/azure-devtest-labs

name: azure-devtest-labs
description: Expert knowledge for Azure DevTest Labs development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when managing lab VM images, ARM/CI-CD automation, RBAC/Key Vault security, hub-spoke networking, or quotas, and other Azure DevTest Labs related development tasks. Not for Azure Lab Services (use azure-lab-services), Azure Dev Box (use azure-dev-box), Azure Virtual Machines (use azure-virtual-machines), Azure Virtual Desktop (use azure-virtual-desktop).
compatibility: Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata:
  generated_at: "2026-11-01"
  generator: "docs2skills/1.0.0"

Azure DevTest Labs Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure DevTest Labs. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, 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](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)

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 | L37-L44 | Diagnosing and fixing DevTest Labs VM and environment creation/deployment issues, artifact application failures, connectivity problems, and handling Defender for Cloud security alerts. | | Best Practices | L45-L49 | Guidance on organizing and collaborating on DevTest Labs infrastructure as code across teams, including branching, environments, and distributed resource development workflows | | Decision Making | L50-L58 | Guidance on planning PoCs and enterprise-scale deployments, choosing images and Gen1 vs Gen2 VMs, and setting governance for organization-wide DevTest Labs use. | | Architecture & Design Patterns | L59-L63 | Enterprise-scale DevTest Labs architectures: hub-spoke design, network/security layout, governance, cost management, and best practices for large org lab deployments. | | Limits & Quotas | L64-L68 | Managing DevTest Labs limits and quotas, viewing current usage, and requesting or configuring quota increases for labs, VMs, and related resources. | | Security | L69-L86 | Securing DevTest Labs: identities, RBAC and granular policy permissions, secrets/Key Vault, disk/storage encryption, secure VM access (RDP Gateway, Bastion, browser), Trusted Launch, and security alerts. | | Configuration | L87-L107 | Configuring DevTest Labs environments and VMs: images, networks, policies, costs, tags, ARM templates, artifacts, activity logs, alerts, IPs, and resource groups. | | Integrations & Coding Patterns | L108-L127 | Automating DevTest Labs with ARM, PowerShell, CLI, Functions, and Automation: creating/importing VMs, managing images/VHDs, environments, users, VM start/stop, and cross-lab usage reporting. | | Deployment | L128-L134 | Guides for deploying and migrating DevTest Labs: ARM templates, CI/CD and Azure Pipelines integration, region moves, and handling Azure Basic Load Balancer retirement. |

Troubleshooting

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Fix DevTest Labs VM connectivity by redeploying | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-redeploy-vm | | Troubleshoot DevTest Labs artifact application failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-troubleshoot-apply-artifacts | | Troubleshoot DevTest Labs VM deployment failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/troubleshoot-vm-deployment-failures | | Troubleshoot DevTest Labs VM and environment creation failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/troubleshoot-vm-environment-creation-failures |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Set up distributed DevTest Labs resource development | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/best-practices-distributive-collaborative-development-environment |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Plan and execute a DevTest Labs proof of concept | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/deliver-proof-concept | | Choose between custom images and formulas in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-comparing-vm-base-image-types | | Choose and use Gen1 vs Gen2 VMs in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-gen2-vm | | Govern Azure DevTest Labs resources across an organization | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-guidance-governance-resources | | Plan DevTest Labs deployment at enterprise scale | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-guidance-scale |

Architecture & Design Patterns

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Enterprise reference architecture for Azure DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-reference-architecture |

Limits & Quotas

| Topic | URL |