Azure Local Multi Rack
MicrosoftOfficialCreated by Microsoft
- Skill
- Workflow
- Cloud and DevOps
- MIT
- No issues found
AutoGineer summary
Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author
The azure-local-multi-rack skill provides a structured approach to planning, deploying, and operating large-scale, multi-rack Azure Local environments. Unlike standard deployments, these rack-scale configurations utilize a specialized control plane involving a Network Fabric Controller (NFC) and Cluster Manager. This skill covers the unique requirements for managing preintegrated racks, SAN storage, and managed network fabrics, ensuring users follow the correct procedures for logical networks, Arc VM management, and fabric operations.
What it does
- Guides users through planning and deploying rack-scale Azure Local infrastructure.
- Provides procedures for managing Arc VMs, images, and storage in a multi-rack environment.
- Facilitates configuration of network fabrics, isolation domains, and load balancers.
- Supports operational tasks including monitoring, metrics, and serial console access.
- Ensures correct usage of specialized Azure CLI extensions for multi-rack control planes.
- Distinguishes between multi-rack and standard Azure Local deployment requirements.
When to use it
- When deploying or managing rack-scale Azure Local environments with 100+ machines.
- When working with preintegrated racks, aggregation racks, and managed network fabrics.
- When utilizing the Microsoft.NetworkCloud and Microsoft.ManagedNetworkFabric control planes.
- When you need to configure complex networking components like isolation domains or internal load balancers.
- When troubleshooting issues specific to multi-rack infrastructure components.
Advantages
- Prevents confusion by clearly separating multi-rack procedures from standard Azure Local workflows.
- Provides a centralized map to authoritative Microsoft Learn documentation for preview features.
- Promotes safe operations by requiring read-only verification before executing fabric or SAN changes.
- Ensures the correct CLI extensions are identified and used for specific resource providers.
Usage examples
- “How do I create a new logical network for my multi-rack deployment?”
- The agent will guide you through the specific multi-rack logical network creation workflow, ensuring you use the correct network fabric commands rather than standard Azure Local procedures.
- “I need to troubleshoot a VM issue on my rack-scale cluster.”
- The agent will provide steps for using the serial console and monitoring tools specifically designed for Arc VMs within a multi-rack architecture.
- “What are the prerequisites for setting up a new multi-rack instance?”
- The agent will outline the necessary Network Fabric Controller and Cluster Manager setup, along with the required Azure CLI extensions and provider registrations.
Install
Download the skill as a ZIP:
https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/microsoft/azure-local-multi-rack/downloadUnzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:
mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip azure-local-multi-rack.zip -d .agents/skills
Documentation by Microsoft
Azure Local Multi-Rack
Multi-rack is in preview — say so, and confirm availability from the docs before committing to a design.
Quick Reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Best for | Rack-scale Azure Local: 100+ machines, preintegrated racks, SAN, managed fabric |
| Scale | Minimum four racks — one aggregation rack plus three or more compute racks |
| Providers | Microsoft.NetworkCloud, Microsoft.ManagedNetworkFabric, Microsoft.AzureStackHCI |
| CLI | az networkcloud, az networkfabric, az stack-hci-vm |
| Related skill | azure-local for standard 1-16 node and rack-aware deployments |
When to Use This Skill
Use when the deployment is multi-rack / rack scale: preintegrated racks, an aggregation rack, a Network Fabric Controller, a Cluster Manager, SAN storage, or the networkcloud / managednetworkfabric CLI extensions.
Do not use for standard Azure Local (1-16 node hyperconverged, up to 64 disaggregated) or rack-aware clusters — hand off to the azure-local skill. If the scale is unclear, ask first: the two have separate, non-interchangeable procedures for the same-sounding tasks (logical networks, VM creation, NSGs).
MCP Tools
No dedicated MCP namespace. Use generic Azure MCP tools: mcp_azure_mcp_extension_cli_generate (confirm networkcloud/networkfabric extensions first), mcp_azure_mcp_monitor (needs Log Analytics), mcp_azure_mcp_resourcehealth (partial; not fabric or SAN health), mcp_azure_mcp_documentation (multi-rack articles only — standard Azure Local pages do not apply).
Details: cli-and-prereqs.
