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azure-local — Claude Code skill: what it does, how to install

This skill guides Azure Local planning, deployment, operations, and troubleshooting across Arc, VMs, AKS on Azure Local, SDN, and lifecycle updates.

Install into Claude Code · Plugin marketplace All methods and platforms ↓
/plugin marketplace add microsoft/skills
/plugin install azure-local-skills@skills
Open on GitHub

What azure-local does

The skill covers Azure Local sizing and prerequisites, Arc registration, Lifecycle Manager updates, and workloads such as Azure Local VMs, AKS on Azure Local, images, disks, and logical networks. It also provides paths for SDN, network security, and failure triage.

Its workflow is split into planning and deployment, operations and updates, workload management, networking and security, and troubleshooting. It uses generic Azure MCP tools, az graph query, az resource show, and Azure Local PowerShell. Checks start in read-only mode, with confirmation required before updates, deletes, network changes, VM power operations, or Arc bridge and custom location changes.

This skill does not cover multi-rack deployments. Mentions of aggregation racks, Network Fabric Controller, Cluster Manager, or Microsoft.NetworkCloud resources require handing off to azure-local-multi-rack. Without local access, the workflow stays limited to Azure control-plane checks.

What it helps with

  • size an Azure Local deployment and check prerequisites
  • register a cluster with Arc
  • manage VMs, images, disks, and logical networks
  • triage SDN and network security failures
  • review Lifecycle Manager updates before changing the cluster

Example prompts for the agent

  • Plan an Azure Local deployment and list the prerequisites I need to check.
  • Inspect this Azure Local cluster using read-only checks first.
  • Triage an AKS on Azure Local failure and tell me which actions need confirmation.

How to install azure-local

1Plugin marketplace

/plugin marketplace add microsoft/skills
/plugin install azure-local-skills@skills

This installs the whole azure-local-skills plugin with all its skills

2Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add microsoft/skills --skill azure-local -a claude-code

3Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/azure-local/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/azure-local/

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways

Questions about azure-local

How do I install azure-local in Claude Code?

Add the marketplace with /plugin marketplace add microsoft/skills, then install the skill with /plugin install azure-local-skills@skills.

What does azure-local do?

It guides Azure Local planning, deployment, operations, updates, and troubleshooting. Its coverage includes Arc, VMs, AKS on Azure Local, networking, SDN, and workload management.

Does azure-local handle multi-rack deployments?

No. Multi-rack deployments, aggregation racks, Network Fabric Controller, Cluster Manager, and Microsoft.NetworkCloud resources should be handed off to azure-local-multi-rack.

Source text

SKILL.md · MIT
---
name: azure-local
description: "Plan, deploy, operate, and troubleshoot Azure Local (formerly Azure Stack HCI): sizing and prerequisites, Arc registration, lifecycle updates, workloads (Azure Local VMs, AKS on Azure Local, images, disks, logical networks), SDN and network security, and failure triage — starting read-only and confirming before risky changes. WHEN: Azure Local, Azure Stack HCI, Arc resource bridge, custom location, Azure Local VM, Arc VM, AKS on Azure Local, AKS hybrid, SDN, Lifecycle Manager, Azure Local update, disconnected site."
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Microsoft
  version: "1.0.1"
---

# Azure Local

## Quick Reference

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Best for | Azure Local planning, deployment, operations, workloads |
| MCP Tools | Generic Azure MCP tools only; no Azure Local namespace |
| CLI | `az graph query`, `az resource show`, Azure Local PowerShell |
| Related skills | azure-compute (public VMs), azure-kubernetes (public AKS) |

## When to Use This Skill

Use for Azure Local, Azure Stack HCI, Azure Local VMs, AKS on Azure Local, AKS hybrid, SDN, lifecycle updates, disconnected sites, or troubleshooting. Covers standard deployments (1-16 node hyperconverged, up to 64 disaggregated) and rack-aware clusters.

Do not use for cloud VM or public AKS guidance, or for **multi-rack (rack scale)** deployments — those use a separate control plane and procedure set. Hand off to the `azure-local-multi-rack` skill.

## MCP Tools

Azure Local has no dedicated MCP namespace. Use generic Azure MCP tools: `mcp_azure_mcp_extension_cli_generate` (ARG/CLI inventory), `mcp_azure_mcp_monitor` (needs Log Analytics), `mcp_azure_mcp_resourcehealth` (partial; not local cluster health), `mcp_azure_mcp_documentation` (pass the user's version when known).

Scope and limitations: [mcp-and-cli-tools](references/mcp-and-cli-tools.md).

## Workflow

0. Confirm deployment scale. If the user mentions multi-rack, aggregation racks, Network Fabric Controller, Cluster Manager, or `Microsoft.NetworkCloud` resources, stop and use the `azure-local-multi-rack` skill instead.
1. Deploy -> [plan-and-deploy](workflows/plan-and-deploy/plan-and-deploy.md)
2. Operate/update -> [operate-and-update](workflows/operate-and-update/operate-and-update.md)
3. VMs, AKS, images, disks, networks -> [workload-management](workflows/workload-management/workload-management.md)
4. SDN, NSG, load balancer, gateway -> [networking-and-security](workflows/networking-and-security/networking-and-security.md)
5. Failures -> [troubleshooting](workflows/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md)

Read the matched workflow first and use [docs-map](references/docs-map.md). Start read-only. Ask before updates, deletes, reimages, network changes, VM power/delete operations, or Arc bridge/custom location changes.

## Error Handling

| Scenario | Remediation |
| --- | --- |
| Scale unknown | Ask whether the deployment is standard or multi-rack before giving procedures. |
| Multi-rack detected | Hand off to the `azure-local-multi-rack` skill; these procedures do not apply. |
| Version unknown | Ask for the Azure Local version, or use latest docs. |
| Risky change detected | Stop and follow [safety-rules](references/safety-rules.md). |
| No local access | Stay with Azure control-plane checks only. |
| Doc URL 404/redirect | Search Learn for the article title with the user's version. |

© Microsoft · MIT · microsoft/skills

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