Azure Local

From the author

Plan, deploy, operate, and troubleshoot Azure Local (formerly Azure Stack HCI): sizing and prerequisites, Arc registration, lifecycle updates, workloads (Azure Local VMs, AKS on Azure Local, images, disks, logical networks), SDN and network security, and failure triage — starting read-only and confirming before risky changes. WHEN: Azure Local, Azure Stack HCI, Arc resource bridge, custom location, Azure Local VM, Arc VM, AKS on Azure Local, AKS hybrid, SDN, Lifecycle Manager, Azure Local update, disconnected site.

— the description by Microsoft

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured approach to managing Azure Local (formerly Azure Stack HCI) environments. It covers the full lifecycle from initial planning and prerequisites to deployment, workload management (including VMs and AKS on Azure Local), networking, security, and ongoing maintenance. The skill emphasizes safety by requiring read-only verification before executing any destructive or configuration-changing operations and provides guidance on when to escalate to specialized multi-rack procedures.

What it does

Guides users through Azure Local planning, sizing, and deployment prerequisites.
Manages lifecycle updates and cluster maintenance tasks.
Facilitates the management of workloads including Azure Local VMs and AKS on Azure Local.
Assists in configuring SDN, network security, and load balancing.
Provides troubleshooting steps for cluster failures and health issues.
Ensures safe operations by requiring confirmation before risky changes.

When to use it

When planning or deploying a standard 1-16 node hyperconverged or up to 64-node disaggregated Azure Local cluster.
When performing lifecycle updates or managing cluster health.
When managing VMs, AKS clusters, or network resources on Azure Local.
When troubleshooting connectivity, SDN, or cluster-level issues.
When you need to verify prerequisites for Arc registration or custom location setup.

Advantages

Ensures adherence to official Microsoft Learn documentation and best practices.
Promotes operational safety through a read-only-first approach.
Provides clear boundaries between standard deployments and complex multi-rack scenarios.
Centralizes guidance for both Azure control-plane and local cluster management tasks.

Usage examples

“What are the network prerequisites for deploying a new Azure Local cluster?”: The agent will provide a summary of physical and host network requirements, including links to the relevant Microsoft Learn documentation for network patterns.
“How do I check the update status of my Azure Local cluster?”: The agent will guide you through using the appropriate Azure CLI or PowerShell commands to assess and report the current update status of your cluster.
“I need to troubleshoot a VM that is not starting on my Azure Local cluster.”: The agent will initiate the troubleshooting workflow, starting with read-only checks of the VM state and cluster health before suggesting remediation steps.

Install

Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/azure-local/download

Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip azure-local.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Microsoft

Quick Reference

Property	Value
Best for	Azure Local planning, deployment, operations, workloads
MCP Tools	Generic Azure MCP tools only; no Azure Local namespace
CLI	`az graph query`, `az resource show`, Azure Local PowerShell
Related skills	azure-compute (public VMs), azure-kubernetes (public AKS)

When to Use This Skill

Use for Azure Local, Azure Stack HCI, Azure Local VMs, AKS on Azure Local, AKS hybrid, SDN, lifecycle updates, disconnected sites, or troubleshooting. Covers standard deployments (1-16 node hyperconverged, up to 64 disaggregated) and rack-aware clusters.

Do not use for cloud VM or public AKS guidance, or for multi-rack (rack scale) deployments — those use a separate control plane and procedure set. Hand off to the azure-local-multi-rack skill.

MCP Tools

Azure Local has no dedicated MCP namespace. Use generic Azure MCP tools: mcp_azure_mcp_extension_cli_generate (ARG/CLI inventory), mcp_azure_mcp_monitor (needs Log Analytics), mcp_azure_mcp_resourcehealth (partial; not local cluster health), mcp_azure_mcp_documentation (pass the user's version when known).

Scope and limitations: mcp-and-cli-tools.

Workflow

Confirm deployment scale. If the user mentions multi-rack, aggregation racks, Network Fabric Controller, Cluster Manager, or Microsoft.NetworkCloud resources, stop and use the azure-local-multi-rack skill instead.
Deploy -> plan-and-deploy
Operate/update -> operate-and-update
VMs, AKS, images, disks, networks -> workload-management
SDN, NSG, load balancer, gateway -> networking-and-security
Failures -> troubleshooting

Read the matched workflow first and use docs-map. Start read-only. Ask before updates, deletes, reimages, network changes, VM power/delete operations, or Arc bridge/custom location changes.

