Azure Update Manager

Azure Update Manager Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Update Manager. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, 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 | L36-L42 | Diagnosing and fixing onboarding failures, extension/agent issues, and common errors when using Azure Update Manager, Automanage, and Change Tracking. |

| Best Practices | L43-L53 | Best practices for configuring Automanage and guest patching on Windows/Linux/Arc VMs, handling SQL Server and Ubuntu/Ubuntu Pro updates, and managing SMB over QUIC in Update Manager. |

| Decision Making | L54-L59 | Planning patch strategies across subscriptions and guidance for migrating patch management from Configuration Manager to Azure Update Manager |

| Limits & Quotas | L60-L67 | OS, region, image, and workload support limits for Update Manager, including supported update sources/types, change tracking matrix, and unsupported scenarios. |

| Security | L68-L73 | Configuring disk encryption for Automanaged VMs and setting up RBAC roles/permissions to securely manage and control access to Azure Update Manager. |

| Configuration | L74-L93 | Configuring Update Manager: Automanage profiles, DCRs/workspaces, Windows Update/ESU setup, scopes/schedules, alerts/events, policy-based assessments, and reporting via workbooks/Resource Graph. |

| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L94-L106 | Using SDKs (Go/Java/JS/Python) and REST APIs to assign Automanage profiles, manage VM/Arc server updates, and implement pre/post maintenance with Functions, webhooks, and runbooks |

| Deployment | L107-L120 | Deploying and managing Automanage/Update Manager at scale: onboarding VMs/Arc servers, upgrading profiles, cross-region moves, tenant repairs, Azure Policy deployment, and supported OS/update sources. |

Troubleshooting

| Topic | URL |

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

| Troubleshoot Azure Automanage onboarding failures and errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/common-errors |

| Resolve Azure Change Tracking extension issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/extension-version-details |

| Troubleshoot errors and issues in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/troubleshoot |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL |

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

| Apply Automanage best practices to Azure Arc-enabled servers | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-arc |

| Apply Automanage best practices to Linux VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-linux |

| Manage SMB over QUIC using Automanage best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-smb-over-quic |

| Apply Automanage best practices to Windows Server VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-windows-server |

| Apply patching best practices for SQL Server on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/guidance-patching-sql-server-azure-vm |

| Handle Ubuntu security and Ubuntu Pro in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/security-awareness-ubuntu-support |

| Configure automatic guest patching for Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix-automatic-guest-patching |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL |

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

| Plan cross-subscription patching with Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/cross-subscription-patching |

| Plan migration from Configuration Manager to Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/guidance-migration-azure |

Limits & Quotas

| Topic | URL |

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

| Understand Change Tracking support matrix and limitations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/change-tracking-inventory-support-matrix |

| Manage customized images in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-updates-customized-images |

| Check supported Azure regions for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/supported-regions |

| Identify unsupported workloads in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/unsupported-workloads |

Security

| Topic | URL |

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

| Configure Azure disk encryption for Automanaged VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/overview-azure-disk-encryption |

| Assign RBAC roles for Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/roles-permissions |

Configuration

| Topic | URL |

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

| Create and configure custom Automanage profiles for VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/virtual-machines-custom-profile |

| Create data collection rules for Azure Change Tracking | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/create-data-collection-rule |

| Configure workspaces and data collection rules for Change Tracking | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/tutorial-change-workspace-configure-data-collection-rule |

| Configure Windows Update client for Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/configure-wu-agent |

| Set up cross-subscription patching in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/enable-cross-subscription-patching |

| Enroll Windows Server ESU with Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/extended-security-updates |

| Enable and configure alerts in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-alerts |

| Configure and manage dynamic scopes for patching | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-dynamic-scoping |

| Manage existing pre and post maintenance events | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-pre-post-events |

| Configure update settings for Azure Update Manager machines | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-update-settings |

| Create custom Update Manager reports with workbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-workbooks |

| Enable periodic assessment via Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/periodic-assessment-at-scale |

| Create pre and post maintenance events in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/pre-post-events-schedule-maintenance-configuration |

| Access Update Manager data via Azure Resource Graph | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/query-logs |

| Use sample Resource Graph queries for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/sample-query-logs |

| Configure recurring update schedules in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/scheduled-patching |

Integrations & Coding Patterns

| Topic | URL |

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

| Use Go SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-go-sdk |

| Use Java SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-java-sdk |

| Use JavaScript SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-javascript-sdk |

| Use Python SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-python-sdk |

| Choose and use Automanage SDKs across languages | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/reference-sdk |

| Use REST API for Arc-enabled server updates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-arc-enabled-servers-programmatically |

| Use Azure REST API to manage VM updates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-vms-programmatically |

| Implement pre/post maintenance using Azure Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/tutorial-using-functions |

| Trigger pre/post maintenance via webhooks and runbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/tutorial-webhooks-using-runbooks |

Deployment

| Topic | URL |

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

| Onboard VMs to Automanage with ARM templates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/arm-deploy |

| Onboard Arc-enabled servers to Automanage with ARM templates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/arm-deploy-arc |

| Upgrade existing Automanage machines to the latest version | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-upgrade |

| Move Automanage configuration profiles between Azure regions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/move-automanaged-configuration-profile |

| Move Automanaged virtual machines across Azure regions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/move-automanaged-vms |

| Repair Automanage accounts after subscription tenant moves | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/repair-automanage-account |

| Enable Automanage for VMs using Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/virtual-machines-policy-enable |

| Deploy Change Tracking at scale using Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/enable-change-tracking-at-scale-policy |

| Track Arc-enabled VM extension releases and issues for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/overview-arc-enabled-vm-extensions |

| Supported update sources and types in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix |

| Azure Update Manager OS and feature support matrix | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix-updates |