Cloud & AI Certifications Editor · 90 articles
Nadia came up through platform engineering — building and breaking cloud infrastructure — and now tracks the fastest-moving corner of the certification world: cloud, AI and DevOps. She reads every new exam blueprint the week it drops, so her study plans are aligned to what the exam tests now, not what it tested two years ago.
Cisco brought CCNP Wireless back as a standalone track on 19 March 2026 with a new core exam, 350-101 WLCOR. Here are the domains, the cost, the two concentration exams and what happened to ENWLSD and ENWLSI.
18 Sept 2026
Read25 free CCNA practice questions written to the current 200-301 v1.1 blueprint, weighted across all six domains, each with the correct answer and a full explanation of why the distractors fail.
18 Sept 2026
ReadJN0-105 retired on 5 April 2026 and JN0-106 is now the only way to earn JNCIA-Junos. Here is what changed, what the exam costs, how the scoring works and whether it beats CCNA as your first networking certification.
17 Sept 2026
Read25 free CompTIA A+ practice questions written to the current 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives, weighted by domain, with the answer and the reasoning for every one. Includes pass marks, domain splits and a scoring guide.
16 Sept 2026
ReadAB-650 replaces MS-102 as Microsoft's tenant administration exam, and the weightings tell a different story. Security and governance take 40 to 45 percent, AI services take 35 to 40 percent, and classic tenant admin is down to a fifth of the exam.
15 Sept 2026
ReadGoogle Cloud's Professional Agentic Architect certification is in open beta until 30 September 2026 at $120 instead of $200. Here are the five sections and their weights, the two-part exam format, and who should sit it now rather than wait for GA.
15 Sept 2026
ReadDA0-001 retired on 14 April 2026, so CompTIA Data+ DA0-002 is now the only version you can sit. The format is identical, but two of the five domains were rebuilt. Here is what changed, what it costs, and who should take it.
14 Sept 2026
ReadMicrosoft is renaming PL-400 to AB-400 on 16 October 2026, cutting six domains to four and adding agentic AI. Here is what changes, whether your PL-400 study material still works, and which exam to book.
13 Sept 2026
ReadThe Google Cloud Generative AI Leader certification costs $99, runs 90 minutes and asks 50 to 60 multiple choice questions. Here is what the four domains actually cover, how hard it is, and the 2026 product rename that has made most study material wrong.
11 Sept 2026
ReadCisco published the CCNA v2.0 blueprint on 20 May 2026. The exam number stays 200-301, but six domains become five, a 10% AI domain arrives, and v1.1 stops on 2 February 2027. Here is what changed and which version to book.
9 Sept 2026
ReadAWS has launched its first business-only certification. Here is what the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) tests, the four domain weightings, what the beta costs against the standard $100, and how it differs from AI Practitioner.
8 Sept 2026
ReadCisco retired the DevNet brand and renamed DevNet Associate to CCNA Automation. Same 200-901 exam number, new exam code, new track. Here are the six domains, the $300 price, and why CCNA Automation is not the CCNA.
7 Sept 2026
ReadMicrosoft AI-500 is a new expert-level exam covering production multi-agent AI systems. Here are the four domains and their weightings, what Microsoft has and has not published about cost and format, and who should sit it.
6 Sept 2026
ReadSix Dynamics 365 exams retired between December 2025 and July 2026, and most of them have no direct replacement. Here is which MB exams are gone, which six are still live, and where AB-210 and AB-100 fit.
5 Sept 2026
ReadAWS closes MLA-C01 in English on 28 September 2026 and starts MLA-C02 beta delivery the next day, with general availability on 14 January 2027. Here are the confirmed dates, what actually changed, and which version to book.
4 Sept 2026
ReadCisco launched three separate AI credentials in 2026 and only two of them involve an exam. Here are the real exam codes, costs and prerequisites for AITECH, AIBIZ and DCAI, and which one actually fits your job.
3 Sept 2026
Read25 CompTIA Network+ practice questions written to N10-009 style, weighted across all five domains, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Score yourself and find out which domain is costing you the exam.