Workflow
Confirm this is multi-rack, not standard Azure Local — see When to Use.
Plan/deploy -> plan-and-deploy
VMs, AKS, images, disks -> workload-management
Fabric, isolation domains, load balancers, NSGs -> networking
Monitoring, metrics, serial console, failures -> operate-and-monitor
Read the matched workflow first and use docs-map. Start read-only. Ask before fabric changes, isolation domain edits, VM power/delete operations, or anything touching the aggregation rack or SAN.
Error Handling
| Scenario | Remediation |
|---|---|
| Scale unknown | Ask whether the deployment is multi-rack or standard before recommending procedures. |
| Standard Azure Local detected | Hand off to the azure-local skill; multi-rack procedures do not apply. |
| Missing CLI extension | Install per cli-and-prereqs before running commands. |
| Risky fabric or SAN change | Stop and follow safety-rules. |
| Doc URL 404/redirect | Search Learn for the title, scoped to multi-rack deployments of Azure Local. |
Files
- ATTRIBUTION.mdAdded by AutoGineer1016 B
- LICENSELicence file added by AutoGineer1.1 KiB
- SKILL.md3.7 KiB
- references/cli-and-prereqs.md2.5 KiB
- references/docs-map.md4.0 KiB
- references/resource-types.md2.7 KiB
- references/safety-rules.md2.3 KiB
- workflows/networking/networking.md2.9 KiB
- workflows/operate-and-monitor/operate-and-monitor.md2.9 KiB
- workflows/plan-and-deploy/plan-and-deploy.md3.5 KiB
- workflows/workload-management/workload-management.md2.6 KiB
workflows/networking/networking.md
Multi-Rack Networking
Use for network fabric, isolation domains, logical and virtual networks, load balancers, public IPs, NAT gateways, and NSGs on a multi-rack instance.
Multi-rack networking is managed through Microsoft.ManagedNetworkFabric and is fundamentally different from standard Azure Local SDN. Do not apply SDN or standard Azure Local network procedures here.
Concepts
The network fabric is the deployed physical network — racks, switches, terminal server connections, and cabling — represented in Azure as a Network Fabric resource. It provides bootstrapping and lifecycle management of devices, workload network configuration for east-west and north-south traffic, observability, and access policy.
Intake
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Confirmed multi-rack? | Standard Azure Local SDN procedures do not apply. |
| Fabric and NFC state | Changes require a healthy fabric control plane. |
| Existing isolation domains | L2/L3 segmentation drives logical network design. |
| North-south requirements | Determines route policy, public IP, and NAT gateway needs. |
| Load balancing requirements | Internal vs public load balancer paths differ. |
Sequence
Confirm scale and fabric state — Read-only inventory of fabric, devices, and isolation domains. See resource-types.
Load authoritative docs — Fetch
multi-rack-network-fabric-overviewvia docs-map.Design segmentation — Configure L3 isolation domains before dependent logical networks.
Create logical networks — Then network interfaces for workloads.
Virtual networks — Where the workload requires them.
Load balancing — Load balancer logical network first, then internal or public load balancer.
External connectivity — Public IP and NAT gateway as required.
Security — Create and manage network security groups.
Validate — Confirm reachability and that route import/export behaves as intended.
Guardrails
Fabric and isolation domain changes are instance-wide. Always confirm with the user first.
Do not modify route policies without understanding existing import/export behavior.
Do not delete a logical network or isolation domain still referenced by workloads.
Never treat Azure Resource Health as fabric health.
Follow safety-rules.
Evidence to collect
Network Fabric Controller and fabric resource IDs and state.
Network device inventory and health.
Isolation domain configuration, L2 and L3.
Logical and virtual network definitions.
Load balancer, public IP, and NAT gateway configuration.
NSG rules applied to affected interfaces.
Related references
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.
Attribution and licence
- Created by
- Microsoft
- Publisher
- Microsoft (Official)
- Source
- microsoft/skills · .github/plugins/azure-local-skills/skills/azure-local-multi-rack · commit 0696600
- Licence
- MIT License (redistribution allowed)
- LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from .github/plugins/azure-local-skills/LICENSE)
- ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
- Synced
AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.
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Download ZIP
The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download azure-local-multi-rack.zip