azure-automation
Azure Automation Skill
This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Automation. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, 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: Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g.,
L35-L120), useread_filewith the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g.,[security.md](security.md)), useread_fileon the linked reference file
IMPORTANT for Agent: If
metadata.generated_atis more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. Ifmcp_microsoftdocstools 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_fetchwith query stringfrom=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown. - Fallback: Use
fetch_webpagewith query stringfrom=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown. Returns Markdown.
Category Index
| Category | Lines | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Troubleshooting | L36-L46 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure Automation issues: DSC/State Configuration, Hybrid Runbook Workers (agent/extension), managed identities, runbook failures, shared resources, and collecting support diagnostics. |
| Best Practices | L47-L56 | Best practices for structuring, chaining, and managing runbooks, handling errors and output streams, ensuring resilient execution, and avoiding context-switching issues in Azure Automation. |
| Decision Making | L57-L65 | Guidance on choosing Azure Automation runbook types and planning migrations (Orchestrator, Log Analytics agent, Hybrid workers, Run As accounts, AzureRM→Az, and agent-to-extension changes). |
| Limits & Quotas | L66-L72 | Limits, quotas, and version/support details for Azure Automation: DSC extension changes, Automation resource limits, subscription quotas, and Change Tracking/Inventory support with AMA. |
| Security | L73-L93 | Securing Automation accounts: identities, RBAC, auth methods, encryption, certificates/credentials, private endpoints, and policy/compliance for secure runbooks and access. |
| Configuration | L94-L134 | Configuring and managing Azure Automation runbooks, DSC/State Configuration, Hybrid Runbook Workers, alerts, schedules, source control, policies, packages, and deployment/runtime settings. |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L135-L147 | Integrating Automation runbooks with Azure/AWS/Office 365/SQL, authenticating via identities/webhooks, deploying ARM, sending logs to Monitor, and emailing via SendGrid |
| Deployment | L148-L157 | Guides for deploying resilient Automation accounts, setting up DR and continuous deployment, and installing/migrating Windows/Linux Hybrid Runbook Workers and agents. |
Troubleshooting
Best Practices
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Design modular parent-child runbooks in Azure Automation | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-child-runbooks |
| Design resilient Azure Automation runbook execution behavior | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-runbook-execution |
| Implement error handling in Azure Automation graphical runbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-runbook-graphical-error-handling |
| Configure output and message streams in Azure Automation runbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-runbook-output-and-messages |
| Avoid Azure Automation runbook issues from context switching | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/context-switching |
| Manage Azure Automation runbooks with recommended design patterns | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/manage-runbooks |
Decision Making
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Migrate System Center Orchestrator runbooks to Azure Automation | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-orchestrator-migration |
| Choose appropriate Azure Automation runbook types | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-runbook-types |
| Migrate Change Tracking from Log Analytics agent to AMA | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/change-tracking/guidance-migration-log-analytics-monitoring-agent |
| Plan and execute migration from Run As to managed identities | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/migrate-run-as-accounts-managed-identity |
| Plan migration from AzureRM to Az modules in Azure Automation | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/shared-resources/modules |
Limits & Quotas
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| View and manage Azure Automation limits and quotas | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-limits-quotas |
| Azure Automation subscription limits and quotas reference | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automation/automation-subscription-limits-faq |
| Support matrix for Change Tracking and Inventory with AMA | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/change-tracking-inventory-support-matrix |
Security
Configuration
Integrations & Coding Patterns
Deployment
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