Archived Topics (Removed from AZ-104 Exam)
⚠️ Note: These topics were removed from the AZ-104 exam on July 28, 2023. They're still useful to know for real-world scenarios, but you won't be tested on them.
Administrative Units
What's the problem? Imagine you have 10,000 users and multiple Help Desk teams across different departments. Without Administrative Units, any Help Desk person can reset ANY user's password in the entire organization. That's... not ideal.
The Solution: Administrative Units let you create "zones" where specific admins only have power over specific users.
How to Create an Administrative Unit
- Go to Entra ID → Administrative units → + Add
- Name it (e.g., "Sales Department" or "Classroom 1")
- Assign Roles (e.g., Password Administrator)
- Assign Admins to those roles (e.g., Teacher 1)
- Add Members who will be managed (e.g., Student 1)
Real-World Use Cases
- Regional IT support (US team can only manage US employees)
- Department-specific Help Desk
- Contractor management (external admins can only touch contractor accounts)
Managed Devices
Devices are the physical machines (laptops, phones, tablets) that users use to access your organization's resources.
Managed vs. Unmanaged
| Aspect | Unmanaged | Managed |
|---|---|---|
| Control | None | Full organizational control |
| Requirements | Any device can connect | Must meet security standards |
| Encryption | Unknown | Enforced (e.g., BitLocker) |
| Antivirus | Unknown | Required and verified |
| Use Case | Personal devices | Corporate devices |
Why Does This Matter?
Devices tie into Conditional Access (which IS on the exam). You can create rules like:
Device Settings in Entra ID
- Allow/deny users from joining devices
- Require MFA for device registration
- Limit max devices per user
- Manage BitLocker recovery keys
Bulk Operations
When you need to create 2,500 student accounts, you're NOT going to click "New User" 2,500 times. That's where bulk operations come in.
Bulk Create Users
- Go to Users → Bulk operations → Bulk create
- Download the CSV template
- Fill it out in Excel:csv
Name,User name,Initial password,Block sign in,First name,Last name,... John Doe,john@company.com,TempPass123!,No,John,Doe,... Jane Smith,jane@company.com,TempPass456!,No,Jane,Smith,... - Upload the CSV
- Submit and watch 2,500 users appear
Other Bulk Operations
| Operation | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Bulk create | Onboarding new class/department |
| Bulk delete | Offboarding (end of semester, layoffs) |
| Bulk invite | Adding many guest users |
| Download users | Export for reporting/backup |
Pro Tips
- Always set Usage Location in your CSV (required for license assignment)
- Use auto-generated passwords, then force reset on first login
- Test with 5-10 users before uploading thousands
Why Were These Removed?
Microsoft periodically updates the AZ-104 exam to focus on the most commonly used and critical features. These topics:
- Administrative Units: More of an enterprise-scale feature
- Devices: Better covered in other exams (MD-102, SC-300)
- Bulk Operations: Considered a basic operational task
They're still in the portal and useful to know, just not tested anymore! 🎉