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Expert knowledge for Azure Virtual Network development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and deployment. Use when configuring VNets, NSGs, service endpoints, VNet peering, VPN/ExpressRoute gateways...

MicrosoftDocs/Agent-Skills0installs772starsDevOps & CI/CD

SKILL.md

Full skill instructions

Azure Virtual Network Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Virtual Network. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and deployment. 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
TroubleshootingL36-L40Diagnosing and fixing Azure VM/​VNet connectivity issues: routing and NSG problems, NVAs and routing appliances, SMTP blocking, VNet peering, encryption, and VNet deletion errors.
Best PracticesL41-L52Network performance and connectivity guidance: VNet design, NSGs, service endpoints, outbound access, MTU/​TCP tuning, and tools to test throughput and latency on Azure VMs.
Decision MakingL53-L62Guidance on design choices: when to use accelerated networking, routing preferences, VNets vs appliances, IP upgrade paths, VNet integration options, and cost/​performance trade-offs.
Architecture & Design PatternsL63-L70Designing VNet architectures: subnet extension for migrations, VNet peering, hybrid two-tier apps, traffic mirroring with TAP, topology planning, and custom routing options.
Limits & QuotasL71-L76VM networking limits: MANA support per VM size, static public IP assignment and quotas, and per-VM network throughput caps and constraints.
SecurityL77-L86Network security for VNets: Kubernetes network policies, layered controls, Azure Policy for VNets, Virtual Network encryption concepts/​config, and securing storage egress with service endpoint policies.
ConfigurationL87-L118Configuring Azure Virtual Network components: IPs (public/​private/​custom), DNS, encryption, monitoring, policies, subnet features, gateways, NAT, firewalls, and VM networking options.
DeploymentL119-L122Guidance for upgrading Azure Basic public IP addresses to Standard SKU, including requirements, steps, and considerations for network resources and downtime.

Troubleshooting

TopicURL
Register and create Azure Virtual Network routing applianceshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-create-virtual-network-routing-appliance

Best Practices

TopicURL
Understand Azure Accelerated Networking internals on Linuxhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-how-it-works
Apply Azure Virtual Network design best practiceshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/concepts-and-best-practices
Tune MTU settings for Azure virtual machineshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-virtual-machine-mtu
Understand and control default outbound access for Azure VMshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/default-outbound-access
Configure Azure NSG rules and traffic processinghttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/network-security-group-how-it-works
Optimize Azure VM network throughput settingshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-optimize-network-bandwidth
Configure and use Azure VNet service endpointshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-service-endpoints-overview
Apply TCP/​IP performance tuning on Azure VMshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-tcpip-performance-tuning

Decision Making

TopicURL
Decide when to use Azure Accelerated Networkinghttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-overview
Plan and execute upgrade from Basic to Standard public IPshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-basic-upgrade-guidance
Choose Azure routing preference via Microsoft or ISP networkhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/routing-preference-overview
Use routing preference unmetered for Azure-to-CDN traffichttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/routing-preference-unmetered
Optimize Azure Virtual Network costs and trade-offshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-cost-optimization
Choose Azure VNet integration options for service isolationhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/vnet-integration-for-azure-services

Architecture & Design Patterns

TopicURL
Design subnet extension strategies for Azure migrationshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/subnet-extension
Implement hybrid two-tier application with Azure VNetshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-scenario-udr-gw-nva
Use Azure virtual network TAP for traffic mirroringhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-tap-overview
Plan Azure virtual network topology and connectivityhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-vnet-plan-design-arm

Limits & Quotas

TopicURL
Create Azure VM with static public IP and understand IP limitshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-static-public-ip
Understand Azure VM network throughput limitshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-machine-network-throughput

Security

TopicURL
Configure Kubernetes network policies on Azurehttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/kubernetes-network-policies
Secure Azure Virtual Network deployments with layered controlshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/secure-virtual-network
Apply Azure Policy compliance controls to Virtual Networkhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/security-controls-policy
Configure and manage Azure Virtual Network encryptionhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-encryption-faq
Understand and use Azure Virtual Network encryptionhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-encryption-overview
Secure Azure Storage egress with service endpoint policieshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-service-endpoint-policies-overview

Configuration

TopicURL
Configure MANA for Linux Azure virtual machineshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-linux
Manage MANA support for NVAs on existing VM serieshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-network-virtual-appliance-opt-out
Configure advertised gateway prefixes for hub VNetshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-advertised-gateway-prefixes
Configure subnet peering for Azure virtual networkshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-configure-subnet-peering
Create and configure an encrypted Azure virtual networkhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-create-encryption
Deploy a DHCP server VM for on-premises clientshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-dhcp-azure
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Application Gateway frontendshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-application-gateway
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Firewall deploymentshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-firewall
Configure public IP usage with Azure Load Balancerhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-load-balancer
Configure public IPs with Azure NAT Gateway for outbound SNAThttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-nat-gateway
Manage public IP addresses for Azure Virtual Machineshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-vm
Configure public IP addresses for Azure VPN gatewayshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-vpn-gateway
Onboard and configure custom IPv6 address prefixes in Azurehttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/create-custom-ip-address-prefix-ipv6-portal
Onboard and configure custom IPv4 address prefixes in Azurehttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/create-custom-ip-address-prefix-portal
Manage Azure custom IP address prefixes and migrationshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/manage-custom-ip-address-prefix
Create and manage Azure public IP address prefixeshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/manage-public-ip-address-prefix
Configure monitoring and alerts for Azure Public IP addresseshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/monitor-public-ip
Reference metrics and logs for monitoring Azure Public IPshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/monitor-public-ip-reference
Configure Azure public IP address prefixes and zoneshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-address-prefix
Configure private and public IPs on Azure network interfaceshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-network-interface-addresses
Create and manage Azure public IP address resourceshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-public-ip-address
Configure monitoring for Azure Virtual Network with Azure Monitorhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/monitor-virtual-network
Reference for Azure Virtual Network monitoring datahttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/monitor-virtual-network-reference
Use built-in Azure Policy definitions for Virtual Networkhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/policy-reference
Configure subnet delegation for Azure PaaS serviceshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/subnet-delegation-overview
Set up dynamic DNS registration for Azure VMshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-name-resolution-ddns
Configure DNS name resolution for Azure virtual networkshttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-name-resolution-for-vms-and-role-instances
Understand and configure Azure IP 168.63.129.16 usagehttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/what-is-ip-address-168-63-129-16

Deployment

TopicURL
Upgrade Azure Basic public IPs to Standard SKUhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-upgrade