Azure Hands-on Challenge Labs

Learn by doing and gain real-world cloud skills with Azure Hands-on Labs that run in a secure sandbox environment

Risk Free Easy Access Automatic Scoring Automatic Validation Scenario-based

These scenario-based practical exercises will help you develop technical abilities without ever running the risk of surprise cloud bills

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Azure Challenge Labs - Overview

Expand your learning experience and develop your Azure skills in a secure lab environment

Get the hands-on experience for your next cloud job with with Challenge Labs. These scenario-based practical exercises run in a secure hosted cloud environment and range from fully guided through to advanced challenges with automatic validation & scoring. 

Hundreds of Labs

With a single one-off payment you get 12 months access to over 300 Azure challenge labs with many more currently in production.

Practical Experience

While beginners follow step-by-step instructions in the guided Azure labs, experts are presented with a scenario and a series of tasks.

No Surprise Bills

Develop and assess your skills without needing to create a Microsoft Azure account and without ever needing to worry about surprise cloud bills.

Easy Access

Develop and assess your Azure skills without ever needing to create your own Azure account or trial subscriptions.

Exam Prep

Get the hands-on preparation you need to pass your Azure certification exams using a secure sandbox environment

Test Yourself

With advanced and expert Azure labs you can test your skills and knowledge with automated validation and scoring.

How Azure Challenge Labs work

You’ll sign-into the Microsoft Azure Portal where you complete the hands-on practice exercises

When you launch a Challenge Lab you will be taken into a Microsoft sandbox environment that has been preconfigured for the specific scenario-based challenge. Depending on the skill level of the lab, you will be presented with requirements and instructions you need to follow to complete the exercise.

To launch your Azure Hands-on Lab, you’ll be signing into the Azure portal where you will find the challenge overview, instructions, settings and values. 

For advanced and expert labs, you can check your work with automated validation and scoring.

The automated validation checks that the work was completed correctly before you can continue to the next step.

Azure Hands on Labs Sandbox

Who are Azure Challenge Labs suitable for?

Ranging from fully guided to advanced hands-on challenges, these labs cater for all skill levels

From complete beginners to advanced users, Azure cloud labs are suitable for anyone looking to practice and build Azure skills without worrying about a surprise cloud bill. 

Hundreds of Azure Challenges

Labs can be filtered by the level of difficulty, exam, certification, job role & learning path

Azure Challenge Labs Badges

Proven and Trusted

Challenge Labs are provided by Skillable – an authorized lab hoster for many partners

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions on Azure Hands-on Labs

Your credentials will be emailed to you after purchasing access to the Azure Challenge Labs. Please note that these credentials are separate from your Digital Cloud Training credentials. You can then gain access to the labs through the online portal

No, this is one of the best features of Azure Challenge Labs. They are delivered in risk-free hosted accounts so you don’t need to set anything up and there are no charges applicable to you.

None at all. All services are delivered through hosted accounts so you don’t have to set up an account of your own or pay any additional costs.

Every purchase includes access to all current and future Azure Challenge Labs for 12 months.

You can attempt each Lab up to 3 times within the 180 day access period.

Please read our Refund Policy prior to making a purchase. Refunds are not possible for Challenge Labs as Digital Cloud Training is charged by Skillable for all student registrations and must pass on those costs.​

Upgrades are not possible as each purchase is an independent subscription. For best value, we recommend the All Challenge Labs with access to over 1000 labs – simply the best value for money. 

A support request can be submitted using the Open Support Ticket Request form located on the Skillable customer support page. Support includes any issues with the functionality or accessibility of the labs. Support does not include subject matter expertise or assistance understanding the topics or material Included in a specific lab.

The Challenge Labs from Skillable are a highly innovative product that includes multiple difficulty levels, automatic activity-based assessments, and real-time scoring. We chose to partner with Skillable as we believe they offer the most robust and reliable hands-on labs product on the market. 

Azure Hands-on Labs Pricing

Get 12 months access to dozens of Azure hands-on labs – with more being added regularly

Azure Challenge Labs

12 Months Access to Azure Library
$119
$ 79 One-Off Payment
  • Access to Azure Library with over 300 labs
  • 365 days of access
  • Secure sandbox environment - Never worry about bills
  • Multiple levels: Guided, Advanced & Expert
  • Immediate access to new challenge labs
  • You may take each challenge three times
  • Digital badges
  •  
Hands on Labs Learning

Want Access to ALL Labs?

To access over 1000 labs (including AWS, Azure, Linux, VMware, etc) for only $199, click the button below. 

