, VM extensions, Azure Update Manager, Azure Automation)

Manage virtual machines and containers 18%

Manage Hyper-V and guest VMs (Enhanced session mode, nested virtualization, VM memory, integration services, checkpoints, virtual hard disks, network adapters, guarded fabric/shielded VMs), create and manage containers (Windows Server container host, Linux containers, container images, networking, AKS on Windows Server), and manage Windows Server VMs on Azure (storage, capacity, availability, JIT access, Bastion)

Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure 18%

Implement name resolution (DNS with AD DS, zones/records, forwarding, Azure DNS integration, DNS policies, DNSSEC), manage IP addressing (IPAM, DHCP, scopes, reservations, high availability), and implement network connectivity (Remote Access, Azure Network Adapter, VPN, Azure Relay, Entra Private Access, Application Proxy)

Manage storage and file services 19%

Configure and manage Azure Files (file shares, permissions, Azure File Sync, DFS migration), Windows Server file shares (access, FSRM, BranchCache, DFS, SMB over QUIC), and Windows Server storage (disks/volumes, Storage Spaces, Storage Replica, Data Deduplication, SMB direct, Storage QoS, iSCSI)

Format

What to expect

multiple choice
36%
command
12%
ordering
10%
drag drop
10%
troubleshooting
10%
multiple response
8%
dropdown selection
8%
true false
6%

Watch out

Where candidates struggle

This exam bridges on-premises Windows Server with Azure hybrid services. Candidates who only know traditional infrastructure or only cloud often struggle with questions that test both environments together.

  1. 01
    AD DS Design — Not understanding multi-domain, multi-forest Active Directory designs including trust relationships and sites configuration.
  2. 02
    Azure Arc Integration — Struggling with Azure Arc-enabled servers setup, policies, and how they extend Azure management to on-premises infrastructure.
  3. 03
    Storage Spaces Direct — Confusing Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) configurations, volume creation, and failover clustering for hyper-converged scenarios.
  4. 04
    Group Policy — Overlooking GPO inheritance, blocking, enforcement, and WMI filtering details that are frequently tested.
  5. 05
    DNS Configuration — Not mastering conditional forwarders, stub zones, and DNS integration between on-premises and Azure Private DNS zones.

Details

Exam logistics

Delivered via Pearson VUE online or at testing centers. Available in English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, German, and Spanish. The certification is valid for 1 year with a free renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.

Delivery Pearson VUE online proctored or at authorized testing centers worldwide
Retake policy 24-hour wait after the first attempt, 14 days between subsequent attempts, maximum 5 attempts per exam within a 12-month period
Validity 1 year
Career outcomes Windows Server Administrator, Hybrid Cloud Administrator, Infrastructure Engineer, Data Center Engineer, Systems Administrator
Renewal Free renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn, available starting 6 months before expiration. Must be completed before the certification expires.
Study time ~50 hours
Official guide View on vendor site

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