3 Sept 2026
ReadAWS is replacing SAP-C02, DVA-C02 and MLA-C01 between September and December 2026. Here are the confirmed dates from AWS, what is known about the new exam guides, and how to decide whether to sit the outgoing version.
2 Sept 2026
ReadKCNA certification costs $250, runs 90 minutes online and now has four domains, not five. Here is the current blueprint, what the exam actually tests, how it compares to CKA, and who should take it in 2026.
1 Sept 2026
ReadBroadcom has rebuilt the VMware certification programme around Cloud Foundation and vSphere Foundation. Here is the 2026 path: the five VCP exams and their codes, the eight VCAP options, what actually happened to VCP-DCV, and the 36-month renewal rule.
1 Sept 2026
ReadPL-200 retires on 31 August 2026 and AB-410 takes its place. Here are the official AB-410 skills measured with domain weightings, the pass mark, the cost, and an honest read on how the difficulty compares.
30 Aug 2026
ReadCisco is adding a one hour AI module to the CCIE lab and cutting the Design module to two hours. Here are the confirmed CCIE exam changes for 2026 and 2027, the dates, and whether to sit your current version first.
29 Aug 2026
ReadPL-600 and PL-500 retired on 30 June 2026, and PL-200 goes on 31 August. Three of the six Power Platform certifications have gone in a single year. Here is exactly what survives, what replaces each retired exam, and which one to book now.
28 Aug 2026
ReadTwenty-five free AZ-900 practice questions written to the objectives Microsoft published on 20 July 2026, split across the three domains in their real exam proportions, with a full explanation of the correct answer and every distractor.
26 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft AB-730 is the AB series exam for people who use Copilot every day rather than build it. Here are the three exam domains and their weightings, the 45-minute format, the cost, the AB-731 difference, and an honest verdict on whether it is worth sitting.
26 Aug 2026
ReadThe IAPP runs five certifications that matter, and plenty of candidates buy the wrong one first. Here is how CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT and AIGP compare on exam format, cost and what they do for your salary in 2026.
23 Aug 2026
ReadNetwork+ vs CCNA is the first real fork in a networking career. One is vendor-neutral and published to the point; the other costs less, hits harder and changes completely in February 2027. Here is how to choose in 2026.
20 Aug 2026
ReadDP-100 retired on 1 June 2026 and Microsoft has pointed data scientists at AI-300 instead. Here is what changed, what happens to a DP-100 you already earned, and whether AI-300 is actually the right next exam for you.
19 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft retires PL-200 and the Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate certification on 31 August 2026, replaced by AB-410 Intelligent Applications Builder. Here is what changes, what carries over, and whether to rush the old exam or skip straight to the new one.
18 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft AB-731 AI Transformation Leader is the AB series credential for leaders who direct AI adoption rather than build it. Here are the exam domains, the format, the AB-730 difference, and an honest verdict on whether it is worth sitting in 2026.
17 Aug 2026
ReadThe CCSK certification is open book, has no experience requirement and never expires. Here is what changed in v5, what the exam actually costs, how it compares to CCSP, and who should take it in 2026.
11 Aug 2026
ReadThe AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty (MLS-C01) retired on 31 March 2026, but half the internet still tells you to sit it. Here is what actually replaced it, and why the exam you are being pointed at closes on 28 September 2026.
10 Aug 2026
ReadMS-900 retired on 31 March 2026 and you can no longer book it. Here is the official Microsoft statement, what AB-900 replaced it with, how AB-730 differs, and exactly which exam to sit instead depending on your role.
9 Aug 2026
ReadThe DP-900 skills measured were refreshed on 21 July 2026. Here is a realistic 4-week Azure Data Fundamentals study plan built around the current four domains, the 45-minute time limit and the 700 pass mark.
8 Aug 2026
ReadThe AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 is 65 questions in 130 minutes with a pass mark of 720/1000. Here is an 8-week study plan that covers all four domains, the services AWS actually tests, and the exam-day tactics that save marks.