Please note that you won’t be able to upgrade to the All Challenge Labs after purchasing the Azure library.

Already signed up? Access the labs here with the credentials you received from Skillable

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Featured Azure Challenge Labs

Check out the featured Azure Challenge Labs for popular Azure Certifications

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
Hands-on Labs

In this challenge lab, you are asked to enable Azure Disk Encryption on an Azure virtual machine. To start out, you will create a virtual machine. Then, you will add a data disk to the virtual machine. Finally, you will enable Azure Disk Encryption. 

In this Azure challenge lab, you will develop an Azure Logic App using messaging services. First, you will deploy a logic app. Next, you will test the Logic App by consuming queue messages. 

In this hands-on lab, you will create and deploy multiple Azure VMs to an Availability Set for High Availability and Load Balancing

In this Azure lab, you will create and configure a network security group. First, you will create a network security group. Then, you will associate the network security group to a subnet. Finally, you will add security rules to the network security group.

In this Azure challenge, you will configure synchronization of your Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) user accounts to a new Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) tenant. First, you will create a new Azure AD tenant. Next, you will configure a global administrator account to use for Azure AD synchronization. Finally, you will install and configure Azure AD Connect.

In this hands-on challenge, you will deploy an Azure virtual machine by using a modified Azure Resource Manager quickstart template. Next, you will configure Azure Cloud Shell, and then you will deploy a virtual machine by using Azure PowerShell commands. Finally, you will deploy a virtual machine by using Azure CLI 2.0 commands. 

Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
Hands-on Labs

In this challenge lab, you are asked to enable Azure Disk Encryption on an Azure virtual machine. To start out, you will create a virtual machine. Then, you will add a data disk to the virtual machine. Finally, you will enable Azure Disk Encryption. 

In this Azure challenge lab, you will develop an Azure Logic App using messaging services. First, you will deploy a logic app. Next, you will test the Logic App by consuming queue messages. 

In this hands-on lab, you will create and deploy multiple Azure VMs to an Availability Set for High Availability and Load Balancing

In this Azure lab, you will create and configure a network security group. First, you will create a network security group. Then, you will associate the network security group to a subnet. Finally, you will add security rules to the network security group.

In this Azure challenge, you will configure synchronization of your Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) user accounts to a new Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) tenant. First, you will create a new Azure AD tenant. Next, you will configure a global administrator account to use for Azure AD synchronization. Finally, you will install and configure Azure AD Connect.

In this hands-on challenge, you will deploy an Azure virtual machine by using a modified Azure Resource Manager quickstart template. Next, you will configure Azure Cloud Shell, and then you will deploy a virtual machine by using Azure PowerShell commands. Finally, you will deploy a virtual machine by using Azure CLI 2.0 commands. 

Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure
(AZ-204) Hands-on Labs

 In this cloud challenge, you will write code to access an Azure Storage account used by the web app. First, you will write code in Visual Studio to create a container that has public blob access, and then you will upload test files to the container. Next, you will write code to retrieve the URLs of the uploaded files. Finally, you will test the configuration by using a test page provided with the web app.

In this challenge lab, you will create and deploy an Azure web app that includes Application Insights and App Service logs. First, you will create a web app, and then you will deploy the source code for the web app. Next, you will enable Application Insights for monitoring. Finally, you will enable App Service logs for auditing and debugging.

In this Azure lab, you will deploy storage services to support a custom application, deploy a Storage Table and a Storage Queue. and configure a web application to use both services. 

In this hands-on lab, you will provision an Azure Cosmos DB account and database, and configure a web app to use the database, provision an Azure Search service and configure it to index the Cosmos DB database, and configure a web app to use the Search service.

In this Azure hands-on lab, you will manage security for virtual machines and databases. First, you will create a virtual machine, and then you will enable security recommendations for the virtual machine. Next, you will enable Azure Defender for SQL for a new Azure SQL database, and then you will perform a vulnerability assessment. Finally, you will deploy an Azure Cosmos DB account, and then you will use role-based access control (RBAC) to control security access to the Azure Cosmos DB account.

In this challenge lab, you will provision, manage and secure resources for a line of business web application, provision an Azure Web App, an Azure Web Job, an Azure Storage Account, and an Azure Key Vault, configure monitoring for the web app, configure security for the storage account and a pre-existing Azure SQL Database, and use the key vault to store connection strings for the web app.

Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies
(AZ-303) hands-on labs

In this guided Azure lab, you will create a new Azure SQL Database and enable it for Geo-Replication.

In this guided Azure challenge, you will deploy a web app with configure Continuous Deployment using GIT and Deployment Slots.

