- AZ-120 tests Migration (25-30%) and Infrastructure (25-30%) as the two largest domains.
- You need a scaled score of 700, not 70% of questions correct, to pass.
- The U.S. list fee is USD 165, delivered as a 100-minute proctored exam via Pearson VUE or OnVUE.
- A failed attempt can be retaken after 24 hours; the credential itself is valid for 12 months.
Quick Facts Snapshot
Before diving into domain content, keep this reference table open in a second tab. It condenses the operational details of Microsoft Certified: Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty - the credential earned by passing exam AZ-120, Planning and Administering Azure for SAP Workloads - into a single glance. For a longer breakdown of these mechanics, see the AZ-120 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown and AZ-120 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling articles.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | AZ-120 |
| Official title | Planning and Administering Azure for SAP Workloads |
| Certifying body | Microsoft Corporation |
| U.S. list fee | USD 165 |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online-proctored |
| Duration | 100 minutes, proctored, computer-based, may include interactive components |
| Passing score | 700 on Microsoft's scaled scoring system |
| Certification validity | 12 months, renewable via a free online assessment |
| Retake wait after first fail | 24 hours |
The Four Domains at a Glance
AZ-120 is organized into four content areas. Two of them are tied for the largest weight, which tells you exactly where to spend the bulk of your review time. If you want the full walkthrough of subtopics inside each domain, read the AZ-120 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas.
Domain 1: Migrate SAP workloads to Azure (25-30%)
Covers moving existing SAP systems - HANA and non-HANA - into Azure, including assessment, sizing, and migration tooling.
- Migration assessment tools and sizing guidance for SAP on Azure
- Database and application-tier migration approaches (classical vs. database migration options)
- Data transfer methods and downtime considerations during cutover
Domain 2: Design and implement infrastructure for SAP workloads on Azure (25-30%)
Covers building the compute, storage, networking, and identity foundation SAP workloads run on.
- VM sizing decisions for SAP HANA and SAP NetWeaver/Business Suite
- Storage architecture choices for performance and cost on SAP systems
- Virtual networking, connectivity, and identity integration for SAP landscapes
Domain 3: Design and implement high availability and disaster recovery (20-25%)
Covers keeping SAP systems running through planned and unplanned outages.
- HA clustering approaches for SAP database and central services layers
- Disaster recovery design across Azure regions
- Backup strategy and recovery validation for SAP workloads
Domain 4: Maintain SAP workloads on Azure (20-25%)
Covers day-two operations once systems are live in Azure.
- Monitoring, patching, and performance tuning for running SAP systems
- Ongoing administration tasks tied to Azure compute and storage services
- Operational governance for long-running SAP-on-Azure environments
Key Takeaway
Because Migration and Infrastructure together account for roughly half the exam, review those two domains first and treat HADR and Maintain as the second pass. The AZ-120 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt walks through pacing this across multiple weeks if you need more structure than a one-page sheet provides.
Registration and Fee Mechanics
The AZ-120 exam is administered by Microsoft through Pearson VUE, with two delivery paths: an in-person test center or OnVUE online proctoring from your own location. The U.S. list price is USD 165, though actual pricing can vary by country and any active promotions. Because this is a proctored, timed assessment (100 minutes, computer-based, occasionally including interactive components rather than pure multiple choice), you should schedule your session on a day when you're not rushed and can complete an uninterrupted sitting.
If you're still deciding whether the investment fits your budget and career plan, the AZ-120 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown article breaks down the fee alongside optional prep expenses, and Is the AZ-120 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 weighs that cost against the career case.
Passing Score and Scoring System
AZ-120 uses Microsoft's scaled scoring system, and the passing mark is 700. This is not the same as answering 70% of questions correctly - Microsoft weights items differently based on difficulty and domain, so a scaled 700 does not map cleanly to a fixed percentage of correct answers. Don't try to reverse-engineer a "safe" percentage; instead, aim to be solidly competent across all four domains rather than perfect in one and weak in another.
For a deeper explanation of how scaled scoring works and what your score report actually tells you, see AZ-120 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Exam Format and Question Style
Expect a 100-minute proctored session that can include interactive question types in addition to standard multiple-choice and multiple-select formats. Interactive components on Microsoft role-based exams typically simulate configuration tasks, drag-and-drop sequencing, or scenario matching - so don't assume every question will look like a static text prompt with four answer bubbles.
