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Microsoft · Cloud

Windows Server Admin (AZ-802)

Administering Windows Server across on-premises and hybrid environments.

View certification details
Understand the subject

Administering Windows Server across on-premises and hybrid environments.

Apply it to the work

Useful when server operations span local infrastructure and Azure, and a change has to work across both.

Build practical evidence

Be comfortable with Active Directory, PowerShell, networking and virtual machines. Use a lab where you can inspect a failed change and reverse it.

Level
Intermediate

What you will learn to do

Understand the subject

Administering Windows Server across on-premises and hybrid environments.

Apply it to the work

Useful when server operations span local infrastructure and Azure, and a change has to work across both.

Build practical evidence

Be comfortable with Active Directory, PowerShell, networking and virtual machines. Use a lab where you can inspect a failed change and reverse it.

Certification essentials

Requirements, costs and keeping it current.

Check the vendor record and ongoing commitment alongside the career guidance.

Pricing view
Market

Vendor record

Live

Current Windows Server administration exam. AZ-800 and AZ-801 remain separate historical exam records with their own retirement dates.

Current name
Administering Windows Server (AZ-802)
Exam code
AZ-802
Vendor-stated experience
Windows Server administration including AD DS, PowerShell, Hyper-V and Azure Arc.

Source: Microsoft Learn · Read 22 September 2026

Sourced fields only; this does not mean every exam detail has been verified. Pricing and renewal policies have their own sources and check dates. Confirm the currency, tax and final booking total with the vendor.

Exam AZ-802: Administering Windows Server Microsoft exam pricing

Role-fit guidance is TechWaymark editorial interpretation. It is separate from the recorded vendor facts and does not measure hiring outcomes.

Costs and renewal

Exam cost
Check current vendor pricing
Exam format
Exam format not yet verified — check the vendor's exam page
Keeping it current

Renew annually by passing a free, online Microsoft Learn assessment during the 6 months before expiry.

Renewal sources & exceptions

This applies to the earned certification, not an individual exam pass. Renewal must be completed before expiry and while its assessment remains available.

Renewal policy checked 2026-09-28. Check the linked provider policy for current fees and eligibility.

No verified quote held for this market. Check booking currency, taxes, membership, training and renewal fees with the vendor; no currency conversion is assumed. Check the vendor record before booking.

Current vendor pricing source ↗
Preparation and practical skills

Recommended prior knowledge

  • AD DS, PowerShell, Hyper-V and Azure Arc experience

Common misconceptions

  • Windows Server Admin (AZ-802) may meet a named requirement; it does not guarantee shortlisting or replace documented work.

What this cert does NOT guarantee

  • A job offer or salary increase without relevant evidence
  • You only need Azure-native application development
Alternatives and related certifications

Where this fits

Prerequisites
  • None required
This cert
Windows Server Admin (AZ-802)
Stronger / next
  • Top of this lane

Alternative routes

No single right path. These adjacent options reach similar roles.

  • AZ-104 where Azure administration is part of the role
    Common follow-on or adjacent credential, see the graph for full lineage.

Adjacent & overlapping

Adjacent
  • AZ-104 where Azure administration is part of the role
Career outcomes and limitations

Realistic first roles

You administer Windows Server or support a hybrid estate

How people actually get here

    Real-world career variations

    Timeline expectations

    1. Months 0–2Foundation reading, concepts, vocabulary.
    2. Months 2–4Hands-on labs, documented home projects.
    3. Months 4–6Practice exams, weak-area drills, exam.
    4. Post-examUse target vacancies to guide applications and projects. There is no guaranteed time to a first role.

    Study resources

    Study options

    Choose the right mix for your goals and experience. Links below go to official and third-party resources.

    Guided study

    Structured resources from established providers can help build knowledge and skills.

    Compare study options →

    Third-party providers. Commercial terms, pricing and availability apply.

    Practice environments

    Explore suitable environments for practical work. Check the tools, features and access you need.

    Compare practice resources →

    External resources. Check current costs and access requirements.

    Resources are selected for relevance. Compare access, syllabus coverage and total cost; a listing does not imply a commercial partnership.

    Compare the resources for Windows Server Admin (AZ-802)
    Exam guideProvider source

    Exam AZ-802: Administering Windows Server

    Syllabus and preparation links

    Check the resource provider for current local pricing
    View resource

    Check the current syllabus, access terms and total cost before choosing. Resource inclusion does not guarantee exam success.

    Optional home projects

    Build something you can explain.

    Ideas to explore after choosing a certification, using your own tools and keeping evidence of your work.

    Example project evidence
    Project evidence map (example)
    Hybrid maintenance change recordScope and inputs
    Precheck, rollback and acceptance worksheetDecisions and reasoning
    Evidence record (example)
    EvidenceWhat to capture
    Hybrid maintenance change recordShow the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. The plan does not assume that cloud management replaces local recovery access.
    Precheck, rollback and acceptance worksheetInclude the evidence supporting your conclusion. Both the business service and the management connection are validated.

    Plan a hybrid Windows Server maintenance change

    A team needs to maintain a Windows Server workload connected to cloud management while preserving local service availability and remote administration.

    Design project Your own tools Evidence guidance
    View project guide
    Track this certification

    What this is based on

    Editorial route and career guidance. No separate external evidence review is recorded for this assessment.

    Editorial evidence review: pending · UK market. Vendor facts and prices elsewhere on this page have their own sources and check dates.