azure-devtest-labs

What this skill does

# Azure DevTest Labs Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure DevTest Labs. 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**: 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](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)

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 | L37-L45 | Diagnosing and fixing DevTest Labs VM and environment creation/deployment issues, artifact application failures, connectivity problems, and handling Defender for Cloud security alerts. |
| Best Practices | L46-L50 | Guidance on organizing and collaborating on DevTest Labs infrastructure as code across teams, including branching, environments, and distributed resource development workflows |
| Decision Making | L51-L59 | Guidance on planning PoCs and enterprise-scale deployments, choosing images and Gen1 vs Gen2 VMs, and setting governance for organization-wide DevTest Labs use. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L60-L64 | Enterprise-scale DevTest Labs architectures: hub-spoke design, network/security layout, governance, cost management, and best practices for large org lab deployments. |
| Limits & Quotas | L65-L69 | Managing DevTest Labs limits and quotas, viewing current usage, and requesting or configuring quota increases for labs, VMs, and related resources. |
| Security | L70-L86 | Securing DevTest Labs: identities, RBAC and granular policy permissions, secrets/Key Vault, encrypted storage/disks, Trusted Launch, and secure VM access via Bastion, RD Gateway, or browser |
| Configuration | L87-L111 | Configuring DevTest Labs environments and VMs: images, networks, policies, costs, tags, ARM templates, artifacts, activity logs, alerts, IPs, and resource groups. |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L112-L131 | Automating DevTest Labs with ARM, PowerShell, CLI, REST, and Functions: user/VM management, VHD/custom image workflows, cross-lab import, reporting, and VM start/stop/start-order control. |
| Deployment | L132-L139 | Guides for deploying and migrating DevTest Labs: ARM templates, CI/CD and Azure Pipelines integration, region moves, and handling Azure Basic Load Balancer retirement. |

### Troubleshooting
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Fix DevTest Labs VM connectivity by redeploying | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-redeploy-vm |
| Troubleshoot DevTest Labs artifact application failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-troubleshoot-apply-artifacts |
| Handle Defender for Cloud security alerts in DevTest Labs environments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/environment-security-alerts |
| Troubleshoot DevTest Labs VM deployment failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/troubleshoot-vm-deployment-failures |
| Troubleshoot DevTest Labs VM and environment creation failures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/troubleshoot-vm-environment-creation-failures |

### Best Practices
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Set up distributed DevTest Labs resource development | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/best-practices-distributive-collaborative-development-environment |

### Decision Making
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Plan and execute a DevTest Labs proof of concept | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/deliver-proof-concept |
| Choose between custom images and formulas in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-comparing-vm-base-image-types |
| Choose and use Gen1 vs Gen2 VMs in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-gen2-vm |
| Govern Azure DevTest Labs resources across an organization | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-guidance-governance-resources |
| Plan DevTest Labs deployment at enterprise scale | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-guidance-scale |

### Architecture & Design Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Enterprise reference architecture for Azure DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-reference-architecture |

### Limits & Quotas
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| View and increase Azure DevTest Labs quotas and limits | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-scale-lab |

### Security
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Configure managed identity for Azure DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/configure-lab-identity |
| Secure DevTest Labs access with Remote Desktop Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/configure-lab-remote-desktop-gateway |
| Secure DevTest Labs VM access via Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/connect-virtual-machine-through-browser |
| Configure DevTest Labs RBAC roles and user access | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-add-devtest-user |
| Configure DevTest Labs lab-level secrets securely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-configure-lab-secrets |
| Grant granular permissions to DevTest Labs policies | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-grant-user-permissions-to-specific-lab-policies |
| Use Azure Key Vault secrets in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-store-secrets-in-key-vault |
| Enable Trusted Launch for DevTest Labs Gen2 VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-trusted-launch |
| Enable secure browser-based access to DevTest Labs VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/enable-browser-connection-lab-virtual-machines |
| Enable user-assigned managed identities on DevTest Labs VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/enable-managed-identities-lab-vms |
| Configure customer-managed key disk encryption in DevTest Labs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/encrypt-disks-customer-managed-keys |
| Manage DevTest Labs storage accounts and encryption settings | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/encrypt-storage |
| Use managed identities to deploy DevTest Labs environments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/use-managed-identities-environments |

### Configuration
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| View and interpret DevTest Labs activity logs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/activity-logs |
| Add and configure artifacts on DevTest Labs VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/add-artifact-vm |
| Configure Azure Compute Gallery for DevTest Labs images | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/configure-shared-image-gallery |
| Connect DevTest Labs environments to lab virtual networks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devtest-labs/connect-environment-lab-vir