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

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/virtual-network/virtual-network-cost-optimization
Choose Azure VNet integration options for service isolation	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/vnet-integration-for-azure-services

Architecture & Design Patterns

Topic	URL
Design subnet extension strategies for Azure migrations	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/subnet-extension
Implement hybrid two-tier application with Azure VNets	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-scenario-udr-gw-nva
Plan Azure virtual network topology and connectivity	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-vnet-plan-design-arm

Limits & Quotas

Topic	URL
Create Azure VM with static public IP and understand IP limits	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/virtual-network-static-public-ip
Understand Azure VM network throughput limits	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-machine-network-throughput
Understand Azure Virtual Network limits and behaviors	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-faq

Security

Topic	URL
Configure Kubernetes network policies on Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/kubernetes-network-policies
Secure Azure Virtual Network deployments with layered controls	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/secure-virtual-network
Apply Azure Policy compliance controls to Virtual Network	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/security-controls-policy
Configure and manage Azure Virtual Network encryption	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-encryption-faq
Secure Azure Storage egress with service endpoint policies	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-service-endpoint-policies-overview

Configuration

Topic	URL
Configure MANA for Linux Azure virtual machines	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-linux
Configure MANA behavior for NVAs on existing VM sizes	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/accelerated-networking-mana-network-virtual-appliance-opt-out
Configure advertised gateway prefixes for hub VNets	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-advertised-gateway-prefixes
Configure subnet peering in Azure virtual networks	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-configure-subnet-peering
Create and configure an encrypted Azure virtual network	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-create-encryption
Deploy a DHCP server VM for on-premises clients	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-dhcp-azure
Configure MTU settings for Azure virtual machines	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/how-to-virtual-machine-mtu
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Application Gateway frontends	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-application-gateway
Configure public IP addresses for Azure Firewall deployments	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-firewall
Configure public IP usage with Azure Load Balancer	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/configure-public-ip-load-balancer

Deployment

Topic	URL
Upgrade Azure Basic public IPs to Standard SKU	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-upgrade