98-368 Mobility and Devices Fundamentals Exam Guide
Exam 98-368, Mobility and Devices Fundamentals, was designed to validate fundamental knowledge of Windows devices and mobility. Microsoft identified hands-on familiarity with Windows devices, Windows-based networking, Active Directory, antimalware products, firewalls, network topologies and devices, and network ports as useful preparation areas. The important decision for a candidate today is not simply how to study: Microsoft retired the MTA exams on June 30, 2022, so this guide helps you determine whether you are researching a historical credential, verifying an existing result, or choosing a current fundamentals path instead.
Can you still take Exam 98-368?
No. Microsoft’s MTA Retirement FAQs state that MTA exams were retired on June 30, 2022, and that MTA exams could not be retaken after that date. Microsoft’s general retirement policy also says retired exams can no longer be taken and their associated certifications or credentials can no longer be earned after the retirement date. Confirm the current position through Microsoft Learn before relying on any third-party listing. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
This changes the purpose of preparation material. A candidate cannot use a current study plan to book a new 98-368 appointment. Instead, use the objectives as historical technical context, use an existing transcript to verify a certification already earned, or redirect preparation toward a current Microsoft fundamentals or role-based credential that matches your goal.
Be especially careful with pages that advertise 98-368 vouchers, “latest” questions, or guaranteed access. The official retirement information says the exam is no longer available after the retirement date. A commercial page cannot restore an examination that the program owner has retired, and memorizing alleged exam content would not provide a reliable substitute for learning the underlying skills.
What did 98-368 validate?
Exam 98-368 validated foundational understanding of mobility and Windows devices. Microsoft described its audience as candidates with fundamental knowledge of Windows devices and mobility, and listed the exam as the requirement for the MTA Mobility and Device Fundamentals certification. It was therefore an entry-level orientation to device and infrastructure concepts rather than evidence of advanced administration expertise. [Source: https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/8/9/E89E5BB6-7B67-45FA-BB9F-530AF22A7670/Exam_98-368_OD_Changes.pdf; https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/earn-a-microsoft-technology-associate-mta-certification-357215d0-31ce-0620-feba-1bb60165b770]
The historical audience included learners beginning an IT path, students studying desktop or device support, and people seeking a first Microsoft technical credential. The broader MTA program grouped credentials around infrastructure, database and developer directions. Microsoft Support specifically placed Mobility and Device Fundamentals among the MTA options and identified Exam 368 as the associated exam.
That audience description should guide how you interpret old books and course notes. You should expect foundational “what is this used for?” and “which component fits this situation?” learning objectives, not a complete preparation track for enterprise endpoint management. If your work now involves cloud identity, modern endpoint management, security operations or administration at scale, treat the old objectives as background rather than a current job-role syllabus.
Which skills should historical study cover?
The official objectives document names hands-on experience with Windows devices, Windows-based networking, Active Directory, antimalware products, firewalls, network topologies and devices, and network ports. These are the safest boundaries for a historical study plan because they come directly from Microsoft’s stated candidate guidance. The document identifies its tracked skills-measured changes as effective January 31, 2018. [Source: https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/8/9/E89E5BB6-7B67-45FA-BB9F-530AF22A7670/Exam_98-368_OD_Changes.pdf]
Organize the material into connected troubleshooting situations rather than isolated vocabulary lists. A Windows-device topic should lead to questions about configuration, access, protection and connectivity. A networking topic should lead to identifying the relevant device, topology, port or protocol purpose. An Active Directory topic should lead to understanding how centralized identity and access relate to a Windows environment.
Do not assume that every modern Windows feature belongs to the historical exam. The objectives document is the controlling reference for the version it describes. When a study guide introduces newer products or terminology, label that material as current professional development, not as confirmed 98-368 coverage. This distinction prevents an old exam objective from becoming an inaccurate description of present-day Microsoft technology.
Windows devices and mobility
Start with the device itself: operating-system functions, hardware capabilities, local configuration, user access and the practical reasons an organization manages mobile or Windows devices. The goal is to explain how a device participates in a working environment, not merely to recite component names.
