1---2name: azure-cloud-services3description: Expert knowledge for Azure Cloud Services development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. Use when configuring Cloud Services (extended support), .csdef/.cscfg, Key Vault certs, autoscale rules, or PowerShell automation, and other Azure Cloud Services related development tasks. Not for Azure Networking (use azure-networking), Azure Virtual Machines (use azure-virtual-machines), Azure App Service (use azure-app-service), Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) (use azure-kubernetes-service).4---5# Azure Cloud Services Skill67This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Cloud Services. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, limits & quotas, security, configuration, and integrations & coding patterns. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.89## How to Use This Skill1011> **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 file1213> **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)1415This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content:16- **Preferred**: Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill`. Returns Markdown.17- **Fallback**: Use `fetch_webpage` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown`. Returns Markdown.1819## Category Index2021| Category | Lines | Description |22|----------|-------|-------------|23| Troubleshooting | L35-L39 | Diagnosing and fixing common migration errors when moving classic Cloud Services to Cloud Services (extended support), including deployment, configuration, and compatibility issues. |24| Best Practices | L40-L44 | Guidance on designing and configuring autoscale rules for Cloud Services, including metrics, thresholds, and patterns to optimize performance, reliability, and cost. |25| Decision Making | L45-L54 | Guidance on when to use Cloud Services (extended support), planning OS upgrades, comparing with VM Scale Sets, and designing/migrating classic/non-VNet services to extended support in VNets. |26| Limits & Quotas | L55-L61 | VM instance size limits/capacities and timelines, impacts, and constraints related to Guest OS family retirements for Azure Cloud Services. |27| Security | L62-L67 | Using Key Vault for certificates in Cloud Services and understanding Azure Guest OS security updates, support lifecycle, and retirement policies |28| Configuration | L68-L86 | Configuring Cloud Services roles and deployments: .csdef/.cscfg schemas, network/load balancer settings, diagnostics, RDP, Key Vault, extensions, alerts, and scaling/SKU overrides. |29| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L87-L92 | Automating Azure Cloud Services (extended support) with PowerShell: creating deployments, retrieving service details, and resetting or redeploying cloud service instances. |3031### Troubleshooting32| Topic | URL |33|-------|-----|34| Resolve common errors when migrating to Cloud Services extended support | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/in-place-migration-common-errors |3536### Best Practices37| Topic | URL |38|-------|-----|39| Configure autoscaling rules for Cloud Services deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/configure-scaling |4041### Decision Making42| Topic | URL |43|-------|-----|44| Plan Azure Cloud Services Guest OS upgrade path | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/cloud-services-guestos-update-matrix |45| Decide when and how to use Azure Cloud Services (extended support) | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/faq |46| Compare Cloud Services and Virtual Machine Scale Sets features | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/feature-support-analysis |47| Plan migration from Cloud Services classic to extended support | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/in-place-migration-overview |48| Understand technical requirements for Cloud Services migration | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/in-place-migration-technical-details |49| Plan migration of non-VNet Cloud Services into VNets | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/non-vnet-migration |5051### Limits & Quotas52| Topic | URL |53|-------|-----|54| VM size options and capacities for Cloud Services instances | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/available-sizes |55| Guest OS Family 1 retirement dates and deployment impact | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/cloud-services-guestos-family-1-retirement |56| Guest OS Families 2–4 retirement timelines and impact | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/cloud-services-guestos-family-2-3-4-retirement |5758### Security59| Topic | URL |60|-------|-----|61| Securely store and use certificates with Key Vault in Cloud Services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/certificates-and-key-vault |62| Understand support and retirement policy for Azure Guest OS | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/cloud-services-guestos-retirement-policy |6364### Configuration65| Topic | URL |66|-------|-----|67| Understand Cloud Services model, config, and package files | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/cloud-services-model-and-package |68| Configure monitoring alerts for Cloud Services instances | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/enable-alerts |69| Enable Key Vault VM extension for Cloud Services roles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/enable-key-vault-virtual-machine |70| Configure Remote Desktop extension for Cloud Services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/enable-rdp |71| Configure Azure diagnostics extension for Cloud Services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/enable-wad |72| Configure and manage extensions for Cloud Services roles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/extensions |73| Override Cloud Services SKU and instance count via allowModelOverride | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/override-sku |74| Reference schema for Cloud Services configuration (.cscfg) | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-cscfg-file |75| Configure NetworkConfiguration for Cloud Services deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-cscfg-networkconfiguration |76| Configure role settings in Cloud Services .cscfg | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-cscfg-role |77| Reference schema for Cloud Services definition (.csdef) | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-csdef-file |78| Configure LoadBalancerProbe in Cloud Services definitions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-csdef-loadbalancerprobe |79| Configure NetworkTrafficRules in Cloud Services definitions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-csdef-networktrafficrules |80| Define and configure WebRole schema for Cloud Services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-csdef-webrole |81| Define and configure WorkerRole schema for Cloud Services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/schema-csdef-workerrole |8283### Integrations & Coding Patterns84| Topic | URL |85|-------|-----|86| Use PowerShell to create Cloud Services (extended support) | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/sample-create-cloud-service |87| Use PowerShell to retrieve Cloud Service details | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/sample-get-cloud-service |88| Use PowerShell to reset Cloud Services deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-services-extended-support/sample-reset-cloud-service |
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