I just renewed six Microsoft certifications, keeping my skills current across Azure architecture, security, networking, and AI.
Why Renewals Matter#
I started pursuing certifications early in my career as a consultant at a professional services company. They encouraged it, and it helped with competencies and career growth. When you’re helping customers adopt a technology, having the certification carries authority - it shows you’ve put in the work to understand the platform deeply.
Beyond the professional benefits, certifications force you to learn. The renewal process keeps you up to date with the latest features and changes, and it pushes you into areas of a technology that you might not use day to day. You end up with a much more complete understanding of the platform, not just the parts you happen to work with.
Staying Current#
Microsoft role-based and specialty certifications require periodic renewal to ensure credential holders stay up to date with the latest technologies. Rather than retaking full proctored exams, Microsoft offers free online renewal assessments through Microsoft Learn. These assessments cover the latest updates and features added since the last renewal cycle.
On March 2, 2026, I completed renewal assessments for all six of my expiring certifications in a single session.
Certifications Renewed#
Expert Level#
- Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert - Designing and evolving cybersecurity strategy for an organization, including zero-trust architecture, governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), and security operations
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert - Designing and implementing solutions on Azure, including compute, network, storage, monitoring, and security
Associate Level#
- Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate - Investigating, searching for, and mitigating threats using Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft Defender XDR
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate - Designing and implementing Azure AI solutions using Azure AI services, Azure AI Search, and Azure OpenAI
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate - Designing, implementing, and maintaining Azure networking solutions including hybrid networking, connectivity, routing, and security
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate - Implementing security controls, managing identity and access, and protecting data, applications, and networks in Azure
For anyone considering Microsoft certifications, the renewal process is straightforward and free. You can complete the assessments at your own pace on Microsoft Learn, and they cover the latest updates since your last renewal cycle.
