azure-operator-nexus

name	azure-operator-nexus
description	Expert knowledge for Azure Operator Nexus development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when configuring Nexus clusters/fabric, BGP/ACL/QoS, NPB TAP rules, near-edge storage, or Nexus AKS ETCD ops, and other Azure Operator Nexus related development tasks. Not for Azure Network Function Manager (use azure-network-function-manager), Azure Networking (use azure-networking), Azure Virtual Network Manager (use azure-virtual-network-manager), Azure Virtual WAN (use azure-virtual-wan).
compatibility	Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata	{"generated_at":"2026-04-19","generator":"docs2skills/1.0.0"}

Azure Operator Nexus Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Operator Nexus. 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

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-L82	Diagnosing and fixing Nexus bare-metal, network, storage, and Kubernetes issues, including provisioning failures, connectivity, performance, pod/VM errors, and collecting diagnostic logs.
Best Practices	L83-L88	Guidance on Nexus bare metal lifecycle ops, ETCD maintenance in Nexus AKS, and procedures for repairing and maintaining Nexus storage appliance components.
Decision Making	L89-L96	Guidance on choosing Nexus SKUs, VM sizes, storage software versions, and planning where to place Nexus Kubernetes resources in your deployment.
Architecture & Design Patterns	L97-L101	Designing near-edge storage for Azure Operator Nexus: architecture choices, data locality, performance, capacity planning, redundancy, and integration with Nexus network/compute.
Limits & Quotas	L102-L114	Limits, capacity planning, supported versions, and operational behaviors for Nexus clusters: quotas, storage sizing, node restarts, isolation domain requirements, upgrades, and log retention.
Security	L115-L153	Securing Nexus: identity/RBAC, ACLs, SSH/serial access, break-glass, key/secret rotation, managed identities, Defender/Policy, TAP/ExpressRoute auth, and secure VM/cluster access.
Configuration	L154-L216	Configuring and updating Nexus clusters and network fabric: JSON templates, isolation domains, BGP/route policies, ACLs, QoS, maintenance, monitoring, and Kubernetes/node settings.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L217-L221	Configuring Network Packet Broker TAP rules in Azure Operator Nexus, including rule creation, traffic mirroring, filtering, and integration patterns for network observability.
Deployment	L222-L230	Guides for upgrading and replacing Nexus fabric devices/terminal servers, running pre-validation and template-based fabric upgrades, and building/maintaining VM images for Operator Nexus.

Troubleshooting

Topic	URL
Troubleshoot Nexus network devices with read-only commands	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-network-fabric-read-only-commands
Validate Nexus Network Fabric cabling with diagnostic APIs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/how-to-validate-cables
Use bare metal machine platform commands for recovery	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-functions
Run emergency bare metal actions with nexusctl	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-nexusctl
Use run-data-extract to troubleshoot Nexus bare-metal	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-run-data-extract
Troubleshoot bare metal machines with az baremetalmachine run-read-command	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-run-read
Gather trace IDs for Nexus PersistentVolumeClaim failures	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-gather-pvc-trace-id
Collect diagnostic data for Nexus VM console issues	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-gather-vm-console-data
Run Nexus Kubernetes cluster log collector script	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-kubernetes-cluster-log-collector-script
Run read-only diagnostics on Nexus storage appliances	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-storage-run-read
Use Operator Nexus diagnostic logs for monitoring

Best Practices

Topic	URL
Best practices for bare metal machine lifecycle operations in Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-bare-metal-best-practices
Perform storage appliance component repairs in Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-storage-device-repair

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Plan resource placement for Nexus Kubernetes clusters	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-nexus-kubernetes-placement
Select supported storage software versions for Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-near-edge-storage-supported-versions
Select Azure Operator Nexus Kubernetes VM SKUs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-nexus-kubernetes-cluster-sku
Choose appropriate Azure Operator Nexus SKUs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-operator-nexus-skus

Architecture & Design Patterns

Topic	URL
Design near-edge storage architecture for Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-near-edge-storage

Limits & Quotas

Topic	URL
Use Nexus Kubernetes persistent storage classes effectively	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-storage-kubernetes
Plan storage capacity with multiple Nexus appliances	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-storage-multiple-appliances
Restart Nexus Kubernetes nodes and handle timeouts	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-kubernetes-cluster-action-restart
Meet technical requirements for Nexus isolation domains	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-isolation-domain-technical-requirements
Azure Operator Nexus resource limits and quotas reference	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-limits-and-quotas
Supported Kubernetes versions and lifecycle in Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-nexus-kubernetes-cluster-supported-versions
Operator Nexus platform runtime upgrade cadence and support	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-nexus-platform-runtime-upgrades
Check supported software versions for Azure Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/reference-supported-software-versions
Troubleshoot log disruption after 48-hour Nexus disconnection	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/troubleshoot-logs-disrupted-post-prolonged-disconnection

Security

Topic	URL
Configure cross-subscription permissions for Nexus Network Fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-cross-subscription-deployments-required-rbac-for-network-fabric
Automate Nexus Network Fabric operator password rotation v1	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-password-rotation-v1
Configure access and identity for Azure Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-security-access-identity
Configure customer Key Vault for Operator Nexus credential rotation	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/how-to-credential-manager-key-vault
Apply ACLs to Azure Operator Nexus resources	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-apply-access-control-list
Manage emergency SSH access to BMCs with bmckeyset in Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-bmc-ssh
Manage emergency SSH access to bare metal machines with baremetalmachinekeyset	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-baremetal-bmm-ssh
Use managed identities and user resources in Operator Nexus clusters	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-cluster-managed-identity-user-provided-resources
Configure SSH ACLs on Nexus management VPN NNI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-configure-acls-for-ssh-management-on-access-vpn
Configure Network TAP rules with UAMI-based access in Operator Nexus

Configuration

Topic	URL
Use cluster.jsonc template for Operator Nexus cluster configuration	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/cluster-jsonc-example
Configure cluster.parameters.jsonc for multi-rack Operator Nexus clusters	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/cluster-parameters-jsonc-example
Use clusterManager.jsonc template settings for Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/clustermanager-jsonc-example
Configure clusterManager.parameters.jsonc for Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/clustermanager-parameters-jsonc-example
Apply A/B staged configuration updates in Nexus Fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-ab-staged-commit-configuration-update-commit-workflow
Define and apply access control lists in Nexus Network Fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-access-control-lists
Use commit workflow v2 for Nexus Network Fabric changes	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-commit-workflow-v2
Disable BGP neighbors using Nexus read-write commands	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-disable-border-gateway-protocol-neighbors
Disable networks in enabled Layer 3 isolation domains safely	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/concepts-disable-internal-external-networks-enabled-layer-3-isolation-domain
Monitor and detect configuration drift in Nexus Network Fabric

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
Configure Network Packet Broker TAP rules in Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-configure-network-packet-broker

Deployment

Topic	URL
Replace Nexus fabric network devices using RMA process	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-replace-network-devices
Replace a terminal server in Azure Operator Nexus Network Fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-replace-terminal-server
Pre-validate and upgrade Azure Operator Nexus fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-upgrade-nexus-fabric
Use template to upgrade Azure Operator Nexus fabric	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-upgrade-nexus-fabric-template
Upgrade Terminal Server OS in Azure Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-upgrade-os-of-terminal-server
Build VM images for Azure Operator Nexus	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/operator-nexus/howto-virtual-machine-image