CertifyDeckOn 15 October 2026 Microsoft announced the Microsoft Certified: Agentic DevOps Engineer Expert certification and its exam, AZ-401: Designing and Implementing Microsoft Agentic DevOps Solutions, available in beta from that day. The same announcement sets the retirement of AZ-400 and of the DevOps Engineer Expert certification for 1 February 2027. If you are preparing AZ-400, or were planning to, the calendar has changed.
What AZ-401 is and who it is for
AZ-401 validates that you can design, implement and optimize AI-assisted DevOps solutions across Azure DevOps and GitHub. The profile Microsoft describes is the familiar DevOps engineer (a developer or infrastructure administrator who brings people, processes and products together to deliver value continuously), with one difference: you are now expected to enhance those processes by integrating AI assistance tools, with GitHub Copilot at the centre.
The experience requirements are those of an expert exam: strong skills in administering or developing with Microsoft technologies, hands-on practice with the everyday DevOps languages (YAML, KQL and Bicep) and experience implementing solutions in both Azure DevOps and GitHub using Microsoft and GitHub AI tools. The exam page warns that most questions cover generally available features, but preview features may appear when they are commonly used.
Prerequisites: GH-300 or AZ-104
According to the official announcement, earning Agentic DevOps Engineer Expert requires passing AZ-401 plus one of two exams: GH-300 (GitHub Copilot) or AZ-104 (Microsoft Azure Administrator). That is a change from DevOps Engineer Expert, which asked for Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate.
If you hold neither, the shortest route for most DevOps profiles is GH-300, a shorter exam focused on Copilot. CertifyDeck has question banks for GH-300 and AZ-104, both on the current official outline.
The AZ-401 outline compared with AZ-400
The five domains keep the AZ-400 names, but the weights are redistributed and the content changes visibly. The AZ-401 study guide, updated on 13 October 2026, sets these weights against the AZ-400 version of 27 July 2026.
The real difference is inside each domain. Processes and communications now include configuring MCP servers (the Azure DevOps MCP server and the GitHub MCP server), integrating Azure Boards with GitHub repositories through MCP, and specifying requirements for agentic development (agents, skills and loops). Source control adds Git Worktree, branch policies for GitHub Copilot and repository migration from Azure DevOps to GitHub. Pipelines ask you to develop YAML with GitHub Copilot, implement quality gates and tests with Copilot and MCP servers, and design GitHub Agentic Workflows. Instrumentation, up from 5-10% to 15-20%, brings in Azure Copilot Observability Agent, Azure SRE Agent, managing GitHub Copilot agent logs and querying logs in natural language or basic KQL.
| Domain | AZ-400 | AZ-401 |
|---|---|---|
| Design and implement processes and communications | 10-15% | 15-20% |
| Design and implement a source control strategy | 10-15% | 10-15% |
| Design and implement build and release pipelines | 50-55% | 35-40% |
| Security and compliance plan | 10-15% | 15-20% |
| Implement an instrumentation strategy | 5-10% | 15-20% |
Source: AZ-400 and AZ-401 exam pages and study guides on Microsoft Learn, read on 28 October 2026.
Beta: discount, dates and when results arrive
The beta exam has been available since 15 October 2026. The first 300 candidates who sit it by 9 November 2026 can pay 80% less by entering the code AZ401Glendon at payment; seats are first come, first served, and the discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India or China. If you miss a discounted seat you can still take the beta at the regular price, which Microsoft sets by country.
Beta exams are not scored immediately. According to the official beta exams page, scores arrive about 10 days after the exam goes generally available, which usually happens 10 to 12 weeks after the beta starts; the AZ-401 announcement puts general availability in December 2026. Passing the beta counts as passing the final exam; failing it means waiting for the live version to retake. Candidates who used the discount code also receive a 25% voucher for their next exam.
There is no official Practice Assessment yet (Microsoft says one usually appears within eight weeks of the exam leaving beta) and no instructor-led courses; the preparation material is the study guide and the Microsoft Learn plan on optimizing DevOps with AI agents on Azure.
What to do if you were preparing AZ-400
AZ-400 stays open until 1 February 2027, in ten languages, on the outline version of 27 July 2026. If you already have weeks of study behind you and can sit it before that date, finishing with AZ-400 is the sensible choice: you earn DevOps Engineer Expert, which does not disappear from your transcript when the exam retires, and the free annual renewal stays available while the certification exists. CertifyDeck's AZ-400 questions follow the 27 July outline.
If you are starting from scratch and your work already runs through GitHub Copilot, agents and MCP servers, aiming at AZ-401 directly makes more sense, especially if you can reach the discounted beta. The AZ-400 core (branching, YAML pipelines, deployments, Key Vault, GitHub Advanced Security, Azure Monitor) is still in AZ-401, so nothing you studied is wasted; what you add is the AI layer: Copilot in pipelines and testing, MCP, Agentic Workflows, SRE Agent and Observability Agent.
On either path, secure the prerequisite first. AZ-401 accepts GH-300 or AZ-104; AZ-400 accepts Azure Administrator or Azure Developer. GH-300 and AZ-104 work for both, which makes them the safe bet if you hold neither yet.
Frequently asked questions
Does AZ-401 replace AZ-400?
Yes. According to the official announcement of 15 October 2026, AZ-400 and the DevOps Engineer Expert certification retire on 1 February 2027, and Agentic DevOps Engineer Expert, earned with AZ-401, is the new certification in the same family. The AZ-400 exam page does not show the retirement date yet; the source is Microsoft's blog.
How much does AZ-401 cost?
Microsoft does not publish a single price: it depends on the country where you take the exam. During the beta, the first 300 candidates who sit the exam by 9 November 2026 get 80% off with the code AZ401Glendon.
Is AZ-401 available in other languages?
No. The beta is English only. Microsoft usually localizes exams about eight weeks after the English version, but has not announced languages for AZ-401.
What is the prerequisite for Agentic DevOps Engineer Expert?
You must pass AZ-401 plus GH-300 (GitHub Copilot) or AZ-104 (Azure Administrator), according to the official announcement.
When will I know whether I passed the beta?
About 10 days after the exam goes generally available, planned for December 2026. In practice, 10 to 14 weeks after you sit it, according to the official beta exams page.
Do I lose DevOps Engineer Expert on 1 February 2027?
No. A certification you have earned stays on your transcript until its expiry date. What ends is the possibility of earning or renewing it once it retires.
Does CertifyDeck have AZ-401 questions?
Not yet: the exam is in beta and the outline may change before the final version. We have banks for AZ-400, GH-300 and AZ-104, which cover the DevOps core and both prerequisites.