7 Aug 2026
ReadThe AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) exam is 65 questions in 90 minutes, and 52 percent of the scored content is generative AI. Here is a realistic 4-week study plan built around the real domain weightings, plus the traps that fail people on exam day.
6 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft refreshed the AZ-700 skills measured on 27 July 2026. Here is a realistic 8-week study plan for the Azure Network Engineer Associate exam, built around the current five domains, the new objectives, and the topics that fail most candidates.
5 Aug 2026
ReadThe AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional exam is 75 scenario questions in 180 minutes, and most candidates underestimate it. Here is a realistic 12-week study plan covering all six DOP-C02 domains, the services that carry the marks, and how to read the scenarios.
5 Aug 2026
ReadThe RHCSA EX200 now runs on RHEL 10, and the objectives have shifted. Here is an 8-week study plan built around the current exam, including the Flatpak and systemd timer tasks most older guides still miss.
4 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft refreshed the DP-600 objectives on 21 July 2026. Here is an 8-week study plan built on the current three-domain outline, with the exam facts, the topics that fail most candidates, and a week-by-week schedule you can actually follow.
3 Aug 2026
ReadDatabricks rewrote the Data Engineer Associate exam on 4 May 2026, splitting it from five sections into seven and adding dedicated CI/CD and troubleshooting domains. Here is an 8-week study plan built on the current outline, not the retired one.
3 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft is retiring MS-102 on 30 November 2026 and replacing the Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert path with AB-650, a new single-exam Associate certification. Here is what changes, what it costs, and whether to sit MS-102 now.
2 Aug 2026
ReadA week-by-week PL-300 study plan built on the objectives Microsoft updated on 20 April 2026, including the current domain weights, the Copilot and DirectLake additions most guides still miss, and where candidates actually lose marks.
1 Aug 2026
ReadMicrosoft is retiring 18 exams and applied skills between March and September 2026. Here is the complete list with exact retirement dates, the replacement exam for each one, and what happens to credentials you have already earned.
28 Jul 2026
ReadA complete guide to the OnVUE online proctored exam rules in 2026: the 30 minute check-in window, the 360 degree room scan, the prohibited items list, and the behaviour that gets your result invalidated or earns a permanent ban.
26 Jul 2026
ReadGoogle refreshed the Associate Cloud Engineer exam guide on 30 June 2026 and moved delivery to Pearson VUE. Here is a realistic 8-week ACE study plan built around the current four sections, the new Gemini tooling objectives and the exam-day format.
24 Jul 2026
ReadCisco is refreshing the CCNA to v2.0 on 3 February 2027, adding AI, cloud and troubleshooting. Here is what is changing, who should sit 200-301 now, and who should wait for the new blueprint.
21 Jul 2026
ReadAWS is retiring the Advanced Networking Specialty (ANS-C01), with 31 December 2026 as the last day to sit it and no replacement exam announced. Here is what has actually been confirmed, who should sprint for the deadline, who should walk away, and what to study instead.
15 Jul 2026
ReadMicrosoft AB-620 is the new AI Agent Builder Associate exam for developers who build agents in Copilot Studio. Here are the domains, the cost, the pass mark and an honest verdict on whether it is worth sitting in 2026.
14 Jul 2026
ReadMicrosoft AZ-802 replaces AZ-800 and AZ-801, both retiring on 30 September 2026. This 8-week study plan breaks down the seven exam domains, the cost and pass mark, and a week-by-week schedule to certify as a Windows Server Administrator Associate.
13 Jul 2026
ReadA full breakdown of the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Security Associate (KCSA): the six exam domains, cost, format, passing score and an honest verdict on whether KCSA is worth it in 2026.
13 Jul 2026
ReadA structured 8-week study plan for the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate (SOA-C03) exam, with the five domains, current exam facts and a week-by-week schedule that reflects the 2026 update, including containers and the dropped exam labs.
13 Jul 2026
ReadA week-by-week study plan to pass the Microsoft DP-700 Fabric Data Engineer exam in 2026. Domains, cost, question format and the exact 6-week schedule to follow.
