azure-well-architected

# Azure Well Architected Skill This skill provides expert guidance for designing, assessing, and optimizing Azure workloads using Azure Well Architected. Covers design review checklists, recommendations, design principles, tradeoffs, service guides, workload patterns, and assessment questions. 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 | |----------|-------|-------------| | Design Review Checklists | L35-L43 | Checklists to review Azure workloads for cost, operations, performance, reliability, and security best practices and identify gaps against Well-Architected guidance. | | Recommendations | L44-L117 | Guidance on cost, reliability, performance, security, and operational excellence best practices for Azure workloads, including optimization, monitoring, automation, and sustainable cloud operations. | | Design Principles | L118-L133 | High-level Azure design guidance: cost, performance, reliability, security/Zero Trust, sustainability, operational excellence, capacity resilience, and patterns for AI, HPC, and SaaS workloads. | | Tradeoffs | L134-L143 | Guidance on weighing cost, reliability, performance, security, and operations tradeoffs in Azure architectures, including regions/AZ choices and cross-pillar design decisions. | | Service Guides | L144-L180 | Service-specific Azure Well-Architected and WAF best practices for designing, configuring, and operating core services (compute, networking, storage, data, and integration) for reliability, security, and performance. | | Workload Patterns | L181-L225 | Design patterns, reference architectures, and end-to-end guidance for AI, HPC, mission-critical, SaaS, and sustainable workloads on Azure, including platforms, data, ops, security, and governance. | | Assessment Questions | L226-L237 | Guided assessments and maturity models to evaluate AI, SaaS, AVD, AVS, and other Azure workloads against WAF pillars: cost, reliability, security, performance, and operations. | ### Design Review Checklists | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Use Cost Optimization design review checklist for Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/checklist | | Use operational excellence design review checklist | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/checklist | | Use performance efficiency design review checklist | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/checklist | | Use reliability design checklist for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/checklist | | Use the Security design review checklist for workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/checklist | ### Recommendations | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Align Azure resource usage with billing increments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/align-usage-to-billing-increments | | Implement cost data collection and review for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/collect-review-cost-data | | Use consolidation strategies to reduce Azure costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/consolidation | | Build and maintain a cost model for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/cost-model | | Create a culture of financial responsibility for cloud costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/create-culture-financial-responsibility | | Negotiate and obtain best provider rates for Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/get-best-rates | | Reduce Azure workload costs through code optimization | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-code-costs | | Optimize individual component costs in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-component-costs | | Optimize Azure data storage and management costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-data-costs | | Optimize non-production and production environment costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-environment-costs | | Implement cost optimization for workload data flows | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-flow-costs | | Optimize personnel time for Azure workload operations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-personnel-time | | Optimize scaling strategies to reduce Azure costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/optimize-scaling-costs | | Implement spending guardrails for Azure cost optimization | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/set-spending-guardrails | | Develop background jobs to offload application workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/background-jobs | | Create a disaster recovery plan for multi-region workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/disaster-recovery | | Implement transient fault handling in cloud applications | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/handle-transient-faults | | Build workload health models to improve reliability | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/health-modeling | | Design and operate an incident management practice | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/incident-management | | Design data partitioning for reliable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/partition-data | | Implement continuous integration for Azure release engineering | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/release-engineering-continuous-integration | | Design and implement automation in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/enable-automation | | Formalize development practices for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/formalize-development-practices | | Standardize Azure operations with formalized tasks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/formalize-operations-tasks | | Design and run an incident management process for Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/incident-response | | Adopt infrastructure as code for Azure deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/infrastructure-as-code-design | | Design an observability and monitoring system in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/observability | | Implement safe deployment practices for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/safe-deployments | | Implement testing practices for Azure operational excellence | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/testing | | Standardize development tools and processes for OpEx | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/tools-processes | | Implement CI/CD-based workload development supply chains | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/workload-supply-chain | | Implement capacity planning for Azure performance efficiency | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/capacity-planning | | Continuously optimize performance efficiency in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/continuous-performance-optimize | | Implement multi-layer performance monitoring for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/monitoring | | Optimize application code and infrastructure performance on Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/optimize-code-infrastructure | | Implement data performance optimizations for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/optimize-data-performance | | Optimize operational tasks to protect workload performance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/optimize-operational-tasks | | Define and expose performance targets for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/performance-targets | | Implement performance testing for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/performance-test | | Prioritize performance of critical flows in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/prioritize-critical-flows | | Respond to live performance issues in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/respond-live-performance-issues | | Optimize scaling and partitioning for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/scale-partition | | Select Azure services to meet workload performance needs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/select-services | | Plan disaster recovery strategies for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/disaster-recovery | | Perform failure mode analysis to improve workload reliability | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/failure-mode-analysis | | Identify and prioritize workload flows for reliability | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/identify-flows | | Define availability and recovery targets for reliability | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/metrics | | Implement monitoring strategy for workload reliability | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/monitoring | | Design redundancy strategies to meet reliability targets | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/redundancy | | Implement reliability testing strategy for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/reliability-test | | Design reliable scaling strategies for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/scaling | | Design self-healing and self-preservation capabilities in Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/self-preservation | | Implement simplicity and efficiency for reliable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/simplify | | Securely manage and store application secrets in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/application-secrets | | Implement data classification for secure Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/data-classification | | Apply encryption and secret management for Azure data | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/encryption | | Establish and apply a security baseline in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/establish-baseline | | Harden Azure resources to reduce attack surface | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/harden-resources | | Design identity and access management for workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/identity-access | | Implement security incident response for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/incident-response | | Design monitoring and threat detection for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/monitor-threats | | Implement secure networking and connectivity controls | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/networking | | Implement secure development lifecycle architecture in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/secure-development-lifecycle | | Design segmentation strategies with perimeters and isolation | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/segmentation | | Implement rigorous security testing for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/test | | Use cost optimization recommendations for sustainable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-cost-optimization-recommendations | | Adopt operational excellence practices for sustainable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-operational-excellence-recommendations | | Optimize performance efficiency for sustainable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-performance-efficiency-recommendations | | Implement reliability recommendations for sustainable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-reliability-recommendations | | Apply security recommendations to improve sustainable Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-security-recommendations | ### Design Principles | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Apply WAF design principles to AI workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/ai/design-principles | | Use architecture patterns that improve cost optimization | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/design-patterns | | Apply Cost Optimization design principles in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/principles | | Design for capacity resilience in Azure architectures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/design-guides/capacity-resilience | | Use WAF design principles for Azure HPC architectures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/hpc/hpc-design-principles | | Apply mission-critical design principles on Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/mission-critical/mission-critical-design-principles | | Apply Operational Excellence design principles in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/operational-excellence/principles | | Apply Performance Efficiency design principles in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/performance-efficiency/principles | | Apply reliability design principles to Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/reliability/principles | | Use WAF-aligned design principles for SaaS on Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/saas/design-principles | | Apply security design principles with zero trust | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/security/principles | | Apply sustainability design methodology for Azure workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/sustainability/sustainability-design-methodology | ### Tradeoffs | Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Analyze cost optimization tradeoffs across WAF pillars | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/well-architected/cost-optimization/tradeoffs |