AZ-800 + AZ-801 · ● Retiring (Sept 30, 2026) · Associate · Microsoft
Paired exams required: Both AZ-800 (Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure) and AZ-801 (Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services) must be passed to earn the certification. This cert is retiring September 30, 2026, in favor of the consolidated single-exam replacement, AZ-802.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $165 USD per exam (2 exams required; ~$330 USD total) |
| Duration | AZ-800: 180 minutes; AZ-801: 180 minutes |
| Questions | 40–60 per exam (scored questions only) |
| Passing score | 700 (scaled score, per exam) |
| Format | Multiple choice, multiple response, scenario-based, drag-and-drop, arrange-in-sequence |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (online proctored or test center) |
| Languages | English (international versions available; primary testing in EN) |
| Valid for | 3 years from date of passing both exams |
| Renewal | Pass the higher AZ-802 renewal exam, or retake both AZ-800 and AZ-801 |
| Prerequisites | None formal; 1–2 years Windows Server and Azure experience recommended |
| Released | January 2022 (AZ-800 & AZ-801) |
| Retiring | September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM CST |
Vendor source — Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate ↗
Vendor certification page — Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate ↗
Official exam guides — AZ-800 Study Guide ↗ · AZ-801 Study Guide ↗
Exam pages — AZ-800 ↗ · AZ-801 ↗
About
The Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification validates the ability to administer Windows Server in on-premises and hybrid cloud environments, with deep integration into Microsoft Azure services. Candidates must pass two exams (AZ-800 and AZ-801) covering core infrastructure, advanced services, high availability, disaster recovery, and server migration. This credential is retiring September 30, 2026, in favor of AZ-802, a single consolidated exam expected to release in August 2026 (beta June 2026). Existing cert holders need only pass AZ-802 to renew; new candidates should plan migration to AZ-802 by the retirement deadline.
Domain context — Systems/OS
Server infrastructure administration (Windows Server) in on-premises, hybrid cloud, and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) environments. Hybrid administrator role bridges on-premises Windows Server datacenters and Microsoft Azure, managing identity, compute, networking, storage, high availability, and disaster recovery.
Read full deep dive — Microsoft Azure + M365 Ecosystem →
Topics covered
AZ-800: Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure
- Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments (30–35%)
- Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment (10–15%)
- Manage virtual machines and containers (15–20%)
- Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure (15–20%)
- Manage storage and file services (15–20%)
AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services
- Secure Windows Server on-premises and hybrid infrastructures (25–30%)
- Implement and manage Windows Server high availability (10–15%)
- Implement disaster recovery (10–15%)
- Migrate servers and workloads (20–25%)
- Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments (20–25%)
Source: AZ-800 Official Guide ↗ · AZ-801 Official Guide ↗
Common skills at Systems/OS · Associate
Shared skills for infrastructure administration at Associate level — foundational but non-vendor-specific.
- Active Directory and identity management (domain, forest, trust models)
- Windows Server role and feature configuration
- Hyper-V and virtual machine management
- Networking fundamentals (DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, subnetting)
- Storage and file-sharing protocols (SMB, NFS, iSCSI)
- PowerShell scripting and command-line administration
- Group Policy and domain security hardening
- Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
- Performance monitoring and troubleshooting
Recommended courses at Systems/OS · Associate
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn (official) | AZ-800 and AZ-801 Learning Paths | Free | AZ-800 Path ↗ · AZ-801 Path ↗ |
| CBT Nuggets | AZ-800 Training + AZ-801 Training | $0–$300/yr (subscription) | AZ-800 ↗ |
| Tim Warner (Pluralsight) | Windows Server Hybrid Administrator (AZ-800/801 series) | Pluralsight subscription | ↗ |
| Udemy | AZ-800/AZ-801 Hybrid Administrator courses | $10–$80 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | AZ-800 and AZ-801 Practice Labs | $99–$199 | AZ-800 ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Enroll in courses explicitly branded AZ-800 or AZ-801, not generic "Azure Administration" or "Windows Server" courses. Microsoft Learn paths are free and vendor-official.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp (official Microsoft partner) | AZ-800 Practice Test + Assessment | $99–$149 | AZ-800 ↗ · AZ-801 ↗ |
| Whizlabs | AZ-800 and AZ-801 Practice Tests | $49–$99 | AZ-800 ↗ |
| Microsoft Learn | Official practice assessments (free) | Free | Microsoft Learn Practice ↗ |
Recommendation: MeasureUp is Microsoft's official practice partner and provides the closest simulation to the real exam format and difficulty. Whizlabs offers budget-friendly supplemental practice.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Ref AZ-800: Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure | William Panek | Pearson | 2024 | 978-0-13-769920-4 | ↗ |
| Exam Ref AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services | William Panek | Pearson | 2024 | 978-0-13-769921-1 | ↗ |
| Microsoft Exam AZ-800 Guide to Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure | Craig Zacker | Cengage | 2023 | 978-0-357-51180-0 | ↗ |
Book rule: All titles are current and directly aligned with the exam codes. William Panek's 2024 Exam Ref series from Pearson is the most up-to-date resource. Craig Zacker's 2023 Cengage guide is also available. All available in print and eBook formats.
