azure-sql-database

What this skill does

# Azure SQL Database Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure SQL Database. 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-L61 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure SQL issues: performance (CPU, memory, deadlocks, blocking), connectivity, scaling, import/export, geo-replication, Data Sync, and transaction log errors. |
| Best Practices | L62-L79 | Best practices for Azure SQL operations: monitoring, security, HA/DR, failover, read replicas, maintenance, space management, elastic pools, Data Sync, and post-migration T-SQL adaptation. |
| Decision Making | L80-L106 | Guidance for choosing Azure SQL tiers, pricing models, DR and automation options, Hyperscale usage, licensing/Reservations, and migration paths between models and features. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L107-L123 | Patterns and architectures for geo-replication, DR, availability, sharding/elastic scale-out, connectivity/routing, rolling upgrades, and multitenant SaaS design in Azure SQL. |
| Limits & Quotas | L124-L135 | Limits, quotas, and resource caps for Azure SQL (free offers, DTU/vCore for single DBs and pools), plus maintenance windows and how to request quota increases. |
| Security | L136-L203 | Securing Azure SQL: Entra auth and managed identities, auditing and Defender, Always Encrypted and TDE with CMK, network/firewall controls, data masking/classification, and secure backup/DR. |
| Configuration | L204-L266 | Configuring Azure SQL databases: monitoring, backups, security/immutability, scaling and elastic pools, geo-replication/failover, Data Sync, maintenance windows, and CLI/PowerShell/REST setup. |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L267-L296 | Connecting apps and tools to Azure SQL (drivers, EF, Node, Python), plus PowerShell automation for auditing, scaling, replication, geo/failover, sharding, and streaming/Spark integration. |
| Deployment | L297-L312 | Deploying and managing Azure SQL databases: scaling tiers and regions, Hyperscale/elastic pools, feature availability, and IaC/CI-CD with ARM, Bicep, Terraform, and GitHub Actions. |

### Troubleshooting
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Troubleshoot Azure SQL capacity deployment and scaling errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/capacity-errors-troubleshoot?view=azuresql |
| Resolve common Azure SQL database watcher issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-faq?view=azuresql |
| Analyze and prevent deadlocks in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/analyze-prevent-deadlocks?view=azuresql |
| Fix slow database import and export in Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/database-import-export-hang?view=azuresql |
| Use RecoveryManager to fix Azure SQL shard maps | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/elastic-database-recovery-manager?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot Azure SQL Database Elastic Scale issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/elastic-scale-faq?view=azuresql |
| Diagnose and fix high CPU in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/high-cpu-diagnose-troubleshoot?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot performance issues in Azure SQL Hyperscale | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/hyperscale-performance-diagnostics?view=azuresql |
| Diagnose Azure SQL query performance bottlenecks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/identify-query-performance-issues?view=azuresql |
| Monitor and troubleshoot In-Memory OLTP storage capacity | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/in-memory-oltp-monitor-space?view=azuresql |
| Use DMVs to troubleshoot Azure SQL performance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/monitoring-with-dmvs?view=azuresql |
| Use Azure Resource Health to troubleshoot Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/resource-health-to-troubleshoot-connectivity?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot common Azure SQL Data Sync issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/sql-data-sync-troubleshoot?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot transient connectivity errors for Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-common-connectivity-issues?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot Azure SQL and Fabric SQL connectivity errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-common-errors-issues?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot geo-replication and redo lag in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-geo-replication-redo?view=azuresql |
| Investigate and fix memory issues in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-memory-errors-issues?view=azuresql |
| Resolve transaction log full errors in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-transaction-log-errors-issues?view=azuresql-db |
| Identify and resolve blocking in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/understand-resolve-blocking?view=azuresql |
| Resolve known issues in Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/doc-changes-updates-known-issues?view=azuresql |
| Resolve transaction log full errors in Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/troubleshoot-transaction-log-errors-issues?view=azuresql-mi |

### Best Practices
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Analyze Azure SQL monitoring data with KQL and T-SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-analyze?view=azuresql |
| Apply auditing best practices in production Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/auditing-best-practices?view=azuresql |
| Run disaster recovery drills for Azure SQL workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/disaster-recovery-drills?view=azuresql |
| Optimize resource management in dense Azure SQL elastic pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/elastic-pool-resource-management?view=azuresql |
| Configure and operate Azure SQL failover groups with best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/failover-group-sql-db?view=azuresql |
| Manage and reclaim Azure SQL Database file space | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/file-space-manage?view=azuresql-db |
| Apply HA and DR configuration checklist for Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/high-availability-disaster-