azure-nat-gateway

What this skill does

# Azure NAT Gateway Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure NAT Gateway. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, 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 | L36-L40 | Diagnosing and fixing NAT Gateway issues: reading flow logs, resolving misconfigurations, connectivity failures with Azure services, and outbound internet connection problems. |
| Best Practices | L41-L45 | Guidance on reducing SNAT port exhaustion and optimizing outbound connectivity patterns when using Azure NAT Gateway. |
| Decision Making | L46-L52 | Guidance on when to use NAT Gateway Standard vs StandardV2, how to migrate between SKUs, and how to move existing outbound access patterns to NAT Gateway. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L53-L58 | Designing VNets and subnets for NAT Gateway, and patterns for scaling secure outbound traffic using NAT Gateway with Azure Firewall. |
| Limits & Quotas | L59-L63 | NAT Gateway limits, quotas, and behaviors: SNAT port allocation, connection scaling, IP/VM limits, per-subscription caps, and FAQs on throughput and high-connection scenarios. |
| Security | L64-L68 | Security best practices for NAT Gateway: hardening design, minimizing exposure, managing outbound IPs, monitoring traffic, and integrating with NSGs, firewalls, and other Azure security controls. |
| Configuration | L69-L77 | Configuring NAT Gateway V2 (IPs, deployment via ARM/Bicep/Terraform), plus monitoring setup: metrics, alerts, and flow logs for traffic and diagnostics |
| Deployment | L78-L82 | Guides for redeploying NAT Gateway after cross-region moves and migrating VM outbound traffic from public IPs to use NAT Gateway |

### Troubleshooting
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Monitor and troubleshoot with NAT Gateway flow logs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/monitor-nat-gateway-flow-logs |

### Best Practices
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Optimize SNAT usage with Azure NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-gateway-snat |

### Decision Making
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Migrate Azure NAT Gateway from Standard to StandardV2 | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-gateway-v2-migrate |
| Choose between Azure NAT Gateway Standard and StandardV2 SKUs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-sku |
| Migrate Azure outbound access to NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/tutorial-migrate-outbound-nat |

### Architecture & Design Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Design virtual networks using Azure NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-gateway-design |
| Scale outbound traffic with NAT Gateway and Azure Firewall | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/tutorial-hub-spoke-nat-firewall |

### Limits & Quotas
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Azure NAT Gateway FAQ with limits and behaviors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/faq |

### Security
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Apply security best practices to Azure NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/secure-nat-gateway |

### Configuration
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Manage Azure NAT Gateway configuration and IPs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/manage-nat-gateway |
| Reference for Azure NAT Gateway monitoring data | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/monitor-nat-gateway-reference |
| Enable and use StandardV2 NAT Gateway flow logs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-gateway-flow-logs |
| Configure metrics and alerts for Azure NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-metrics |
| Deploy NAT Gateway V2 using ARM, Bicep, or Terraform | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/quickstart-create-nat-gateway-v2-templates |

### Deployment
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Redeploy NAT gateway after cross-region resource moves | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/region-move-nat-gateway |
| Move VM public IP outbound traffic to NAT Gateway | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/tutorial-migrate-ilip-nat |