If you administer Windows Server and you have been putting off the AZ-800 and AZ-801 exams, that decision just made itself. Microsoft has consolidated both exams into a single new exam, AZ-802: Administering Windows Server, and retired the old pair. Learning how to pass AZ-802 is now the only route to the Windows Server Administrator Associate credential, and this guide gives you a realistic 8-week study plan to get there.
This is not another "should you wait" explainer. You have decided to sit AZ-802, so this post covers exactly what the exam tests, how the seven skill areas are weighted, and how to spread your revision across eight weeks so nothing gets crammed the night before.
What Is the AZ-802 Exam?
AZ-802 is Microsoft's associate-level exam for administering Windows Server across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. Passing it earns the Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Administrator Associate certification.
It replaces two separate exams, AZ-800 (Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure) and AZ-801 (Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services). Where you previously had to pass both to earn the credential, you now sit one consolidated exam that pulls the core content of both into a single sitting.
Exam Tip: AZ-800 and AZ-801 both retire on 30 September 2026. After that date, AZ-802 is the only way to earn the Windows Server Administrator Associate certification, so plan your exam booking well before the deadline.
If you are still weighing up the transition or you already hold one half of the old pair, read our companion piece on what is changing with AZ-800, AZ-801 and AZ-802 first, then come back here for the study plan.
AZ-802 Exam Details at a Glance
Here are the confirmed facts you need before you book, sourced from the official Microsoft Learn study guide.
| Detail | AZ-802 |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Administering Windows Server |
| Certification earned | Windows Server Administrator Associate |
| Cost | 165 USD (varies by region) |
| Duration | Around 120 minutes |
| Number of questions | Roughly 40 to 60 |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1000 |
| Question formats | Multiple choice, case studies, and interactive item types |
| Renewal | Free online assessment on Microsoft Learn each year |
The passing score is scaled, so 700 out of 1000 is not the same as 70 percent of the questions. Some questions carry more weight than others, and case study items can pull several sub-questions together. Aim to be comfortably above the line on practice tests rather than scraping a bare pass.
The Seven AZ-802 Skill Areas and Their Weightings
AZ-802 tests seven skill areas. The percentage bands tell you where to spend your time. Identity, storage, and monitoring together make up more than half the exam, so those are your priority.
| Skill area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Deploy and manage AD DS | 20 to 25% |
| Manage storage and file services | 15 to 20% |
| Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments | 15 to 20% |
| Manage Windows Server instances and workloads in a hybrid environment | 10 to 15% |
| Manage virtual machines | 10 to 15% |
| Implement and manage on-premises and hybrid networking | 10 to 15% |
| Secure Windows Server infrastructure | 10 to 15% |
Deploy and manage AD DS (20 to 25%)
This is the single largest area, so master it first. You need to deploy and manage domain controllers both locally and in Azure, handle Read-Only Domain Controllers, and manage FSMO roles. Expect questions on domain and forest trusts, AD DS sites and replication, users, groups, service accounts, and Group Policy including preferences.
Manage storage and file services (15 to 20%)
Cover Azure Files, Azure File Sync, and migrating from traditional file shares. On the Windows Server side, know File Server Resource Manager, DFS, SMB over QUIC, Storage Spaces, Storage Spaces Direct, Storage Replica, Data Deduplication, and BitLocker for encrypted volumes.
Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments (15 to 20%)
This area rewards hands-on practice. Learn Performance Monitor, data collector sets, System Insights, Azure Monitor data collection rules, and VM Insights. The troubleshooting half covers connectivity, name resolution, Windows Update, performance, and recovering Active Directory from the AD Recycle Bin or Directory Services Restore Mode.
The four 10 to 15% areas
The remaining four skill areas each sit in the 10 to 15 percent band:
- Hybrid management: Windows Admin Center, PowerShell remoting including JEA, Azure Arc-enabled servers, and Azure Update Manager.
- Virtual machines: Hyper-V guest management, nested virtualisation, checkpoints, Hyper-V Replica, and managing Windows Server VMs in Azure.
- Networking: DNS integration with AD DS, DNSSEC, DNS policies, and DHCP including high availability.
- Security: Credential Guard, Application Control, OSConfig baselines, LAPS, Defender for Servers, Windows Firewall, and hardening domain controllers.
Exam Tip: Most questions target general availability features. Preview features only appear when they are already in common use, so do not burn revision time chasing every brand new capability.
The 8-Week AZ-802 Study Plan
This plan assumes 7 to 10 hours of study per week. If you already administer Windows Server day to day, you can compress it; if the hybrid and Azure content is new to you, give yourself the full eight weeks or add a ninth.
Week 1: Foundations and lab setup
Build your study environment before you touch the content. Set up a Hyper-V host or an Azure trial subscription so you can practise. Read the official AZ-802 study guide end to end to see the full scope. Do not aim to understand everything yet, just map the territory.