For each concept, write a short decision rule. For example, distinguish a local device problem from a network access problem, or a security-control question from a hardware-capability question. Then test the rule by describing a small workplace scenario in your own words.
Keep historical terminology tied to the source objectives. Avoid filling gaps with unsupported claims about a particular Windows release, management platform, or feature set unless an official objective or current Microsoft learning resource explicitly covers it.
Networking, topology and ports
Study networking as a path between a device and a service. Identify the role of common network devices, understand how topology affects connectivity, and learn why ports matter when a service is reachable, blocked or misdirected. Microsoft explicitly included Windows-based networking, network topologies and devices, and network ports in its preparation guidance.
Draw simple diagrams with a client, network connection, intermediary device and service. Annotate where addressing, routing, filtering or name resolution might affect communication. The diagram is more useful than a list because it forces you to explain what each component does and where a fault could occur.
Do not memorize port numbers without understanding their associated service or troubleshooting implication. A disconnected cable, incorrect network configuration, blocked firewall rule and unavailable service can produce similar user complaints while requiring different reasoning.
Active Directory and protection
Active Directory belongs in the identity and access portion of the plan, while antimalware products and firewalls belong in the protection portion. Study the purpose of centralized directory services, basic account and access concepts, and the different roles played by endpoint protection and network filtering.
Use comparison tables you create yourself: directory service versus local account, antimalware versus firewall, device protection versus network control. For every row, add what the control protects, where it operates and what evidence would suggest that it is involved in a problem.
A common mistake is treating all security tools as interchangeable. An antimalware product and a firewall may both improve security, but they address different types of risk. Likewise, authentication and authorization are related but not identical. Explaining those boundaries is a stronger test of understanding than recognizing a product name.
How should you prepare if you are studying the objectives?
Use a diagnostic-first approach: read the official objectives, mark each topic as known, uncertain or unfamiliar, and then build practice around the uncertain areas. Microsoft Learn provides self-directed modules and learning paths that can support foundational study, but you should map any current material back to the historical objectives rather than assume a modern course is an exact 98-368 replacement. [Source: https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/8/9/E89E5BB6-7B67-45FA-BB9F-530AF22A7670/Exam_98-368_OD_Changes.pdf; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/]
A useful sequence is concept, demonstration, hands-on task, explanation and review. First define the component. Next observe or perform a basic configuration or troubleshooting task in a legitimate practice environment. Then explain why the result occurred, record what you initially misunderstood, and revisit the relevant objective. This sequence develops transferable knowledge instead of short-term answer recognition.
If you already have Windows support experience, do not skip fundamentals automatically. Experienced candidates often know how to complete a task but cannot explain which layer is responsible or why an alternative is unsuitable. Use “why” questions to expose that gap: why would a firewall matter here, why would directory access fail, or why would a topology change affect the device?
Because the exam is retired, set a stopping rule for historical study. Once you can explain the objectives and complete relevant practice tasks, shift your time to a current credential or job skill. Continuing to chase obsolete exam-specific material has less practical value than building current knowledge.
What study resources are safe to use?
Prefer Microsoft’s objective document, Microsoft Learn training, and official retirement and scheduling information. Microsoft Learn describes interactive modules and learning paths as self-directed training that can be completed at the learner’s own pace. These resources are useful for concepts and practice, but the retirement pages remain the authority for whether 98-368 can be earned now. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
Older books can still help explain foundational networking, device and directory concepts, but inspect their publication context. Compare chapter headings with the official objectives document and mark material that has no objective connection. Do not treat a book’s end-of-chapter quiz as an official exam simulator, and do not infer current product support from an old explanation.
Avoid dumps, leaked-question claims and answer-only collections. They encourage recognition without comprehension, may misrepresent a retired exam, and cannot establish that you understand the technology. More importantly, a memorized response does not help you troubleshoot a Windows device, explain an access failure or choose an appropriate protection control.
A practical resource check has three questions: Is the publisher identifiable? Does the material teach a concept or merely list answers? Can you verify the claim against an official Microsoft source? If the answer to the last question is no, record it as unverified rather than building your study plan around it.
What hands-on practice is worth doing?
