azure-sql-virtual-machines
Expert knowledge for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when building, debugging, or optimizing SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines applications. Not for Azure SQL Database (use azure-sql-database), Azure SQL Managed Instance (use azure-sql-managed-instance), Azure Virtual Machines (use azure-virtual-machines), Azure Database Migration service (use azure-database-migration).
From azurenpx claudepluginhub atc-net/atc-agentic-toolkit --plugin azureThis skill uses the workspace's default tool permissions.
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines Skill
This skill provides expert guidance for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines. 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: This file may be large. Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections, then use
read_filewith 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. Usemcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetchto retrieve full articles.
- Fallback: Use the built-in
WebFetchtool if the Microsoft Learn MCP server is not available.
Category Index
| Category | Lines | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Troubleshooting | L37-L52 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure SQL and SQL Server on Azure VM issues: connectivity, capacity, performance (I/O, memory, redo lag), transaction logs, geo-replication, and IaaS Agent extension errors. |
| Best Practices | L53-L66 | Performance, HA/DR, and maintenance best practices for SQL Server on Azure VMs: VM sizing, storage/tempdb tuning, baselines, backups, FCI/DNN, and cluster configuration. |
| Decision Making | L67-L78 | Guidance on migration/modernization to SQL on Azure VMs (from Db2/Oracle/on-prem), HADR and licensing choices, cost optimization, and end-of-support upgrade planning. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L79-L87 | High-level designs and patterns for SQL Server on Azure VMs: connectivity, Always On availability groups, failover cluster instances, and Windows Server Failover Clustering setup. |
| Limits & Quotas | L88-L95 | Info on Azure SQL capacity limits, DTU benchmark behavior, regional feature availability, and how to request quota increases for databases and managed instances |
| Security | L96-L106 | Securing SQL Server on Azure VMs: policies, TLS cert rotation, Key Vault and EKM, Entra auth, managed identities, hardening guidance, and confidential VM deployment. |
| Configuration | L107-L149 | Configuring SQL Server on Azure VMs: HA/DR (AGs, FCIs, listeners, load balancers), storage/perf, backups, editions/versions, and SQL IaaS Agent/monitoring setup. |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L150-L155 | Backing up and restoring SQL Server on Azure VMs directly to Azure Blob Storage, including configurations that use managed identities instead of stored credentials. |
| Deployment | L156-L173 | Deploying and configuring SQL Server Always On availability groups and FCIs on Azure VMs, including single/multi-subnet, cross-region, prerequisites, and migration of VMs and storage. |
Troubleshooting
Best Practices
Decision Making
Architecture & Design Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Understand connectivity architecture for Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/connectivity-architecture?view=azuresql |
| Apply SQL Server application patterns on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/application-patterns-development-strategies?view=azuresql |
| Design Always On availability groups for SQL Server on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-overview?view=azuresql |
| Understand failover cluster instances for SQL Server on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/failover-cluster-instance-overview?view=azuresql |
| Use Windows Server Failover Clustering with SQL Server on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/hadr-windows-server-failover-cluster-overview?view=azuresql |
Limits & Quotas
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Understand DTU benchmark characteristics for Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/dtu-benchmark?view=azuresql |
| Request quota increases for Azure SQL resources | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/quota-increase-request?view=azuresql |
| Check regional feature availability for Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/region-availability?view=azuresql |
| Check regional feature availability for Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/region-availability?view=azuresql |
Security
Configuration
Integrations & Coding Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Back up SQL Server on Azure VMs to Azure Blob Storage | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/azure-storage-sql-server-backup-restore-use?view=azuresql |
| Back up and restore SQL VMs to Blob using managed identities | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/backup-restore-to-url-using-managed-identities?view=azuresql |