Useful links for certification exam prep
These are the official sources worth bookmarking when you prepare for an IT or tax certification exam: the certification bodies’ own exam pages and skills outlines, the testing providers, and a few free tools. Always check the official page for the current price, version and rules, because those change. We are not affiliated with any of the organisations below.
Certification bodies
| Organisation | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn: credentials | Exam pages, study guides with the skills measured, free learning paths, renewal |
| Microsoft certifications | Every Microsoft certification and exam, with prerequisites and languages |
| CompTIA certifications | Network+, Security+, SecAI+ and others, with exam objectives |
| Cisco Learning Network | CCNA and related exam topics, forums and study material |
| Cisco DevNet | Sandboxes and learning labs for network automation |
| AWS Certification | AWS exam guides, practice material and exam policies |
| Databricks certification | Databricks exam guides and registration |
| ISACA credentialing | AAIA, AAIR, AAISM and the other ISACA credentials |
| Salesforce Trailhead credentials | Salesforce certifications and learning trails |
| IRS: enrolled agents | How to become an enrolled agent and the Special Enrollment Examination |
Practise the exam interface
- Microsoft exam sandbox lets you try the question types and the exam interface before the day.
- Microsoft practice assessments are free official question sets for many Microsoft exams.
- Microsoft exam scoring and score reports explains what a scaled score of 700 means.
- Request exam accommodations at Microsoft covers extra time and assistive devices.
- Microsoft certification renewal explains the free annual assessment.
Booking the exam
Pearson VUE delivers many of the exams covered on this site, at test centres and online. Which provider runs your exam is stated on the certification body’s exam page. Our exam day guide covers identification, the room check and retakes.
Free documentation for hands-on practice
- Azure documentation and Microsoft Entra documentation
- Microsoft Fabric documentation and the Kusto Query Language reference
- AWS documentation
- Databricks training
Tools
Anki is a free flashcard program that schedules reviews for you, which suits terms, ports and service limits. Use it for facts, and use labs for skills.
Where to start on this site
- How to study for a certification exam
- Multiple-choice exam tips and question types explained
- How to read a skills outline and the exam changes tracker
- What each certification costs and the glossary
- Certification paths if you are choosing which exam to take next