**WORKFLOW SKILL** — Run workloads on Azure Local: Arc VMs, AKS clusters, SQL Server, and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). Routes to the right workload path. WHEN: "run workloads on Azure Local", "AVD on Azure Local", "Azure Virtual Desktop Azure Local", "SQL Server on Azure Local", "run AKS on Azure Local", "deploy app to Azure Local", "workloads Azure Local". USE FOR: choosing and starting a workload type on an existing instance. DO NOT USE FOR: deep AKS cluster lifecycle (use aksarc-on-azure-local), VM image/NIC lifecycle (use azlocal-vm-management).
Installation
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**WORKFLOW SKILL** — Run workloads on Azure Local: Arc VMs, AKS clusters, SQL Server, and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). Routes to the right workload path. WHEN: "run workloads on Azure Local", "AVD on Azure Local", "Azure Virtual Desktop Azure Local", "SQL Server on Azure Local", "run AKS on Azure Local", "deploy app to Azure Local", "workloads Azure Local". USE FOR: choosing and starting a workload type on an existing instance. DO NOT USE FOR: deep AKS cluster lifecycle (use aksarc-on-azure-local), VM image/NIC lifecycle (use azlocal-vm-management).
compatibility
Works with Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, VS Code, and any Agent Skills compatible tool.
This skill is grounded in the vendored Microsoft docs under docs/upstream/azure-local/ and docs/upstream/aksarc/. Prefer those files over prior knowledge, cite the file you used, and treat Microsoft Learn as canonical when the weekly mirror lags.
Triggers
Activate this skill when the user wants to:
Decide which workload type to run on an existing Azure Local instance
Start SQL Server, AVD, Arc VMs, or AKS workloads
Route a workload request to the most specific skill
Rules
Prefer the vendored docs under docs/upstream/; cite the exact file used.
Route to the most specific skill: VMs → azlocal-vm-management, AKS → aksarc-on-azure-local.
Confirm the target instance is deployed and healthy before placing workloads.
AVD on Azure Local: the control plane (host pool, application group, workspace) lives in Azure; session hosts are Arc VMs on the instance. Use Standard host-pool management — "session host configuration" is not supported on Azure Local. Session hosts must be AD DS domain-joined (Entra-only join isn't supported) and have the Connected Machine agent (for IMDS).
AVD registration token: retrieve it with the REST action POST .../Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization/hostPools/<hp>/retrieveRegistrationToken?api-version=2025-10-10 (--query token). The az desktopvirtualization hostpool retrieve-registration-token CLI command and GET ?$expand=registrationInfo can return empty on older extension versions.
AVD agent install: deliver it via an Arc machine extension (CustomScriptExtension) that installs the RDInfra Agent (with REGISTRATIONTOKEN) then the Agent Boot Loader — not run-commands (see azlocal-vm-management rule on in-guest execution). Win11/Win10 multi-session needs no RDSH role; Windows Server session hosts do.
Microsoft Learn / discovered governance wins over the mirror on any conflict.
Steps (route by workload)
Arc VMs — use azlocal-vm-management for images, networks, and VM lifecycle.
AKS / containers — use aksarc-on-azure-local; see docs/upstream/aksarc/aks-create-clusters-portal.md.
SQL Server — follow docs/upstream/azure-local/deploy/sql-server-23h2.md.
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD on Azure Local):
Deploy the control plane in Azure (Bicep): host pool (Standard, Pooled/BreadthFirst) + Desktop application group + workspace.
Retrieve the registration token via the REST retrieveRegistrationToken action (see Rules).
Create the session host as an Arc VM via azlocal-vm-management (sized with vmSize:'Custom', AD domain-joined).
Install the AVD agent via a CustomScriptExtension machine extension using the token.
Verify the host is registered: GET .../hostPools/<hp>/sessionHosts?api-version=2025-10-10 → status reaches Available. Activate VMs (Azure verification for VMs) for usability.
