AZ-104: Networking, Monitoring, and Backup Strategies

Overview

Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. Unlock the potential of Azure with this comprehensive guide to mastering networking, monitoring, and backup strategies. This course empowers IT professionals with the skills to configure virtual networks, secure access, monitor resources, and implement recovery solutions, enhancing operational efficiency and resilience. Dive into the fundamentals of virtual network configuration, IP addressing, and DNS management, followed by an in-depth exploration of secure access techniques, including Azure Bastion and private endpoints. The course then transitions to advanced topics such as load balancing and network monitoring using tools like Azure Monitor and Network Watcher, ensuring robust infrastructure management. Continue your learning journey with a focus on backup and recovery solutions, including creating Recovery Services and Backup Vaults and implementing site-to-site recovery using Azure Site Recovery. Each module is designed to provide actionable insights and hands-on experience. This course is ideal for IT professionals, system administrators, and network engineers aiming to deepen their Azure expertise. A basic understanding of Azure fundamentals is recommended. The course is at an intermediate level, providing a blend of foundational concepts and advanced applications.

Syllabus

Configure Virtual Networks

In this module, we will explore the foundational aspects of Azure networking. You will learn to design and configure virtual networks, subnets, and peering, as well as manage IP addressing and DNS to ensure seamless connectivity and efficient network management.

Configure Secure Access to Virtual Networks

In this module, we will dive into securing Azure virtual networks. You'll learn to set up security groups, evaluate rules, and implement secure connectivity solutions like Azure Bastion, service endpoints, and private endpoints to protect your resources.

Configure Load Balancing

In this module, we will focus on configuring load-balancing solutions in Azure. You'll gain hands-on experience in setting up Application Gateway, internal and public load balancers, and troubleshooting these solutions to ensure optimal performance and redundancy.

Monitor Virtual Networking

In this module, we will cover monitoring and troubleshooting techniques for virtual networks in Azure. You'll learn to use tools like Azure Monitor, Network Watcher, and diagnostic logs to maintain network health and resolve connectivity issues efficiently.

Monitor resources by using Azure Monitor

In this module, we will delve into Azure Monitor capabilities for resource monitoring. You’ll learn to configure metrics, analyze logs, and use VM Insights to ensure your Azure environment operates optimally and aligns with business needs.

Implement Backup and Recovery

In this module, we will focus on implementing backup and recovery strategies in Azure. You'll learn to set up recovery and backup vaults, review backup reports, and configure Azure Site Recovery to safeguard your critical data and systems.