8 decks to understand Microsoft Azure fundamentals: cloud concepts, platform architecture, core services, identity, security, costs and governance. A solid foundation to reason about Azure, whether you're technical or not.
This guide covers Azure's fundamental concepts without going into technical implementation. The goal: understand the services, trade-offs and vocabulary of Azure, so you can reason about the platform in a professional context.
IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, deployment models (public, private, hybrid), high availability, scalability, CapEx vs OpEx.
Core Azure services: compute, storage, networking, databases. Platform architecture and fundamental components.
Identity (Azure AD), governance (RBAC, Policy), security, compliance, cost management, SLAs and monitoring tools.
Each deck maps to a sub-domain. Follow the recommended order for a logical progression, or target the topics where you feel least confident.
Core cloud computing concepts underpinning Azure: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, deployment models, high availability, elasticity, CapEx vs OpEx. Recommended starting point for all levels.
Azure's logical structure: regions, availability zones, resource groups, subscriptions and management groups. The building blocks of any Azure architecture.
Compute services (VMs, App Service, Azure Functions, Containers), storage (Blob, Files, Queue, Table) and databases (SQL Database, Cosmos DB, MySQL, PostgreSQL).
Virtual Networks, subnets, NSG, Azure Load Balancer, Application Gateway, VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute and Azure DNS. Networking fundamentals on Azure.
Azure Active Directory, RBAC, Azure Policy, blueprints, management groups and locks. Identity and governance management represents a significant part of this guide.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Azure Sentinel, Key Vault, DDoS Protection, Firewall and the shared responsibility model. Essential security concepts on Azure.
Azure Calculator, Cost Management, Reserved Instances, Azure Hybrid Benefit and SLA interpretation. Understanding Azure billing logic.
Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights, Azure Advisor and Service Health. Monitoring and operational tools.
This guide can be completed in 4 to 6 weeks with 15 to 20 minutes of daily practice. Here is the recommended sequence.
Deck 1 (Cloud Fundamentals) then Deck 2 (Core Azure Architecture). These two decks establish the vocabulary and concepts everything else builds on. Don't skip them even if you already know cloud.
Decks 3 and 4: compute, storage, database, networking. Let the FSRS algorithm manage your reviews while you advance to new decks.
Decks 5 to 8: identity, governance, security, pricing, monitoring. These topics form the backbone of an operational understanding of Azure. Pay particular attention to the Identity & Governance deck (55 cards).
This guide covers Azure fundamentals — cloud concepts, services, security, governance, costs — to build a solid understanding of the platform. It does not replace official Microsoft training or hands-on labs, which remain useful to properly prepare for an Azure certification.
No. The decks are designed to be accessible without prior Azure experience, including for non-technical profiles (managers, consultants, sales) who want to understand cloud. The Cloud Fundamentals deck establishes these basics from the start.
Recommended order: Cloud Fundamentals → Core Architecture → Compute/Storage/DB → Networking → Identity/Governance → Security → Costs → Monitoring. This order follows pedagogical logic: core concepts first, then services, then governance and security last.
Allow 4 to 6 weeks with 15 to 20 minutes per day. This covers 355 cards spread across 8 decks, plus spaced reviews automatically managed by the FSRS algorithm. Some learners move faster if they already have a cloud background.
Yes. Understanding Azure fundamentals is useful for anyone working with cloud teams: managers, consultants, sales, or developers new to the platform. It's also a good entry point before tackling the more advanced Azure Architecture guide.
40 free Cloud Fundamentals cards. Immediate access to all 8 decks, no credit card required.
Get started for free