Azure Network Watcher Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Network Watcher. Covers troubleshooting, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

IMPORTANT for Agent: This file may be large. Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections, then use read_file with specific line ranges (e.g., L136-L144) to read the sections needed for the user's question This skill requires network access to fetch documentation content. Use mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch to retrieve full articles.

• Fallback: Use the built-in WebFetch tool if the Microsoft Learn MCP server is not available.

Category Index

Category	Lines	Description
Troubleshooting	L34-L43	Diagnosing and automating troubleshooting for outbound connectivity, NSG/admin rules, and VPN gateway/on-premises VPN issues using Network Watcher, Azure CLI, PowerShell, and Automation.
Decision Making	L44-L50	Guidance for migrating network monitoring: moving from classic Connection Monitor and Network Performance Monitor tests, and switching NSG flow logs to VNet flow logs.
Limits & Quotas	L51-L55	How to configure and run Network Watcher packet capture, storage and filtering options, and the key limits/quotas (size, duration, concurrency) that apply to captures
Security	L56-L62	Configuring secure access to Network Watcher with RBAC, using Traffic Analytics for Zero Trust segmentation, and protecting VNet flow logs with managed identities.
Configuration	L63-L78	Configuring and governing Network Watcher logging: Connection Monitor AMA setup, NSG and VNet flow logs, Traffic Analytics schemas, filters, ARM/Bicep/Policy deployment and management.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L79-L85	Using PowerShell, KQL, Power BI, and Azure Functions to parse NSG flow logs, visualize traffic, run analytics, and trigger packet captures from alerts.

Troubleshooting

Topic	URL
Diagnose outbound connection issues with Network Watcher	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-troubleshoot-manage
Troubleshoot NSG and admin rules with NSG diagnostics	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/diagnose-network-security-rules
Diagnose on-premises VPN connectivity to Azure with Network Watcher	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-diagnose-on-premises-connectivity
Automate VPN connectivity monitoring with Azure Automation and Network Watcher	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-monitor-with-azure-automation
Troubleshoot VPN gateways and connections with Azure CLI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vpn-troubleshoot-cli
Troubleshoot VPN gateways and connections with PowerShell	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vpn-troubleshoot-powershell

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Migrate from Connection Monitor classic to new Connection Monitor	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/migrate-to-connection-monitor-from-connection-monitor-classic
Migrate tests from Network Performance Monitor to Connection Monitor	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/migrate-to-connection-monitor-from-network-performance-monitor
Migrate from NSG flow logs to VNet flow logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-migrate

Limits & Quotas

Topic	URL
Use Network Watcher packet capture and understand its limits	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/packet-capture-overview

Security

Topic	URL
Configure RBAC permissions for Azure Network Watcher	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/required-rbac-permissions
Apply Zero Trust segmentation using Traffic Analytics	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-zero-trust
Secure VNet flow logs with managed identities	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-managed-identity

Configuration

Topic	URL
Configure Azure Monitor Agent for Connection Monitor	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/azure-monitor-agent-with-connection-monitor
Install and manage Azure Monitor Agent on Arc servers	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-monitor-install-azure-monitor-agent
Understand Connection Monitor Log Analytics data schemas	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/connection-monitor-schema
Enable NSG flow logs using Bicep	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-bicep
Configure and manage Azure NSG flow logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-manage
Manage NSG flow logs deployment with Azure Policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-policy-portal
Enable NSG flow logs using ARM templates	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-template
Govern Traffic Analytics with Azure Policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-policy-portal
Understand Traffic Analytics schema and aggregation	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-schema
Configure filtering for Azure virtual network flow logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-filtering
Configure and manage Azure virtual network flow logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-manage
Enforce VNet flow logs with Azure Policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-policy

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
Parse and read Azure flow logs with PowerShell	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/flow-logs-read
Visualize NSG flow logs in Power BI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-visualize-nsg-flow-logs-power-bi
Trigger Network Watcher packet captures from Azure Functions alerts	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/packet-capture-alert-triggered
Analyze Traffic Analytics data with KQL queries	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/traffic-analytics-queries