Build small, controlled exercises around the named skill areas: inspect a Windows device configuration, map a simple network path, identify the purpose of network devices and ports, reason through directory access, and distinguish endpoint malware protection from firewall filtering. The value comes from explaining each result and failure point, not from reproducing a particular exam question.
Use a notebook with five columns: task, expected result, observed result, likely layer and corrective action. This format trains you to connect symptoms to device, identity, network and protection concepts. It also shows where you are guessing, which is usually more useful than an undifferentiated confidence score.
Keep practice lawful and isolated. Use systems and accounts you own or are authorized to administer. Do not probe external networks, attempt to bypass security controls or use someone else’s credentials merely to imitate an exam scenario.
After each exercise, change one condition and predict the effect before testing. For example, consider what would happen if access credentials were invalid, a filtering rule blocked communication, or a network component were unavailable. Prediction followed by observation turns a lab into reasoning practice.
Which mistakes make preparation inefficient?
The biggest mistake is preparing as though 98-368 were still bookable. Check the official retirement status before buying a course, voucher or practice product. Other common problems include studying every modern Microsoft topic, memorizing isolated terminology, ignoring hands-on work, and confusing a historical credential with evidence of current role readiness. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
A second mistake is relying on a single category of resource. Reading gives you terminology, but practice reveals whether you can apply it. Conversely, clicking through labs without writing explanations can hide conceptual gaps. Combine an objective checklist, explanatory material, controlled practice and self-authored questions.
Another inefficient habit is treating all weak areas equally. Rank topics by two factors: how unfamiliar they are and how often they affect the kind of support work you want to perform. Address foundational dependencies first. For example, understanding basic connectivity and identity makes later protection and troubleshooting discussions easier to organize.
Do not use a high practice result as proof that you are ready for a current Microsoft credential. A historical blueprint and a current certification measure different things. Reassess your target whenever the technology, job role or official certification path has changed.
What was the historical scheduling process?
Microsoft’s general registration guidance says candidates begin from a certification or exam details page, choose “Schedule exam,” and select the available provider. It describes Pearson VUE for candidates taking a certification independently or through training and Certiport for students or academic processes. Those instructions are useful for understanding the former process, not evidence that a new 98-368 appointment is available today. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/register-schedule-exam]
For current Microsoft exams, the same guidance says a candidate may see online or test-center options depending on the provider and availability. It also says that an online candidate should run a system pre-check, while test centers provide a pre-configured testing environment. Do not transfer these general options to 98-368 after retirement.
Microsoft advises candidates requesting accommodations to do so before scheduling so the provider has time to review the request and support the testing environment. That is a useful planning principle for any current exam, but it cannot override the retirement of an obsolete exam.
If a website presents a 98-368 schedule button, treat it as a possible stale page or third-party reference until Microsoft confirms otherwise. Never provide payment or personal identification details solely because a search result claims that a retired exam has reopened.
What happens to an existing MTA result?
An MTA certification already earned before retirement remains on the candidate’s Microsoft Learn transcript, according to Microsoft’s retirement FAQs and general retirement policy. The retirement prevents new attempts and new awards; it does not erase a credential that was previously earned. Use your Microsoft Learn profile and official support information to verify your own record. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
Microsoft states that existing certifications remain on the transcript and can be printable after the exams retire. Its FAQ also explains that they move to the “Certification History” section of the transcript two years after the certifications retire. This distinction matters when an employer or school asks for evidence: provide the official transcript or certificate rather than an outdated exam booking page.
If you passed 98-368 before the retirement deadline, the relevant MTA Mobility and Device Fundamentals certification was earned under the rules then in effect. If you did not pass it before retirement, historical preparation cannot create the credential now. Select a current path based on the work you want to do next.
Do not describe an old MTA credential as a current endorsement of every modern Microsoft device or mobility technology. State the credential name accurately and, where relevant, explain that it is a retired-program certification representing foundational knowledge at the time it was earned.
How can you redirect the roadmap to a current goal?