12 Jul 2026
ReadThe Terraform Associate 004 exam replaced 003 in January 2026. Here is a structured 6-week study plan that covers all eight objectives, the new 004 topics, and the hands-on practice you need to pass first try.
12 Jul 2026
ReadA week-by-week CKAD study plan for the 2026 Kubernetes v1.35 curriculum. Covers all five domains, kubectl speed drills, killer.sh strategy and exam-day tactics to help you pass the hands-on exam first time.
11 Jul 2026
ReadA week-by-week AZ-400 study plan for 2026, covering the updated objectives, the 27 July refresh, the AZ-204 prerequisite change, and how to master CI/CD, source control, security and SRE in twelve weeks.
11 Jul 2026
ReadA practical 6-week study plan to pass the Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) exam in 2026. Domain weights, the v1.34 blueprint, the tools you must drill and a week-by-week schedule built for the hands-on format.
10 Jul 2026
ReadA complete 12-week study plan to pass the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam in 2026, built around the new Kubernetes v1.35 syllabus, the Gateway API, domain weights, cost and hands-on practice.
10 Jul 2026
ReadMicrosoft AB-900 is the new fundamentals cert for administering Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI agents. Here is what the exam covers, what it costs, how it is scored, and whether it is worth sitting in 2026.
10 Jul 2026
ReadA week-by-week study plan to pass the new CompTIA Linux+ XK0-006 exam in 2026, with the five domain weightings, PBQ tactics, and the hands-on lab routine that gets first-time passes.
9 Jul 2026
ReadA complete 8-week study plan to pass the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam in 2026. Covers all six domains, the pass mark, performance-based questions and a week-by-week schedule that fits around a full-time job.
8 Jul 2026
ReadThe CCNP ENCOR 350-401 exam moved to the v1.2 blueprint on 19 March 2026. Here is a realistic 12-week study plan built around the new automation and security weightings, so you do not waste time on removed topics.
7 Jul 2026
ReadAZ-305 is the design exam that turns your AZ-104 into the Azure Solutions Architect Expert badge. Here is a realistic 8-week study plan, the current 2026 domains, and how to pass it first time.
7 Jul 2026
ReadAZ-204 retires on 31 July 2026 and AI-200 becomes the new Azure developer certification. Here is a clear, honest ruling on whether to rush AZ-204 before the deadline or pivot straight to AI-200, with exam facts for both.
5 Jul 2026
ReadMicrosoft AB-100 is the new expert-level Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect certification. Here is a full breakdown of the exam domains, cost, prerequisites, format and whether it is worth pursuing in 2026.
5 Jul 2026
ReadAWS just launched its first professional GenAI credential. Here is a full breakdown of the AIP-C01 exam domains, cost, format, recommended experience and whether the AWS Certified Generative AI Developer is worth it in 2026.
4 Jul 2026
ReadCompTIA rebranded DataX as DataAI in January 2026. Here is a full breakdown of the DY0-001 exam: the five domains, the 529 USD cost, the format, who it suits, and an honest verdict on whether CompTIA DataAI is worth it in 2026.
4 Jul 2026
ReadMicrosoft retired AZ-800 and AZ-801 on 30 September 2026. AZ-802 is now the single exam for the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate. Here is what changed, how AZ-802 is weighted and what to do next.
4 Jul 2026
ReadNew to IT and stuck between CompTIA Tech+ and A+? We compare cost, exam format, domains, difficulty and hiring value so you can pick the right entry-level certification to start with in 2026, and avoid wasting money on the wrong one.
3 Jul 2026
ReadCompTIA CloudNetX (CNX-001) is CompTIA's new expert-level network architect certification. Here are the four exam domains, the cost, the prerequisites and an honest verdict on whether it is worth taking in 2026.
3 Jul 2026
ReadA full breakdown of the GitHub Copilot certification (GH-300): cost, exam format, the six skills measured, the January 2026 revision and an honest verdict on whether it is worth your time in 2026.
