Azure Batch Agent Skill

Azure Batch Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Batch. 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), 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

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-L43 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure Batch job, task, pool, and node errors, including failure patterns, error codes, and best practices for handling and recovering from failures. |

| Best Practices | L44-L54 | Guidance on tuning Batch performance, scaling large jobs, running concurrent/rendering tasks, securing pools, and using list queries plus job prep/release tasks efficiently. |

| Decision Making | L55-L67 | Guidance on choosing Batch VM sizes, images, Spot/ephemeral disks, capacity and quotas, cost planning, and migration decisions for pools, images, and communication models. |

| Architecture & Design Patterns | L68-L73 | Architectural guidance for burst rendering with Azure Batch, including choosing batch/topology patterns and designing storage, caching, and data movement for large render workloads. |

| Limits & Quotas | L74-L79 | Managing Batch account quotas via .NET and understanding core Azure Batch limits (pools, cores, jobs, tasks) and how to monitor, plan for, and request quota increases. |

| Security | L80-L96 | Securing Azure Batch: identity/auth (Entra ID, managed identities, RBAC), keys and encryption, private endpoints/network perimeters, public access, and governance via Azure Policy. |

| Configuration | L97-L128 | Configuring Batch pools, tasks, networking, scaling, diagnostics, and security: autoscale, OS/cert rotation, VNet/IP, containers, disks, metrics/logs, events, and task runtime settings. |

| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L129-L144 | Client SDK patterns, task/node APIs, containers, MPI, output persistence, Key Vault, monitoring, and mounting storage/virtual file systems for Azure Batch workloads |

| Deployment | L145-L149 | Guides for moving Azure Batch accounts across regions with ARM templates and setting up CI/CD pipelines for Batch HPC workloads using Azure Pipelines. |

Troubleshooting

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Diagnose and handle Azure Batch job and task errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-job-task-error-checking |

| Troubleshoot Azure Batch pool and node errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-node-error-checking |

| Diagnose and handle Azure Batch task errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/error-handling |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Design efficient Azure Batch list queries | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-efficient-list-queries |

| Use job preparation and release tasks in Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-job-prep-release |

| Run concurrent tasks on Azure Batch nodes | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-parallel-node-tasks |

| Use Azure Batch capabilities for rendering workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-rendering-functionality |

| Apply performance best practices for Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/best-practices |

| Optimize Azure Batch jobs with large task counts | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/large-number-tasks |

| Apply security best practices to Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/security-best-practices |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Plan Azure Batch capacity and quota strategy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-capacity-planning |

| Migrate Batch custom image pools to Compute Gallery | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-custom-image-pools-to-azure-compute-gallery-migration-guide |

| Choose and migrate custom images for Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-custom-images |

| Choose compute-intensive VM sizes for Azure Batch workloads | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-compute-intensive-sizes |

| Choose Azure Batch VM sizes and images | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-vm-sizes |

| Plan and migrate Azure Batch pools to new node communication model | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pools-to-simplified-compute-node-communication-model-migration-guide |

| Decide when to run Azure Batch workloads on Spot VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-spot-vms |

| Decide when to use ephemeral OS disks in Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/create-pool-ephemeral-os-disk |

| Plan and manage Azure Batch workload costs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/plan-to-manage-costs |

Architecture & Design Patterns

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Choose Azure architectures for cloud rendering burst | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-rendering-architectures |

| Design storage and data movement for Azure Batch rendering | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-rendering-storage-data-movement |

Limits & Quotas

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Manage Azure Batch accounts and quotas with .NET | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-management-dotnet |

| Review Azure Batch service quotas and limits | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-quota-limit |

Security

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Rotate Azure Batch account shared keys securely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/account-key-rotation |

| Authenticate Azure Batch apps with Entra ID | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-aad-auth |

| Secure Azure Batch Management with Entra ID | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-aad-auth-management |

| Encrypt Azure Batch data with customer-managed keys | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-customer-managed-key |

| Configure Azure RBAC roles for Azure Batch accounts | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-role-based-access-control |

| Enable disk encryption for Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/disk-encryption |

| Manage Azure Batch private endpoint connections securely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/manage-private-endpoint-connections |

| Configure user-assigned managed identities on Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/managed-identity-pools |

| Configure Azure Batch with network security perimeters | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/network-security-perimeter |

| Use built-in Azure Policy definitions for Azure Batch governance | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/policy-reference |

| Configure Azure Batch private endpoints with Private Link | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/private-connectivity |

| Configure public network access for Azure Batch accounts | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/public-network-access |

| Apply Azure Policy compliance controls to Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/security-controls-policy |

Configuration

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Enable automatic certificate rotation in Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/automatic-certificate-rotation |

| Reference for Azure Batch analytics events and alerts | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-analytics |

| Configure autoscale formulas for Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-automatic-scaling |

| Use Azure Batch task runtime environment variables | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-compute-node-environment-variables |

| Configure task-level container isolation in Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-container-isolation-task |

| Configure and use NVMe temporary disks on Azure Batch nodes | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-nvme-temporary |

| Understand Azure Batch pool autoscale diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-autoscale-event |

| Understand Azure Batch pool create diagnostic event schema | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-create-event |

| Understand Azure Batch pool delete complete diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-delete-complete-event |

| Understand Azure Batch pool delete start diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-delete-start-event |

| Understand Azure Batch pool resize complete diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-resize-complete-event |

| Understand Azure Batch pool resize start diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-resize-start-event |

| Update configuration properties of Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-pool-update-properties |

| Understand Azure Batch task complete diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-complete-event |

| Understand Azure Batch task fail diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-fail-event |

| Understand Azure Batch task schedule fail diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-schedule-fail-event |

| Understand Azure Batch task start diagnostic event | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-start-event |

| Configure Auto OS Upgrade for Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-upgrade-policy |

| Configure Azure Batch task user accounts securely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-user-accounts |

| Configure Azure Batch pools in virtual networks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-virtual-network |

| Configure Azure Batch pools across availability zones | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/create-pool-availability-zones |

| Configure and monitor extensions on Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/create-pool-extensions |

| Create Azure Batch pools with static public IP addresses | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/create-pool-public-ip |

| Reference monitoring metrics and logs for Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/monitor-batch-reference |

| Configure external node endpoints for Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/pool-endpoint-configuration |

| Configure and use Azure Batch task resource files | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/resource-files |

| Configure simplified compute node communication in Azure Batch | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/simplified-compute-node-communication |

| Create Azure Batch pools without public IP addresses | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/simplified-node-communication-pool-no-public-ip |

Integrations & Coding Patterns

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Manage Azure Batch with Azure CLI commands | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-cli-get-started |

| Run containerized workloads on Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-docker-container-workloads |

| Use Azure Batch task and node count APIs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-get-resource-counts |

| Build Azure Batch clients with JavaScript SDK | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-js-get-started |

| Use Azure Batch Python and .NET clients for Linux pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-linux-nodes |

| Run MPI workloads with Azure Batch multi-instance tasks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-mpi |

| Use .NET File Conventions to store Batch output | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-output-file-conventions |

| Persist Azure Batch task output via service API | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-task-output-files |

| Access Azure Key Vault from Batch pools using managed identity | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/credential-access-key-vault |

| Instrument Azure Batch apps with Application Insights | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/monitor-application-insights |

| Mount Azure Files shares on Azure Batch pools | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/pool-file-shares |

| Mount virtual file systems on Azure Batch pool nodes | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/virtual-file-mount |

Deployment

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Move Azure Batch accounts between regions with ARM | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/account-move |

| Implement CI/CD for Azure Batch HPC with Azure Pipelines | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-ci-cd |