Use the old 98-368 objectives as a skills inventory, then choose a current Microsoft learning or certification route that matches your intended work. Microsoft said fundamentals certifications can validate foundational understanding and serve as a springboard to role-based training across areas including Azure, AI, Data, Power Platform, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics. Verify the current option on Microsoft Learn before committing. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs]
For desktop or endpoint support, begin by identifying the current technologies and responsibilities in the job description you want. Separate device configuration, identity, networking, security and cloud administration requirements. Then select training that teaches those capabilities rather than searching for a one-to-one replacement title for Mobility and Devices Fundamentals.
For a broader infrastructure direction, retain the foundational habits from the old plan: understand the device, trace the connection, identify the identity boundary and distinguish protective controls. Add current Microsoft content only after you know which role you are targeting. This avoids collecting unrelated badges without building a coherent skill set.
A sensible decision tree is straightforward. If you need to verify a previously earned MTA, retrieve the transcript. If you need historical knowledge, study the objectives and practice safely. If you need a credential for a new application, ignore retired-exam marketing and compare current official certification pages and learning paths.
A practical four-stage study roadmap
A short roadmap is still useful when the target is historical: establish what the exam measured, practise the underlying skills, verify whether the credential is relevant, and then move to a current path. Do not schedule a 98-368 exam as the final step, because Microsoft retired the exam and no longer allows it to be taken. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
Stage one is scope. Download or review the official objectives document and create a checklist for Windows devices, mobility, Windows-based networking, Active Directory, antimalware products, firewalls, network topologies and devices, and network ports. Mark each item as familiar, partly understood or unknown. Preserve the document’s historical context, including the stated effective date of January 31, 2018. [Source: https://download.microsoft.com/download/E/8/9/E89E5BB6-7B67-45FA-BB9F-530AF22A7670/Exam_98-368_OD_Changes.pdf]
Stage two is foundation. Use Microsoft Learn or other legitimate instructional material to define each concept and connect it to a device-support task. Write one explanation per checklist item without copying answer keys. When a current module uses newer terminology, note whether it clarifies a durable concept or introduces material outside the historical objective.
Stage three is application. Perform controlled exercises that involve inspecting a device, tracing connectivity, reasoning about identity access and comparing firewall and antimalware roles. Record expected and actual results. Rework any exercise where you cannot explain the failure layer or the reason for the corrective action.
Stage four is decision. If your purpose is historical knowledge, archive your notes and stop. If you are validating an existing MTA, check your transcript. If your purpose is career progression, use the skills inventory to select an active Microsoft learning path or certification. This final decision prevents obsolete exam preparation from consuming time intended for current capability building.
What should you do next?
First, confirm whether you are trying to earn 98-368 or verify a credential already earned. Earning it is no longer possible because the exam retired on June 30, 2022; verification should be handled through the Microsoft Learn transcript and official retirement guidance. Only after making that distinction should you spend time on study material. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/mta-retirement-faqs; https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/retired-certification-exams]
If you are studying the technology, use the official objectives as a bounded checklist and practise the named concepts in an authorized environment. Start with the weakest foundational dependency, write explanations in your own words, and review mistakes by cause rather than by answer. Microsoft Learn offers self-directed modules and paths for building broader technical skills. [Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/]
If you need a current credential, identify the job role first and consult Microsoft’s active certification catalog. Do not assume that a current credential has the same scope, delivery process or requirements as the retired MTA exam. Review the official page, check the current scheduling information and confirm any provider or accommodation details before making a purchase or appointment.
The most useful outcome of 98-368 study today is a clear foundation in Windows devices, mobility, networking, identity and protection—not an unsupported promise that a retired exam can still be passed. Treat the objectives as historical evidence, the transcript as the record of an earned credential, and current Microsoft guidance as the basis for your next certification decision.
Conclusion
Exam 98-368 remains relevant as a record of Microsoft’s former Mobility and Devices Fundamentals scope, but it is not a current booking target. Microsoft retired the MTA exams on June 30, 2022; existing certifications remain on the transcript, while new candidates must choose a current learning or certification route. Use the official objectives to strengthen durable device, networking, directory and protection knowledge, then verify your credential status or move directly to an active Microsoft path that matches your intended role.
