azure-sql-managed-instance

What this skill does

# Azure SQL Managed Instance Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure SQL Managed Instance. 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-L55 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure SQL Managed Instance issues: deployment/scale errors, performance, connectivity, geo‑replication, memory/log full, XTP storage, MI Link, and Entra Kerberos auth. |
| Best Practices | L56-L77 | Best practices for monitoring, tuning, securing, and operating Azure SQL Managed Instance, including performance, HA/DR, maintenance, alerts, and read-scale/replication scenarios. |
| Decision Making | L78-L91 | Guidance for choosing Azure SQL MI vs other Azure SQL options, selecting tiers and subnet sizes, configuring standby/replicas, and planning migrations from SQL Server, Db2, and Oracle. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L92-L96 | Connectivity architecture, networking models, and connection options for Azure SQL Database, including gateways, endpoints, firewalls, and integration with VNets and private access. |
| Limits & Quotas | L97-L105 | Limits, quotas, and capacity for Azure SQL MI: DTU characteristics, free-tier caps, memory/OLTP limits, maintenance windows, and how to review or request higher resource quotas. |
| Security | L106-L160 | Configuring Azure SQL Managed Instance security: Entra auth, identities, TDE & Key Vault, TLS, auditing, threat protection, private endpoints, Windows/Kerberos auth, and secure configuration. |
| Configuration | L161-L209 | Configuring and operating SQL Managed Instance: deployment and networking, backup/restore and retention, maintenance and updates, monitoring/alerts, auditing, and feature behaviors vs SQL Server. |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L210-L233 | Connecting apps and tools to SQL Managed Instance (.NET, Java, Python, etc.), automation, data import, DTC, XEvents, MI Link, backups, tracing, and Spark integration. |
| Deployment | L234-L254 | Deploying, scaling, moving, and pausing Azure SQL Managed Instance; networking setup, regional availability, DR/replication, migrations, and BACPAC import/export. |

### Troubleshooting
| Topic | URL |
|-------|-----|
| Resolve 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 |
| 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 |
| Troubleshoot Azure SQL performance using Intelligent Insights | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/intelligent-insights-troubleshoot-performance?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 |
| 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 |
| Monitor XTP in-memory storage and fix capacity error 41823 | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/in-memory-oltp-monitor-space?view=azuresql |
| Troubleshoot Azure SQL Managed Instance link issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/managed-instance-link-troubleshoot-how-to?view=azuresql |
| Use Azure Resource Health to diagnose SQL Managed Instance issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/resource-health-to-troubleshoot-connectivity?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 |
| Troubleshoot Entra Kerberos Windows auth for SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/winauth-azuread-troubleshoot?view=azuresql |

### 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 |
| Performance tuning guidance for Azure SQL applications | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/performance-guidance?view=azuresql |
| Plan for Azure SQL planned maintenance events | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/planned-maintenance?view=azuresql |
| Configure and use read scale-out replicas in Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/read-scale-out?view=azuresql |
| Apply security best practices for Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/security-best-practice?view=azuresql |
| Identify and resolve Azure SQL query performance issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/identify-query-performance-issues?view=azuresql |
| Set up alerts and notifications for Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/alerts-create?view=azuresql |
| Run disaster recovery drills for SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/disaster-recovery-drills?view=azuresql |
| Design Azure SQL Managed Instance disaster recovery | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/disaster-recovery-guidance?view=azuresql |
| Use failover groups for geo-replication in SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/failover-group-sql-mi?view=azuresql |
| Manage database file space on Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/file-space-manage?view=azuresql-mi |
| High availability and disaster recovery checklist for Azure SQL Managed Instance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/high-availability-disaster-recovery-c