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: 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	L34-L44	Diagnosing and fixing outbound connectivity, NSG/admin rule issues, and VPN gateway/on-prem VPN connection problems, plus automating VPN monitoring with Azure Network Watcher.
Decision Making	L45-L51	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	L52-L56	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	L57-L64	Securing Network Watcher: RBAC setup, hardening deployments and data access, Zero Trust segmentation with Traffic Analytics, and protecting VNet flow logs using managed identities.
Configuration	L65-L80	Configuring and managing Network Watcher agents, NSG/VNet flow logs, schemas, filters, Traffic Analytics, and deployment/governance via Bicep, ARM templates, and Azure Policy
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L81-L86	Using Network Watcher programmatically: triggering packet captures from Functions alerts, querying Traffic Analytics with KQL, and provisioning VNet flow logs via Terraform.

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
Resolve common Azure Network Watcher issues	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/frequently-asked-questions
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/rbac-permissions
Secure Azure Network Watcher deployment and data access	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/secure-network-watcher
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
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
Install and manage Azure Network Watcher VM extension	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-agent-manage
Update Azure Network Watcher Agent VM extension	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/network-watcher-agent-update
Configure and manage Azure NSG flow logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/nsg-flow-logs-manage
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
Deploy Network Watcher flow logs with Bicep	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-bicep
Configure filtering for Azure VNet 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
Deploy Network Watcher flow logs via ARM template	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-template

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
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
Provision Azure VNet flow logs with Terraform	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/network-watcher/vnet-flow-logs-terraform