3 Jul 2026
ReadAI-900 has retired and AI-901 is now the only route to Azure AI Fundamentals. Here is a focused 4-week study plan to pass AI-901 first time, with a domain-by-domain breakdown and a heavy focus on the new Microsoft Foundry hands-on content.
2 Jul 2026
ReadCisco renamed CyberOps Associate to CCNA Cybersecurity in 2026 and refreshed the 200-201 exam to v1.2 with new AI objectives. Here is what actually changed, whether your study materials still count, and if the cert is worth taking.
1 Jul 2026
ReadA week-by-week study plan for the new AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C03 exam, updated for the December 2025 refresh. Covers the six domains, the new generative AI security content, exam-day facts and the fastest route to a pass.
30 Jun 2026
ReadA week-by-week plan to pass the Microsoft AZ-104 Azure Administrator exam in 2026, with the latest domain weightings, the April 2026 objective refresh, and a realistic study schedule that works around a full-time job.
29 Jun 2026
ReadA week-by-week AWS MLA-C01 study plan for 2026. Get the exam domains, cost, passing score and a realistic 8-week schedule to pass the AWS Machine Learning Engineer Associate exam on your first attempt.
29 Jun 2026
ReadA realistic 4-week study plan to pass the Microsoft AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals exam in 2026, including the new January 2026 AI services, domain weightings, exam format and a week-by-week schedule.
28 Jun 2026
ReadAI-300 is Microsoft's new MLOps Engineer Associate exam, replacing DP-100. Here is a complete 8-week study plan covering all five domains, the 700/1000 pass mark, and the Azure ML and Foundry skills you need to pass first time.
28 Jun 2026
ReadThe new Microsoft AI-200 exam turns the old AZ-204 developer track into an AI-first certification. Here is an 8-week study plan covering all four domains, the vector database content that trips people up, and how to pass on your first attempt.
27 Jun 2026
ReadAI-102 retires on 30 June 2026 and AI-103 is its successor. Here is a clear, side-by-side comparison of the two Azure AI certifications, plus a straight answer on which one you should take this year.
26 Jun 2026
ReadMicrosoft retires AI-900 on 30 June 2026 and replaces it with AI-901. Here is exactly what changed, how the new Foundry-focused exam works, and which version you should sit now.
25 Jun 2026
ReadMicrosoft's AI-102 retires on 30 June 2026 and the new AI-103 Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer exam takes its place. Here is a realistic 8-week study plan covering every domain, the exam format, the cost and the agent and RAG skills you need to pass first time.
25 Jun 2026
ReadA week-by-week plan to pass both CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) on the new V15 objectives in 2026, with exam facts, domain weightings and the study order that actually works.
25 Jun 2026
ReadA realistic 8-week study plan to pass the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam in 2026. Get the domain weights, exam format, subnetting strategy and a week-by-week schedule built for working professionals.
24 Jun 2026
ReadCompTIA AutoOps+ (AT0-001) launched in June 2026 as the first vendor-neutral cert built solely for IT automation and DevOps. Here are the domains, cost, exam format and an honest verdict on whether it is worth it.
24 Jun 2026
ReadA week-by-week study plan to pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) exam in 2026. Covers all four domains, exam format, hands-on labs and a realistic eight-week schedule.
22 Jun 2026
ReadThe Cisco CCNA 200-301 packs six domains into one 120-minute exam, and most people need around three months to prepare. This realistic 12-week study plan breaks down exactly what to study each week so you pass on your first attempt.
22 Jun 2026
ReadA practical 12-week CCSP study plan for 2026, built around the new 1 August exam outline, the six domains, AI security additions and the CAT format. Pass on your first attempt.
21 Jun 2026
ReadAWS AI Practitioner vs Azure AI Fundamentals compared head to head. Cost, content, employer recognition, and which AI fluency certification to take first in 2026.
22 May 2026
ReadAI certifications have exploded from a handful in 2022 to over 40 today. Discover which AI certifications hiring managers actually value, which ones are marketing fluff, and how to pick the right credential for your career in 2026.
16 Apr 2026
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