Typical job titles at Systems/OS · Associate
Windows System Administrator · Hybrid Cloud Engineer · Server Administrator · Systems Engineer · Windows Server Engineer · Azure Administrator (Server Infrastructure) · Infrastructure Engineer · Datacenter Technician
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings requiring or preferring AZ-800/801 certification.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $96,082–$173,319 (median $128,061) | Glassdoor: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate ↗ · PayScale: Windows Server Administrator ↗ |
| ZAR | R28,300–R533,000 (wide variance by seniority) | PayScale ZA: Systems Administrator ↗ · Pnet: Server Administrator ↗ · CareerJunction: Windows Server Admin ↗ |
| GBP | £22,000–£45,000 annually | PayScale UK: Systems Administrator ↗ · IT Jobs Watch ↗ |
| AUD | A$95,000–A$130,000 annually | PayScale AU: Systems Administrator ↗ |
Salary note: USD figures reflect median / 75th percentile for roles specifically citing AZ-800/801 or hybrid administrator titles. ZAR data shows high variance due to seniority, industry, and region within South Africa; specific salary bands often appear in job postings on Pnet and CareerJunction. GBP and AUD figures derive from Systems Administrator and Windows Server Administrator aggregate data, as region-specific hybrid administrator salary surveys are limited. USD salaries trend toward the higher end due to Azure hybrid integration premium.
Skills validated
Concrete technologies and systems this exam specifically measures — distinct from broader Associate-level skills.
- Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) — deployment, domain trusts, multi-forest, replication, Global Catalogs, schema
- Azure Arc — server registration, hybrid asset management, policy enforcement, updates via Azure
- Windows Admin Center — remote server management, cluster management, gateway deployment
- PowerShell Core — scripting, remote execution, module development, DSC (Desired State Configuration)
- Hyper-V — virtual machine provisioning, live migration, replication, cluster validation
- Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) — hyper-converged infrastructure, fault domains, tiering
- Azure File Sync — cloud tiering, sync group management, endpoint registration
- Windows Server Failover Clustering — quorum, role high availability, health monitoring
- Azure Site Recovery — replication policies, failover/failback, recovery plans
- Azure Migrate — server assessment, dependency mapping, replication/migration orchestration
- Network configuration — DNS, DHCP, network policies, virtual networks (Azure)
- Disaster recovery — RPO/RTO, backup/restore strategies, site recovery coordination
- Monitoring and diagnostics — Event Viewer, Performance Monitor, Azure Monitor, Log Analytics
- Security hardening — Windows Defender, firewall rules, AppLocker, UAC, credential guard
Related certifications
- Stacks with: AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate ↗ (overlapping Azure fundamentals; natural progression)
- Prerequisite for: AZ-305 Azure Solutions Architect Expert ↗ (requires infrastructure-as-code and hybrid design experience)
- Replaces: Windows Server 70-740, 70-741, 70-742 (retired 2021, legacy exams)
- Superseded by: AZ-802 (single exam, retiring current pair Sept 30, 2026; beta June 2026, live Aug 2026)
- Equivalents at this level: CompTIA Server+, VMware VCP (datacenter; vendor-specific alternatives)
- Vendor overview: Microsoft Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (cert page)
- AZ-800 Exam Page
- AZ-801 Exam Page
- AZ-800 Study Guide
- AZ-801 Study Guide
- Microsoft Certification Retirements 2026 (VladTalksTech)
- AZ-802 Replacement Exam Overview
- MeasureUp AZ-800 Practice Test
- MeasureUp AZ-801 Practice Test
- Exam Ref AZ-800 (Pearson 2024)
- Exam Ref AZ-801 (Pearson 2024)
- Glassdoor: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate Salary
- PayScale: Windows Server Administrator (US)
- PayScale ZA: Systems Administrator
- Pnet: Server Administrator Jobs ZA
- CareerJunction: Windows Server Admin ZA
- PayScale UK: Systems Administrator
- IT Jobs Watch UK: Server Administrator
- CBT Nuggets: AZ-800 Training
- Whizlabs: AZ-800 Practice
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Microsoft Azure + M365 Ecosystem
Parent domain: Systems/OS
Vendor overview: Microsoft Vendor Overview