My Journey to SC-400 Certification Success

Last Friday, I successfully completed the Microsoft certification called Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate, which focuses on security in Microsoft 365. I'm really thrilled about earning this certification because it required me to learn a lot and follow my own journey over the past few months.

In this article, I want to share with you the steps I took and the resources that aided me in gaining the knowledge needed for this certification.

Bridging the Knowledge Gap

Earlier this year, I realized that I lacked a good understanding of the security aspects of Microsoft 365 services like SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. In conversations with colleagues who were knowledgeable about security, I felt left out because I couldn't grasp the technologies and processes they discussed. This made me feel that my expertise in my job, especially when advising clients, was incomplete without a deeper knowledge of information and data security.

So, I decided to dig into how Microsoft handles security in this area and pursued the SC-400 certification titled Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate. This certification covers security aspects related to safeguarding an organization's data effectively and efficiently within the context of Microsoft 365 and beyond.

At the end of the summer, I began the process of studying and absorbing the knowledge required for this certification. I successfully passed the exam on October 27th, earning the certification.

The knowledge I gained over these weeks of study, concept understanding, and practice has given me the confidence to tackle crucial information security issues in companies and organizations. It has also broadened my ability to approach discussions, proposals, and projects by incorporating security insights into areas like intranets, portals, employee applications, process automation, and more.

I'd like to share the resources that proved valuable to me during this period so you can use them to expand your own knowledge on this subject in a way that suits you best.

The Essential Resources

I want to tell you about the resources that have been really helpful for me during my studies, and I believe they'll continue to be valuable in helping me stay current and reinforce the knowledge I've gained.

Microsoft Study Guide:

First and foremost, the Microsoft study guide is the essential resource for understanding the certification material. Microsoft provides it for free on the official certification page. It's crucial to keep it handy to keep tabs on the concepts you need to know and mark the ones you've learned.

Make sure to pay attention to the percentage assigned to each main chapter. This will give you an idea of the most important topics and how many questions you can expect on the certification exam.

You can access it through this link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/sc-400

Microsoft Learn

Secondly, and in my opinion, the most valuable and significant resource is Microsoft's documentation covering all these topics. On Microsoft Learn, you'll discover all the information you need to grasp each concept in the most comprehensive way possible.

You'll find everything from the fundamental concepts to detailed instructions on configuring sensitive information types, sensitivity labels, retention policies, securing external applications in Microsoft 365, and implementing directives and policies for Microsoft Purview managed endpoints.

You can access it through this link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/

Youtube

YouTube is a treasure trove of diverse videos, especially about Microsoft technology. In my case, I use it daily to access various types of information. When it comes to information protection, you'll find a plethora of videos, ranging from explanations and informative content to practical demonstrations and real-world examples.

However, like any social platform, it's important to separate the valuable content from the less useful. A good starting point is to check out Microsoft's official videos, followed by those created by security MVPs. Once you've got this foundation, you can explore other videos that you find relevant for deepening your understanding and getting clear explanations or demonstrations about the topic.

You definitely shouldn't miss the Microsoft Security channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MicrosoftSecurity

Peter Rising's Youtube Channel

Based on my personal experience, I want to express my gratitude to Peter Rising for the collection of informative and hands-on videos on his channel dedicated to Microsoft Purview and its connection to information protection and compliance management. It's, in my opinion, one of the top-notch resources to grasp everything that Microsoft offers to organizations.

You can find his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@peterrisingM365

To wrap up

In conclusion, I urge everyone reading this article to enhance their understanding of information security and incorporate it into their discussions. Whether for business purposes in your company or the one you are associated with, or on a personal level to explore the available capabilities and put them into practice.

References

• Microsoft Certified: Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/information-protection-and-compliance-administrator/
• Exam SC-400: Administering Information Protection and Compliance in Microsoft 365: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/exams/sc-400/
• Study guide for Exam SC-400: Administering Information Protection and Compliance in Microsoft 365: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/resources/study-guides/sc-400
• Microsoft Purview in Microsoft Learn: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/
• Microsoft Security Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MicrosoftSecurity
• Peter Rising MVP Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@peterrisingM365