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azure-network-watcher

Expert knowledge for Azure Network Watcher development including troubleshooting, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. Use when configuring Connection Monitor, NSG/VNet flow logs, packet capture, Traffic Analytics/KQL, or Sentinel integrat...

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SKILL.md

Full skill instructions

Azure Network Watcher Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Network Watcher. Covers troubleshooting, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

IMPORTANT for Agent: Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., L35-L120), use read_file with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., [security.md](security.md)), use read_file on the linked reference file

IMPORTANT for Agent: If metadata.generated_at is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If mcp_microsoftdocs tools are not available, suggest the user install it: Installation Guide

This skill requires network access to fetch documentation content:

  • Preferred: Use mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch with query string from=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown.
  • Fallback: Use fetch_webpage with query string from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/​markdown. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

CategoryLinesDescription
TroubleshootingL34-L44Diagnosing and fixing Azure network issues: outbound connectivity, NSG/​admin rules, and VPN gateway/​on-premises connectivity, including automation and CLI/​PowerShell-based troubleshooting.
Decision MakingL45-L51Guidance for migrating network monitoring: moving from classic Connection Monitor and Network Performance Monitor tests, and switching NSG flow logs to VNet flow logs.
Limits & QuotasL52-L56How to configure and run Network Watcher packet capture, storage and filtering options, and the key limits/​quotas (size, duration, concurrency) that apply to captures
SecurityL57-L64Securing Network Watcher: RBAC setup, hardening deployments and data access, Zero Trust segmentation with Traffic Analytics, and protecting VNet flow logs using managed identities.
ConfigurationL65-L79Configuring and governing Network Watcher logging: AMA for Connection Monitor, NSG/​VNet flow logs setup, schemas, filtering, templates (Bicep/​ARM), and Azure Policy enforcement.
Integrations & Coding PatternsL80-L85Using Network Watcher data in tools and code: parsing NSG flow logs with PowerShell, visualizing in Power BI, triggering packet capture from Functions, querying Traffic Analytics with KQL, and integrating with Sentinel.

Troubleshooting

TopicURL
Diagnose outbound connection issues with Network Watcherhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-troubleshoot-manage
Troubleshoot NSG and admin rules with NSG diagnosticshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/diagnose-network-security-rules
Resolve common Azure Network Watcher issueshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/frequently-asked-questions
Diagnose on-premises VPN connectivity to Azure with Network Watcherhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-diagnose-on-premises-connectivity
Automate VPN connectivity monitoring with Azure Automation and Network Watcherhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-monitor-with-azure-automation
Troubleshoot VPN gateways and connections with Azure CLIhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vpn-troubleshoot-cli
Troubleshoot VPN gateways and connections with PowerShellhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vpn-troubleshoot-powershell

Decision Making

TopicURL
Migrate from Connection Monitor classic to new Connection Monitorhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/migrate-to-connection-monitor-from-connection-monitor-classic
Migrate tests from Network Performance Monitor to Connection Monitorhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/migrate-to-connection-monitor-from-network-performance-monitor
Migrate from NSG flow logs to VNet flow logshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-migrate

Limits & Quotas

TopicURL
Use Network Watcher packet capture and understand its limitshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/packet-capture-overview

Security

TopicURL
Configure RBAC permissions for Azure Network Watcherhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/required-rbac-permissions
Secure Azure Network Watcher deployment and data accesshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/secure-network-watcher
Apply Zero Trust segmentation using Traffic Analyticshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-zero-trust
Secure VNet flow logs with managed identitieshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-managed-identity

Configuration

TopicURL
Configure Azure Monitor Agent for Connection Monitorhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/azure-monitor-agent-with-connection-monitor
Install and manage Azure Monitor Agent on Arc servershttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-monitor-install-azure-monitor-agent
Understand Connection Monitor Log Analytics data schemashttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-monitor-schema
Enable NSG flow logs using Bicephttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-bicep
Configure and manage Azure NSG flow logshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-manage
Enable NSG flow logs using ARM templateshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-template
Govern Traffic Analytics with Azure Policyhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-policy-portal
Understand Traffic Analytics schema and aggregationhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-schema
Configure filtering for Azure VNet flow logshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-filtering
Configure and manage Azure virtual network flow logshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-manage
Enforce VNet flow logs with Azure Policyhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-policy

Integrations & Coding Patterns

TopicURL
Parse and read Azure flow logs with PowerShellhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/flow-logs-read
Trigger Network Watcher packet captures from Azure Functions alertshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/packet-capture-alert-triggered
Analyze Traffic Analytics data with KQL querieshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-queries