In this advanced hands-on challenge, you will configure and control network traffic. First, you will configure Azure virtual network peering. Next, you will configure an Azure VNet-to-VNet connection. Finally, you will configure an Azure load balancer. 

In this advanced challenge lab, you will allow developers to create a secure web app. First, you will configure account security by using role-based access control. Next, you will create a web app. Finally, you will create a new virtual network, and then you will integrate the web app with the virtual network.

In this expert challenge lab, you will configure Azure networking and high availability. First, you will create an Azure virtual network (VNet), and then you will implement Azure virtual network routing and Azure security groups. Next, you will configure Azure virtual network peering, and then you will configure VNet-to-VNet connections. Finally, you will implement Azure backups for an Azure virtual machine, and then you will create an Azure virtual machine snapshot.

In this Azure expert challenge, you will implement, manage, and monitor Azure storage and virtual machines. First, you will create and manage an Azure storage account, and then you will configure monitoring for an Azure storage account. Next, you will deploy an Azure virtual machine. Finally, you will configure monitoring for an Azure virtual machine. 

Microsoft Azure Architect Design (AZ-304)
Hands-on Labs

In this hands-on cloud lab, you will create and deploy an Azure web app that includes Application Insights and App Service logs. First, you will create a web app, and then you will deploy the source code for the web app. Next, you will enable Application Insights for monitoring. Finally, you will enable App Service logs for auditing and debugging.

In this Azure challenge, you will create multiple virtual networks and peering connections for secure bidirectional communication. First, you will create an Azure virtual network by using the Azure portal. Next, you will create an Azure virtual network by using Azure Cloud Shell. Finally, you will configure virtual network peering connections for secure bidirectional communication. 

In this advanced hands-on labs exercise, you will design a new Azure data factory instance that supports a data pipeline. First, you will deploy an Azure data factory. Next, you will create an Azure SQL database that will hold the data output from a pipeline, and then you will author multiple activities in a data pipeline. Finally, you will debug and publish the data pipeline.

In this advanced cloud challenge, you will design a new Azure Synapse Analytics SQL pool. First, you will deploy a Synapse SQL pool on a new logical server. Next, you will design the SQL pool for performance by using workload management, and then you will query the data in the data warehouse tables. Finally, you will monitor and audit the data access.

In this Azure lab, you will provision a new Azure data factory that supports a data pipeline. First, you will deploy an Azure data factory. Next, you will create a storage account that uses a Data Lake Storage hierarchical namespace, and then you will create a data pipeline. Finally, you will author a copy data activity that will send data output through the data pipeline, and then you will test the data pipeline. 

In this expert challenge lab, you will implement an Azure API Management Instance, modify/test App Service Securing, and then import, test and publish an API.

Microsoft Azure Security Technologies
(AZ-500) hands-on labs

In this guided challenge lab, you will create an Azure web app that uses authentication. First, you will create an Azure web app. Next, you will deploy a sample web app, and then you will test the web app. Finally, you will enable authentication by using Azure Active Directory.

In this Azure challenge lab, you will create a new Azure SQL database and enable Azure Defender for SQL. First, you will create an Azure SQL database. Next, you will enable Azure Defender for SQL. Finally, you will verify the security features of Azure Defender for SQL.

In this hands-on challenge, you will configure a secure network that contains multiple Azure virtual machines in a multi-tier architecture. First, you will create a virtual network for each tier, and then you will implement peering for internal communication. Next, you will create a virtual machine for each tier. Finally, you will configure a network security group (NSG) for the web tier, and then you will test the configuration.

In this expert challenge lab, you will configure role-based access control (RBAC) roles that will allow users to create and deploy Azure resources. First, you will assign roles at the resource group scope for two users. Next, you will create a virtual network as one of the users, and then you will create a virtual machine as the other user. Finally, you will assign a role at the resource scope, and then you will verify the security configuration.

In this hands-on cloud lab, you will create Azure virtual machines that use multi-scope network security. First, you will create a virtual network that includes two subnets, and then you will create a network security group. Next, you will create two virtual machines, one for each subnet. Finally, you will verify the network security configuration.

In this Azure hands-on lab, you will implement security for an Azure Cosmos DB account and a storage account. First, you will deploy an Azure Cosmos DB account, and then you will create a container in a new database. Next, you will create a storage account, and then you will create a container in the storage account. Finally, you will generate a shared access signature (SAS) key for secure access to the storage account, and then you will assign a role to a user for secure access to the Azure Cosmos DB account.

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Learn, build, test and fail forward in a lab environment without risking unexpected cloud bills.

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