Microsoftdocs Agent Skills

Included skill

Azure Virtual Network

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, peering, service endpoints, NVAs/virtual routers, or upgrading Basic to Standard IPs, and other Azure Virtual Network related development tasks. Not for Azure Virtual Network Manager (use azure-virtual-network-manager), Azure Virtual WAN (use azure-virtual-wan), Azure VPN Gateway (use azure-vpn-gateway), Azure ExpressRoute (use azure-expressroute).

Source: /skills/azure-virtual-network/SKILL.md

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

Category Lines Description
Troubleshooting L36-L40 Configuring, validating, and debugging Azure routing appliances (NVA/virtual routers), including routing setup, traffic flow issues, and common misconfiguration fixes.
Best Practices L41-L50 Designing secure, high-performance VNets: outbound VM access control, NSG rules/flows, VM throughput tuning, TCP/IP optimization, and secure use of VNet service endpoints.
Decision Making L51-L61 Guidance on performance and cost trade-offs: MANA support, Accelerated Networking, routing preference, public IP upgrades, VNet cost optimization, and VNet integration for service isolation.
Architecture & Design Patterns L62-L68 Designing VNet architectures: subnet extension for migrations, VNet peering, hybrid two-tier apps, traffic mirroring with TAP, topology planning, and custom routing options.
Limits & Quotas L69-L75 IP address quotas, VM network throughput caps, and Virtual Network scale/limit behaviors (IP types, NICs, bandwidth) and how to design within these constraints.
Security L76-L84 Network 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.
Configuration L85-L117 Configuring Azure Virtual Network behavior: IPs (public/private/custom prefixes), MTU, DNS, DHCP, encryption, monitoring, policies, subnet peering/delegation, and gateway/firewall/load balancer settings.
Deployment L118-L121 Guidance for upgrading Azure Basic public IP addresses to Standard SKU, including requirements, steps, and considerations for network resources and downtime.

Troubleshooting

Topic URL
Configure and troubleshoot Azure routing appliances https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-create-virtual-network-routing-appliance

Best Practices

Topic URL
Apply Azure Virtual Network design best practices https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/concepts-and-best-practices
Understand and control default outbound access for Azure VMs https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/default-outbound-access
Configure Azure NSG rules and traffic processing https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/network-security-group-how-it-works
Optimize Azure VM network throughput settings https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-optimize-network-bandwidth
Implement Azure virtual network service endpoints securely https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-service-endpoints-overview
Apply TCP/IP performance tuning on Azure VMs https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-tcpip-performance-tuning

Decision Making

Topic URL
Decide MANA support for existing Azure VM sizes https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-existing-sizes
Decide when to use Azure Accelerated Networking https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-overview
Plan and execute upgrade from Basic to Standard public IPs https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-basic-upgrade-guidance
Choose Azure routing preference via Microsoft or ISP network https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/routing-preference-overview
Use routing preference unmetered for Azure-to-CDN traffic https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/routing-preference-unmetered
Optimize Azure Virtual Network costs and trade-offs https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-cost-optimization
Choose Azure VNet integration options for service isolation https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/vnet-integration-for-azure-services

Architecture & Design Patterns

Topic URL
Design subnet extension strategies for Azure migrations https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/subnet-extension
Implement hybrid two-tier application with Azure VNets https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-scenario-udr-gw-nva
Plan Azure virtual network topology and connectivity https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-vnet-plan-design-arm

Limits & Quotas

Topic URL
Create Azure VM with static public IP and understand IP limits https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-static-public-ip
Understand Azure VM network throughput limits https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-machine-network-throughput
Understand Azure Virtual Network limits and behaviors https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-faq

Security

Topic URL
Configure Kubernetes network policies on Azure https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/kubernetes-network-policies
Secure Azure Virtual Network deployments with layered controls https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/secure-virtual-network
Apply Azure Policy compliance controls to Virtual Network https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/security-controls-policy
Configure and manage Azure Virtual Network encryption https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-encryption-faq
Secure Azure Storage egress with service endpoint policies https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-service-endpoint-policies-overview

Configuration

Topic URL
Configure MANA for Linux Azure virtual machines https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-linux
Configure MANA behavior for NVAs on existing VM sizes https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-network-virtual-appliance-opt-out
Configure advertised gateway prefixes for hub VNets https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-advertised-gateway-prefixes
Configure subnet peering in Azure virtual networks https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-configure-subnet-peering
Create and configure an encrypted Azure virtual network https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-create-encryption
Deploy a DHCP server VM for on-premises clients https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-dhcp-azure
Configure MTU settings for Azure virtual machines https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-virtual-machine-mtu
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Application Gateway frontends https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-application-gateway
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Firewall deployments https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-firewall
Configure public IP usage with Azure Load Balancer https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-load-balancer
Configure public IPs with Azure NAT Gateway for outbound SNAT https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-nat-gateway
Manage public IP addresses for Azure Virtual Machines https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-vm
Configure public IP addresses for Azure VPN gateways https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-vpn-gateway
Onboard and configure custom IPv6 address prefixes in Azure https://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 Azure https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/create-custom-ip-address-prefix-portal
Manage Azure custom IP address prefixes and migrations https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/manage-custom-ip-address-prefix
Create and manage Azure public IP address prefixes https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/manage-public-ip-address-prefix
Configure monitoring and alerts for Azure Public IP addresses https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/monitor-public-ip
Use Azure Monitor metrics for Public IP addresses https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/monitor-public-ip-reference
Configure Azure public IP address prefixes and zones https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-address-prefix
Configure private and public IPs on Azure network interfaces https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-network-interface-addresses
Create and manage Azure public IP address resources https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-public-ip-address
Configure monitoring for Azure Virtual Network with Azure Monitor https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/monitor-virtual-network
Reference for Azure Virtual Network monitoring data https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/monitor-virtual-network-reference
Use built-in Azure Policy definitions for Virtual Network https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/policy-reference
Configure subnet delegation for Azure PaaS services https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/subnet-delegation-overview
Set up dynamic DNS registration for Azure VMs https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-name-resolution-ddns
Configure DNS name resolution for Azure virtual networks https://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 usage https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/what-is-ip-address-168-63-129-16

Deployment

Topic URL
Upgrade Azure Basic public IPs to Standard SKU https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-upgrade