Error Handling

Scenario	Remediation
Scale unknown	Ask whether the deployment is standard or multi-rack before giving procedures.
Multi-rack detected	Hand off to the `azure-local-multi-rack` skill; these procedures do not apply.
Version unknown	Ask for the Azure Local version, or use latest docs.
Risky change detected	Stop and follow safety-rules.
No local access	Stay with Azure control-plane checks only.
Doc URL 404/redirect	Search Learn for the article title with the user's version.

Files

ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer983 B
LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.1 KiB
SKILL.md3.3 KiB
references/docs-map.md7.6 KiB
references/mcp-and-cli-tools.md3.4 KiB
references/resource-types.md2.5 KiB
references/safety-rules.md2.1 KiB
workflows/networking-and-security/networking-and-security.md3.5 KiB
workflows/operate-and-update/operate-and-update.md3.6 KiB
workflows/plan-and-deploy/plan-and-deploy.md4.3 KiB
workflows/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md3.7 KiB
workflows/workload-management/workload-management.md3.4 KiB

workflows/plan-and-deploy/plan-and-deploy.md

Plan and Deploy Azure Local

Use this workflow when a user is planning, preparing, or deploying Azure Local. Keep the guidance version-aware and fetch current Microsoft Learn procedures through docs-map before giving detailed step-by-step commands.

Intake

Collect the minimum deployment context:

Question	Why it matters
Deployment type and size	Azure Local supports single-node and multi-node hyperconverged deployments with topology-specific constraints.
Hardware/vendor/BOM status	Azure Local expects validated hardware and partner solution guidance.
Connectivity model	Direct Arc registration, Arc gateway, proxy, private endpoints, limited connectivity, and disconnected scenarios change prerequisites.
Network topology	The storage network pattern affects supported portal vs ARM deployment choices.
Identity model	Active Directory preparation and subscription permissions are prerequisites.
Deployment method	Portal, ARM template, and local identity with Key Vault have different inputs and validation points.

Sequence

Confirm scope - Determine whether the user is planning, preparing prerequisites, registering machines, deploying the instance, or validating a completed deployment.
Load authoritative docs - Use docs-map to fetch the current Azure Local overview, prerequisites, deployment introduction, and topology guidance for the requested version.
Check prerequisites - Review hardware/BOM, OS, Active Directory, subscription permissions, Azure CLI/PowerShell requirements, firewall/proxy/private endpoint requirements, and Azure Arc requirements.
Select topology - Map the node count and storage connectivity to a validated network reference pattern before recommending IP/VLAN/switch settings.
Prepare machines - Follow docs for OS download/install or simplified machine provisioning. Do not invent installation steps.
Register with Azure Arc - Choose direct registration, Arc gateway, proxy, or private endpoint flow based on connectivity.
Deploy the Azure Local instance - Use portal for guided deployments when supported by the topology; use ARM templates for scenarios that require template support.
Validate deployment - Confirm Azure Local instance, Arc resource bridge, custom location, infrastructure logical network, and any expected extensions/resources exist.
Document next operations - Hand off to Operate and Update for lifecycle and monitoring setup or Workload Management for workload onboarding.

Deployment method routing

Scenario	Preferred path
User wants guided setup and topology is portal-supported	Azure portal deployment
User needs repeatable IaC or a topology not available in portal	ARM template deployment
Environment uses central Arc gateway	Arc gateway registration docs before deployment
Environment uses private endpoints	Private endpoint deployment docs before deployment
User is evaluating locally	Azure Local virtual/lab deployment guidance, with clear non-production caveat

Guardrails

Do not proceed from planning to deployment commands without confirming the deployment method and target environment.
Do not generate irreversible Active Directory, network, firewall, or private endpoint changes without user confirmation.
Do not skip network topology validation; unsupported topology choices lead to deployment failures.
Do not delete or recreate Arc resource bridge/custom locations during deployment troubleshooting unless the user confirms a decommission or reimage flow.
Use safety-rules for all destructive or availability-impacting actions.

Evidence to collect

Azure subscription and tenant.
Resource group and region.
Azure Local instance name.
Node count and hardware model.
Network pattern and storage network configuration.
Connectivity mode: direct, proxy, Arc gateway, private endpoint, limited, or disconnected.
Deployment method and deployment status.

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs Node.js

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download azure-local.zip