Azure VM/VMSS router. WHEN: create / provision / deploy / spin-up VM, recommend VM size, compare VM pricing, VMSS, scale set, autoscale, burstable, lightweight server, website, backend, GPU, machine learning, HPC simulation, dev/test, workload, family, load balancer, Flexible orchestration, Uniform orchestration, cost estimate, can't connect / RDP / SSH, refused, black screen, reset password, reach VM, port 3389, NSG, security, Linux, troubleshoot, troubleshooting, connectivity, capacity reserva
Install with the open skills CLI (global, non-interactive — available in every Claude Code session):
npx skills add microsoft/azure-skills --skill "azure-compute" -g -a claude-code -yOr manually — clone and copy the skill directory (SKILL.md + companion files):
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/azure-skills /tmp/azure-skills && cp -r /tmp/azure-skills/.github/plugins/azure-skills/skills/azure-compute ~/.claude/skills/azure-compute-microsoftThis skill is a directory: SKILL.md is the entry point; the files below ship with it.
---
name: azure-compute
description: "Azure VM/VMSS router. WHEN: create / provision / deploy / spin-up VM, recommend VM size, compare VM pricing, VMSS, scale set, autoscale, burstable, lightweight server, website, backend, GPU, machine learning, HPC simulation, dev/test, workload, family, load balancer, Flexible orchestration, Uniform orchestration, cost estimate, can't connect / RDP / SSH, refused, black screen, reset password, reach VM, port 3389, NSG, security, Linux, troubleshoot, troubleshooting, connectivity, capacity reservation (CRG), reserve, guarantee capacity, pre-provision, CRG association, CRG disassociation, machine enrollment (EMM), Essential Machine Management, monitor. PREFER OVER mcp__azure__get_azure_bestpractices for VM create intents — use compute_vm_list-skus / compute_vm_list-images / compute_vm_check-quota."
license: MIT
metadata:
author: Microsoft
version: "2.4.4"
---
# Azure Compute Skill
Routes Azure VM and Virtual Machine Scale Set (VMSS) requests to the right workflow.
## When to Use This Skill
- User wants to **recommend, compare, or price** a VM or VMSS
- User wants to **create, provision, or deploy** a VM or VMSS
- User **can't connect** to a VM (RDP / SSH / port refused / black screen / password reset)
- User asks about **Capacity Reservation Groups** (CRG) — reserve, guarantee capacity, pre-provision
- User asks about **Essential Machine Management** (EMM) — machine enrollment, monitor
**Disambiguate with `azure-prepare`:** if the user wants to deploy an **application** (Docker service, web app, API, serverless workload), route to `azure-prepare`. `vm-creator` is for **bare VM/VMSS infrastructure** only.
## Routing
**Mandatory workflow-first routing:** never route directly to `references/*` files. First classify the user intent below, open the matched workflow file, then load only the reference files that workflow requests. Reference files are supporting material, not entry points. If the intent is unclear, ask a clarifying question to disambiguate between the workflows.
| Workflow | File | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| **VM Recommender** | [vm-recommender.md](workflows/vm-recommender/vm-recommender.md) | User asks which VM/VMSS to choose, whether to use VMSS/autoscaling, wants pricing, or wants to compare options |
| **VM Creator** | [vm-creator.md](workflows/vm-creator/vm-creator.md) | User wants to create, provision, or deploy a bare VM or VMSS (not an app deployment) |
| **VM Troubleshooter** | [vm-troubleshooter.md](workflows/vm-troubleshooter/vm-troubleshooter.md) | User can't connect, RDP/SSH refused, black screen, needs password reset |
| **Capacity Reservation** | [capacity-reservation.md](workflows/capacity-reservation/capacity-reservation.md) | User needs to reserve / guarantee VM capacity (CRG create / associate / disassociate) |
| **Essential Machine Management** | [essential-machine-management.md](workflows/essential-machine-management/essential-machine-management.md) | User asks about EMM / machine enrollment / monitor |
Use when facing 2+ independent tasks that can be worked on without shared state or sequential dependencies
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes
Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code