Chapter 1 of 3 · Microsoft AB-900
Core Features and Objects of Microsoft 365 Services
Licenses, admin centers, Zero Trust, Entra ID, Conditional Access, Defender XDR and PIM.
- 6topics
- 29 minfast track
- 1diagrams and exhibits
- 30–35%of the exam
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1Licenses and the Microsoft 365 Admin CenterAB-900 licenses and the Microsoft 365 admin center: how licenses switch features on for users and groups, group based licensing…5 min
- 2Exchange and Teams Admin CentersAB-900 Exchange and Teams admin centers: mailbox types, distribution groups and mail flow, plus teams, channels and policies and…5 min
- 3SharePoint Admin Center, Sites and PermissionsAB-900 SharePoint admin center: team and communication sites, libraries and folders, plus the Owners, Members and Visitors roles…4 min
- 4Zero Trust, Authentication and Defender XDRAB-900 security principles: Zero Trust, authorization, authentication methods and passwordless sign in, threat protection and…5 min
- 5Entra ID, Conditional Access and SSOAB-900 Microsoft Entra ID: Conditional Access policies, single sign on, security groups versus Microsoft 365 groups, app…Diagram5 min
- 6Troubleshooting, Secure Score, Audit and PIMAB-900 identity operations: sign in log troubleshooting, risky sign ins, Identity Secure Score, audit logs and Privileged…5 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
This chapter covers the building blocks that every Microsoft 365 administrator works with. It starts with the objects you manage, such as users, licenses, mailboxes, sites and teams, and the admin centers where you manage them. It then covers the security features that protect those objects: Zero Trust, authentication, Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access and Microsoft Defender XDR.
It is 30 to 35% of the Microsoft AB-900 exam. Questions describe a simple admin need and ask which admin center, object, report or security feature fits. They test what each tool is for, not how to script it.
How the topics fit together
The pages move from the objects you manage, to the security principles behind them, to the identity tools that enforce those principles.
- Licenses and the Microsoft 365 admin center covers how licenses switch features on and where domains and organization settings live.
- Exchange and Teams admin centers covers mailboxes, distribution groups, teams, channels and policies.
- SharePoint admin center, sites and permissions covers sites, libraries, folders and the roles that control access to a site.
- Zero Trust, authentication and Defender XDR covers the security principles, authentication methods, threat protection and the Defender portal.
- Entra ID, Conditional Access and SSO covers the identity platform, access policies, single sign on, security groups and app objects.
- Troubleshooting, Secure Score, audit and PIM covers the tools used to investigate sign in problems, score identity security, review activity and control admin access.
Many questions are really "which portal?" questions. Learn the home of each task: Microsoft 365 admin center for users and licenses, Entra admin center for identity and sign in, Defender portal for threats, Purview portal for audit.
How to use these pages
Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.
- What it is: the idea in plain words.
- How it works: the mechanism, with examples and tables.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise and how questions are phrased.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Ready for more practice?
The full Microsoft AB-900 question bank has 499 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
This study guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft. Vendor names, certification names and exam codes are trademarks of their respective owners and are used for identification only.