- Scenario-based questions describing an SAP landscape and asking you to choose the correct Azure design
- Case-study style clusters where several questions share the same background scenario
- Best-practice comparisons between Azure services for a given SAP requirement
If you're unsure how demanding this format is compared to other Microsoft role-based exams, How Hard Is the AZ-120 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 covers what makes AZ-120 distinct, and AZ-120 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows discusses what's actually published about outcomes.
Recommended Background
There's no mandatory prerequisite exam for AZ-120, but Microsoft's recommended background is substantial and worth taking seriously before you book a date. Candidates are expected to already understand:
- SAP HANA, SAP Business Suite, and SAP NetWeaver at an operational level
- Azure compute, storage, and networking fundamentals
- Azure identity concepts
- Azure availability and recovery mechanisms
Microsoft strongly recommends holding the Azure Administrator Associate certification first, though it is not a hard requirement to sit for AZ-120. If you're coming from a pure SAP Basis background with limited Azure exposure, plan extra time to shore up the Azure infrastructure side; if you're coming from an Azure infrastructure background with no SAP exposure, plan extra time on the SAP-specific migration and sizing concepts. Full eligibility detail is in AZ-120 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Retake and Renewal Rules
If your first attempt doesn't pass, Microsoft's retake policy allows you to schedule a new attempt after a 24-hour waiting period. Use that window productively: review which domains cost you points rather than immediately rebooking blind.
Once you pass, the certification is valid for 12 months. Rather than requiring a full re-exam, Microsoft offers a free online renewal assessment that becomes available during the six months before your certification expires. Passing that renewal assessment extends your certification validity by one additional year, and this cycle can repeat as long as the credential remains active in Microsoft's catalog.
Key Takeaway
Mark a calendar reminder for six months after you pass - that's the earliest point you can take the free renewal assessment and push your expiration date forward by a year.
Who Hires AZ-120 Holders
Organizations running SAP on Azure - or migrating from on-premises SAP landscapes to Azure - look for professionals who can bridge SAP Basis administration and Azure infrastructure design. In practice, this credential tends to matter most to people already working in, or targeting, roles such as:
- SAP Basis administrators moving their landscapes to cloud infrastructure
- Cloud infrastructure engineers assigned to SAP-specific projects
- Migration consultants leading SAP-to-Azure lift-and-shift or re-architecture engagements
- Operations teams responsible for keeping production SAP systems highly available on Azure
For a closer look at how this shows up in job postings and hiring conversations, see AZ-120 Jobs, and for compensation context, AZ-120 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
One-Week Cheat Sheet Review Plan
If you already have hands-on SAP and Azure experience and just need a structured final review - not a from-scratch study plan - this compressed timeline maps directly onto the exam's domain weights. Heavier domains get more days.
Migrate SAP workloads to Azure
- Re-review migration assessment tools and sizing guidance
- Compare classical migration vs. database-specific migration paths
Design and implement infrastructure
- Drill VM family selection for HANA vs. NetWeaver workloads
- Review storage and networking design patterns for SAP
High availability and disaster recovery
- Walk through clustering options for database and central services
- Review cross-region DR design decisions
Maintain SAP workloads on Azure
- Review monitoring, patching, and operational governance topics
Mixed review and logistics
- Run a full practice test on the main practice test site under timed conditions
- Re-check your OnVUE or test-center booking details
This isn't a substitute for weeks of actual hands-on lab work with SAP HANA and Azure infrastructure - it's a final-review structure for people who've already done that work. If you haven't built that foundation yet, back up and follow the fuller plan in the AZ-120 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt instead of compressing everything into a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
You need a scaled score of 700 on Microsoft's scoring system. This is not the same as 70% of questions answered correctly, since items are weighted by difficulty and domain.
The U.S. list price is USD 165. Pricing can differ in other countries, and it's worth checking Microsoft's official pricing page before you register.
It's a 100-minute proctored, computer-based exam that may include interactive components. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or through OnVUE online proctoring.
Microsoft's retake policy requires a 24-hour wait after a first failed attempt before you can schedule again.
Yes, it's valid for 12 months. You can extend it by another year by passing Microsoft's free online renewal assessment, which becomes available during the six months before expiration.