Quick Answer
Azure Management and Governance covers the tools and practices for organizing, securing, and controlling Azure resources, including Azure Policy, RBAC, resource locks, tags, cost management, and the Cloud Adoption Framework.
Azure Management and Governance is the domain that covers how to organize, secure, and control your Azure resources at scale. Think of it as the 'operating system' for your cloud environment—it includes tools for managing multiple subscriptions, applying policies to enforce compliance, tracking costs, and ensuring your cloud stays secure and well-organized. For example, you might use Azure Policy to automatically block the creation of virtual machines in certain regions, or Azure Cost Management to set budgets and get alerts when spending exceeds a threshold. This domain is crucial because without proper governance, cloud environments can quickly become chaotic, expensive, and insecure. In real-world IT, a company might have hundreds of subscriptions and thousands of resources; governance tools help administrators maintain control, meet regulatory requirements, and optimize costs. On the AZ-900 exam, this domain tests your understanding of these management and governance services, not their deep technical implementation. You'll need to know what each service does, when to use it, and how they relate to each other. Common topics include Azure Blueprints, Azure Policy, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), resource locks, tags, Azure Cost Management, and the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework. To study effectively, focus on the purpose and use cases of each service rather than memorizing steps. Use Microsoft's free documentation and the Azure portal to explore these tools in a trial subscription. Create a resource group, apply a policy, set up a budget, and assign roles—this hands-on practice will solidify your understanding and help you answer scenario-based questions on the exam.
What the exam tests
Common exam traps
Azure Cost Management and Billing
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Pricing and TCO Calculator
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Policy
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Blueprints and Management Groups
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Monitor
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Service Health
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Portal, CLI, and PowerShell
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Arc
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Resource Locks and Tags
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Advisor
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Microsoft Compliance Manager
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Microsoft Trust Center
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Cost Allocation and Tags
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Reservations and Savings Plans
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Budgets and Cost Alerts
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Cloud Shell
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
ARM Templates — Infrastructure as Code
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Bicep Language
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Automation and Runbooks
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Log Analytics and Workspaces
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Application Insights
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Update Management
Objective 3.3 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Mobile App
Objective 3.4 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Policy Initiatives
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Microsoft Purview (Data Governance)
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Cost Optimization Strategies
Objective 3.1 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Support Plans
Objective 3.5 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Service Trust Portal
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Preview Features and Updates
Objective 3.5 · Azure Management Governance
Azure Region Selection for Compliance
Objective 3.2 · Azure Management Governance
Free AZ-900 practice questions with full explanations. Test what you learn chapter by chapter.
AZ-900 Practice Questions