Accessing resources and Microsoft Learn
We referred to some of the resources available to you when preparing for the exam earlier in this chapter. Microsoft Learn was one of those, along with Microsoft Docs, but due to the amount of information, we have dedicated a whole section to this due to the amount of free content that it provides to aid you in preparing for the exam.
Accessing Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Learn is a good resource to get your learning path started. One of the major benefits of this content is the fact that it is free. When you create a Microsoft account, you are able to track your progress and you can acquire badges along your journey. Microsoft also creates learning challenges intermittently, with prizes such as free exam vouchers. You can create a free account by selecting the button at the top right of the page and then selecting Sign in, as shown in the following screenshot:
Figure 1.2 – Microsoft Learn Sign in
You have the option of signing in with an existing Microsoft account or creating one to get access to the content, as shown here:
Figure 1.3 – Sign in or create a new Microsoft account
To access Microsoft Learn content, you can use the following link: https://www.microsoft.com/learn.
Relevant content can be found on Microsoft Learn in many ways. You can search for specific roles, products, or certification codes. You can find these options on the selection ribbon at the top of the Learn page as shown in Figure 1.4. You can also find several recommendations to start your learning on the same page:
Figure 1.4 – Microsoft Learn navigation
You can select the drop-down arrows from the Learn site navigation tabs to filter for content in the specific Roles, Products, or Certifications, as shown in the following screenshot:
Figure 1.5 – Category filter drop-down arrow
After you have chosen the subject that you want to learn about, you can then search a specific topic of that subject and filter even further on particular topics or individual courses, and even learning paths, as shown in the following screenshot:
Figure 1.6 – Microsoft Learn content library
In this section, we took a look at the information needed to access the Microsoft Learn content library and how to browse for learning modules and learning paths. In the next section, we will guide you through finding content that is particular to the SC-400 exam.
Microsoft exam information pages
An additional common area within the Microsoft Learn site is the exam pages. There is an exam page for every Microsoft exam and a certification page. These pages deliver an overview of the exam certification, the objectives of the exam, the roles of individuals that may be interested in the exam, scheduling the exam, and the learning path to prepare for the exam. These pages are very helpful when you are planning for a specific exam, rather than just gaining general tech knowledge. The following screenshot shows an SC-400 exam search:
Figure 1.7 – Browsing for the SC-400 exam
The following screenshot shows the SC-400 exam page:
Figure 1.8 – SC-400 exam page
It is recommended that you use this exam page for reference when preparing for the SC-400 certification. At this stage of the chapter, you should have access to Microsoft Learn to log in and browse for content. In the following section, we will provide advice on creating a trial subscription to Microsoft 365 services.