This certification falls under the Microsoft Associate Level Certification Path
The exam covers a wide range of topics related to all things defender, this exam is solely focused on assessing your abilities against configuring, deploying, monitoring and managing defender for endpoint, its critical that you have experience in managing defender alongside deploying it with scripts, Intune and group policy. As a defender engineer your going to have experience in deploying and securing defender across your estate.
If you’re preparing for this exam, you’re going to want to utilise multiple resources. Microsoft offers multiple aids in this department, they offer the MD-102 learn certification pathway, Study Guides and Practice exams, alongside being able to enrol in instructor led training. The MD-102 is one of those exams that delved into the security behind server operating systems alongside the security operation around multi cloud tenants and vpn technologies and on-premise infrastructure.
If you’re on route to taking this certification, be sure to check out the Microsoft certification page to keep up to date with this exam, this exam was updated on 30TH January 2024.The skills measured for this exam can be found on the exam page but in short, your skills are measured over the following.
- Deploy Windows Client (25-30%)
- Manage Identity and compliance (15-20%)
- Manage, maintain, and protect devices (35-40%)
- Manage Apps (10-15%)
My Overall Experience in this Exam
My overall experience based on the examination result I received after taking this exam overall I scored 780+ meaning I scored comparable / strong against other candidate’s taking the exam, this essential means I had a strong understanding of implementing defender across infrastructure both in the cloud and on premise, this is something you will need if you go to take this exam.
My two highest scoring areas were
- Deploy Windows Client (25-30%)
- Manage Apps (10-15%)
My two lower scoring areas were
- Manage Identity and compliance (15-20%)
- Manage, maintain, and protect devices (35-40%)
This led me to believe that the exam I received focused evenly across implementing defender and tested the candidate against deploying defender across multiple workloads such as iOS, android, windows and mac-os.
My library for study consisted of
- Microsoft Learn MD-102 Certification Learning Path
- Microsoft MD-102 Practice assessment on Microsoft Learn
- Measure Up MD-102 practice assessment
Best of Luck in Your Studies
#always learning