Week 2: Active Directory Domain Services, part one
Start with the biggest domain. Deploy domain controllers on-premises and in Azure, create and manage users, groups, and service accounts, and practise with FSMO roles. Build a small lab domain and break it deliberately so you learn to recover it.
Week 3: Active Directory Domain Services, part two
Finish AD DS with trusts, sites, replication, and Group Policy. Configure Group Policy objects and preferences in your lab. By the end of this week you should be able to explain replication topology and troubleshoot a broken trust without notes.
Week 4: Storage and file services
Move to the second largest area. Work through Azure Files and Azure File Sync, then Windows Server storage: Storage Spaces, Storage Spaces Direct, Storage Replica, Data Deduplication, and BitLocker. Practise a file share to Azure Files migration if you can.
Week 5: Monitoring, troubleshooting, and recovery
Cover Performance Monitor, data collector sets, System Insights, Azure Monitor, and VM Insights. Then drill recovery: restore an object from the AD Recycle Bin and practise Directory Services Restore Mode. This is where hands-on labs pay off most.
Week 6: Hybrid management and virtual machines
Learn Windows Admin Center, PowerShell remoting and JEA, Azure Arc-enabled servers, and Azure Update Manager. Then cover Hyper-V: guest management, nested virtualisation, checkpoints, Hyper-V Replica, and managing Windows Server VMs in Azure.
Week 7: Networking and security
Work through DNS with AD DS, DNSSEC, DNS policies, and DHCP high availability. Then security: Credential Guard, Application Control, OSConfig, LAPS, Defender for Servers, Windows Firewall, and hardening domain controllers.
Week 8: Practice exams and weak spots
Stop learning new material. Sit at least two full-length timed practice exams, review every wrong answer, and go back to the labs for anything shaky. Book your real exam for the end of this week while the content is fresh.
Here is the same plan in one view.
| Week | Focus | Exam weight covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations and lab setup | Whole exam overview |
| 2 | AD DS part one | 20 to 25% |
| 3 | AD DS part two | (same area) |
| 4 | Storage and file services | 15 to 20% |
| 5 | Monitoring and troubleshooting | 15 to 20% |
| 6 | Hybrid management and VMs | 20 to 30% |
| 7 | Networking and security | 20 to 30% |
| 8 | Practice exams and revision | Full exam |
How to Study for AZ-802 Efficiently
A schedule only works if the study method behind it is sound. Three principles make the difference between passing first time and re-booking.
- Lab everything. AZ-802 is a practical administration exam. Reading about Storage Spaces Direct or Hyper-V Replica will not stick the way configuring it once does. Every skill area should map to something you have actually done in a lab.
- Practise with exam-style questions early. Do not save practice questions for week eight. Use them from week two to expose gaps while you still have time to fix them. Scenario questions in particular teach you how Microsoft phrases problems.
- Weight your time to the weighting. With AD DS at up to 25 percent and storage and monitoring each up to 20 percent, those three areas alone can carry your pass. Do not over-invest in a 10 to 15 percent area at their expense.
Exam Tip: Candidates who complete at least two full mock exams before exam day pass at noticeably higher rates than those who only revise passively. Treat the mocks as compulsory, not optional.
Common AZ-802 Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving it past the deadline. With AZ-800 and AZ-801 gone after 30 September 2026, there is no fallback exam. Do not gamble on booking late.
- Ignoring the Azure and hybrid content. AZ-802 is not a pure on-premises exam. Azure Arc, Azure Files, Azure Update Manager, and Azure Monitor all appear. Skipping them leaves easy marks on the table.
- Memorising instead of understanding. Case study items ask you to choose the right approach for a scenario, not to recite a feature list. Understand why a tool fits, not just what it does.
- Under-practising recovery. AD recovery, storage troubleshooting, and name resolution all sit in the 15 to 20 percent troubleshooting area. These are hard to fake without lab time.
Is AZ-802 Worth It in 2026?
Windows Server still runs a large share of enterprise identity, file, and application workloads, and hybrid administration is only growing as organisations connect on-premises servers to Azure. The Windows Server Administrator Associate credential signals that you can manage that hybrid reality, not just a legacy on-premises estate.
Because AZ-802 folds two exams into one, it is also better value than the old AZ-800 plus AZ-801 route, both in exam fees and in study time. If Windows Server is part of your day job, this is a straightforward return on effort.
For a broader view of where this sits among Microsoft's other tracks, see our guides on the AZ-104 Azure Administrator study plan and the AZ-305 Azure Solutions Architect study plan.
Ready to Start Practising?
The fastest way to find your weak spots is to test yourself under exam conditions, early and often. CertCrush gives you realistic AZ-802 practice questions with full explanations, so you learn why each answer is right rather than just memorising it.
Create your free CertCrush account and start with a diagnostic set to see where you stand. Browse the full Microsoft certification courses to build your study plan, and check pricing when you are ready to unlock the complete AZ-802 question bank. Study smart, book before the 30 September 2026 deadline, and pass AZ-802 first time.