You will need an Azure Information Protection (AIP) Premium P2 license for the advanced information protection features that are discussed within the SC-400 exam objectives. The best way to get these features is by obtaining an Enterprise Mobility + Security E5 license. As with most Microsoft 365 licenses, you can also get a 30-day trial of this. Let’s perform the following steps:

1. Navigate to the following link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise-mobility-security/compare-plans-and-pricing.
2. Once you have navigated to this web page, select Try now under the Enterprise Mobility + Security E5 plan, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.11 – EMS E5 trial subscription

Please note that this is an add-on license to Microsoft 365, so you should enter the details of your email address that you used to sign up for the Office 365 subscription earlier in this chapter, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.12 – EMS E5 sign-up form

The topics you have learned about so far in this chapter have enabled you to understand the different types of questions you can expect in all Microsoft’s role-based certification exams, where you can find free study resources, and finally, how to obtain a free trial of the relevant Microsoft subscription and add-on license to allow you to follow the hands-on lab assignments within this book.

Introducing the SC-400 exam objectives

In this book, we will cover the exam objectives for the SC-400 Information Protection Administration exam. The objectives of the exam are closely followed within the structure of this book. Each exam objective is weighted differently. The weight of the objective is used as a compass for understanding the knowledge required for that section as well as a guide to understanding the potential number of questions you can expect in the exam for the specific topic. The following table shows the objectives covered within the SC-400 exam:

Table 1.1 – Objectives of the SC-400 exam

You can find further details on the topics that are covered in the SC-400 exam objectives at the following link: https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4Mr80.

The weight percentage does not mean that if an objective is at 10%, then you will only get 6 questions out of 60 on this area. Microsoft exams use a scoring scale of 1000 based on the type of question and the objectives covered in that question. The weights of the objectives will aid you in understanding the standing that is placed on the specific objective.

The next section will provide information on, and insight into, the types of roles that this exam highlights and how the SC-400 exam can assist you in your professional development.

Why should I take this exam?

The SC-400 exam is the Microsoft Information Protection associate level exam, so the focus is on the areas of protecting information stored in the cloud, protecting data from being lost, and record management to ensure information governance is protected. You should take this exam if you have goals and aspirations to work with Microsoft Cloud technologies, and the exam should prepare you for the role of security administrator, specifically, protecting information in the Microsoft cloud.

Summary

Within this chapter, we covered all the areas that will help prepare you for the Information Protection Administration exam, which included how to prepare for your exam, accessing resources and Microsoft Learn, creating a Microsoft 365 trial account, introducing exam objectives, and a quick overview of why you should take this exam.

These key topics have given you the understanding and knowledge you need to use Microsoft’s free learning resources and create a trial subscription, which will allow you to complete the hands-on labs throughout this book. Additionally, you have learned about the types of exam questions you will find within all of Microsoft’s role-based certifications.

The next chapter will introduce the information protection topic and how it has progressed.