Home labs & practical projects
Choose a home for a small business application
A project to do with your own tools, with guidance on what to create and capture.
What you could create
A small business needs a public website, a private customer database and monthly cost visibility. Its two-person IT team cannot operate every layer itself.
| Evidence | What to capture |
|---|---|
| One-page hosting comparison | Show the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Every requirement maps to a service or a stated gap. |
| Responsibility matrix and cost assumptions | Include the evidence supporting your conclusion. The responsibility split changes appropriately between managed services and VMs. |
What you'll need
Document, spreadsheet or diagram tool
Create a fictional requirements sheet: 100 daily users, customer contact data, office-hours support and a limited budget. Open the current Azure service descriptions and pricing calculator.
Project record
Keep the working files for one-page hosting comparison and record assumptions as you go.
Current reference material
Use the linked provider resources to verify the features, access terms and version relevant to your project.
Access & cost
No paid platform is needed for the written version. Use a document, spreadsheet or diagram tool you already have.
The organisation and records are fictional. Write down assumptions; do not substitute confidential employer information.
Suggested milestones
- 1
Plan and investigate
Compare a VM-based design with managed web hosting and a managed database.
- 2
Develop your approach
Assign responsibility for patching, identities, data protection and recovery in each design.
- 3
Verify and explain
Prepare an indicative cost model with region, usage and exclusions recorded.
Useful resources
Use these resources to deepen your understanding and check key details.
Review the current provider requirements and relevant subject areas.
Check relevance, platform versions and current access terms.
Find relevant providers and check features, access requirements and costs.
A useful starting point
Create a fictional requirements sheet: 100 daily users, customer contact data, office-hours support and a limited budget. Open the current Azure service descriptions and pricing calculator.
What a good result looks like
- Every requirement maps to a service or a stated gap.
- The responsibility split changes appropriately between managed services and VMs.
- The cost estimate lists assumptions and is not described as a quote.
Finish the project
Keep the decision record and note unanswered questions. A written design is not evidence that a technical control has been tested.
Independent home-project guidance, not an official vendor lab or a claim of complete exam coverage. Use your own tools and label the work accurately.