Azure Bastion Skill
This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Bastion. Covers best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. 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), useread_filewith the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g.,[security.md](security.md)), useread_fileon the linked reference file
IMPORTANT for Agent: Ifmetadata.generated_atis more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. Ifmcp_microsoftdocstools 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_fetchwith query stringfrom=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown. - Fallback: Use
fetch_webpagewith query stringfrom=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown. Returns Markdown.
Category Index
| Category | Lines | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Best Practices | L35-L39 | Guidance on reducing Azure Bastion costs through sizing, scaling, and usage patterns while maintaining secure remote access and compliance best practices. |
| Decision Making | L40-L46 | Guidance on choosing and upgrading Bastion SKU tiers and using IP-based Bastion connections across VNets, subscriptions, and environments. |
| Architecture & Design Patterns | L47-L53 | Architectural options and patterns for Azure Bastion: hub/spoke and peered VNets, private-only deployments, network/topology design, and deployment guidance for secure remote access. |
| Limits & Quotas | L54-L58 | Configuring Azure Bastion host scaling limits, including max concurrent RDP/SSH sessions, connection thresholds, and how to adjust or plan capacity for different SKUs. |
| Security | L59-L65 | Configuring secure Azure Bastion access: Entra ID authentication, required NSG rules, and hardening best practices to lock down Bastion hosts and connections. |
| Configuration | L66-L77 | Configuring Azure Bastion settings, auth (Kerberos), monitoring/metrics/logs, native client access, session management, recording, and shareable links for secure RDP/SSH access |
| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L78-L85 | How to use Azure Bastion with AKS private clusters, VM scale sets, and native Windows/Linux clients, including SSH/RDP connectivity patterns and file transfer via Bastion native clients. |
Best Practices
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Optimize Azure Bastion costs without reducing security | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/cost-optimization |
Decision Making
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Select the appropriate Azure Bastion SKU tier | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-sku-comparison |
| Use Azure Bastion IP-based connections across environments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/connect-ip-address |
| View and upgrade Azure Bastion SKU tiers safely | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/upgrade-sku |
Architecture & Design Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Understand Azure Bastion deployment architectures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/design-architecture |
| Design and deploy private-only Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/private-only-deployment |
| Use Azure Bastion with VNet peering architectures | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/vnet-peering |
Limits & Quotas
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Configure Azure Bastion host scaling limits | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/configure-host-scaling |
Security
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Configure Microsoft Entra ID auth for Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-entra-id-authentication |
| Configure Azure Bastion NSG rules for secure access | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-nsg |
| Harden and secure your Azure Bastion deployment | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/secure-bastion |
Configuration
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Azure Bastion configuration settings and options | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/configuration-settings |
| Configure Kerberos authentication for Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/kerberos-authentication-portal |
| Configure monitoring and diagnostics for Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/monitor-bastion |
| Reference monitoring metrics and logs for Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/monitor-bastion-reference |
| Configure Azure Bastion for native client access | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/native-client |
| Monitor and manage active Azure Bastion sessions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/session-monitoring |
| Configure and use Azure Bastion session recording | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/session-recording |
| Create and use Azure Bastion shareable links | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/shareable-link |
Integrations & Coding Patterns
| Topic | URL |
|---|---|
| Connect to AKS private clusters via Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-connect-to-aks-private-cluster |
| Connect to VM scale sets using Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-connect-vm-scale-set |
| Connect from Linux native clients through Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/connect-vm-native-client-linux |
| Connect from Windows native clients through Azure Bastion | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/connect-vm-native-client-windows |
| Transfer files via Azure Bastion native clients | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/vm-upload-download-native |