/azure-virtual-network

name: azure-virtual-network
description: 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).
compatibility: Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata:
  generated_at: "2026-08-09"
  generator: "docs2skills/1.0.0"

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](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 | 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/virtua