Azure Firewall Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Firewall. 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](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-L42	Diagnosing Azure Firewall issues using known limitations, packet captures, and Sentinel log analysis for malware detection and traffic investigation.
Best Practices	L43-L50	Best practices for Azure Firewall DNS proxy/caching, performance tuning, rule optimization with Policy Analytics, and hardening/security configuration guidance.
Decision Making	L51-L59	Guidance on choosing Azure Firewall SKUs (Basic/Standard/Premium), comparing features and performance, and planning or changing deployments based on throughput and requirements.
Architecture & Design Patterns	L60-L72	Designing Azure Firewall network architectures: hub-and-spoke, forced tunneling, load balancer integration, hybrid/AVD/M365 protection, and DNAT for overlapping/private IP networks.
Limits & Quotas	L73-L82	Azure Firewall capacity, IP/port/session limits, SNAT scaling with NAT Gateway, prescaling ranges, and TCP idle timeout behaviors and configuration.
Security	L83-L96	Azure Firewall security setup: compliance, RBAC/permissions, Azure Policy, TLS inspection and CA chains, threat intel, DNAT, AKS and hybrid network protection, and portal deployment.
Configuration	L97-L118	Configuring Azure Firewall policies, rules (DNAT/SNAT/app), IP Groups, DNS/proxy/FTP, maintenance windows, monitoring/logging, and advanced Premium/PowerShell management.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L119-L123	Configuring Azure Firewall to securely access Azure Storage via SFTP, including required rules, network paths, and integration patterns for SFTP traffic.
Deployment	L124-L131	How to deploy Azure Firewall (including Premium) with IP Groups using Bicep/ARM/Terraform, and integrate with Azure DDoS Protection, including basic configuration steps

Troubleshooting

Topic	URL
Detect and investigate malware using Sentinel with Azure Firewall logs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/detect-malware-with-sentinel
Troubleshoot Azure Firewall using packet capture	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/packet-capture

Best Practices

Topic	URL
Understand Azure Firewall DNS proxy behavior and caching	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/dns-details
Optimize Azure Firewall performance with tuning guidelines	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-best-practices
Optimize Azure Firewall rules with Policy Analytics	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/policy-analytics
Apply security best practices to Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/secure-firewall

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Choose and change Azure Firewall Standard vs Premium SKU	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/change-sku
Select the appropriate Azure Firewall SKU	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/choose-firewall-sku
Deploy Azure Firewall Basic with portal and policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/deploy-firewall-basic-portal-policy
Compare Azure Firewall features across SKUs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/features-by-sku
Plan Azure Firewall performance and SKU throughput	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-performance

Architecture & Design Patterns

Topic	URL
Architect multi-hub and spoke routing with Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-multi-hub-spoke
Design Azure Firewall forced tunneling architectures	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/forced-tunneling
Integrate Azure Firewall with Standard Load Balancer	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/integrate-lb
Use Azure Firewall Management NIC for control traffic	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/management-nic
Architect Azure Firewall protection for Azure Virtual Desktop	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/protect-azure-virtual-desktop
Design Azure Firewall protection for Microsoft 365 traffic	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/protect-office-365
Secure hybrid networks with Azure Firewall and policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-hybrid-portal-policy
Architect Azure Firewall in hybrid network topologies	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-hybrid-ps
Use private IP DNAT for overlapped Azure networks	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-private-ip-dnat

Limits & Quotas

Topic	URL
Azure Firewall multi‑IP deployment limits and quotas	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/deploy-multi-public-ip-powershell
Azure Firewall FAQ limits and behaviors	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-faq
Scale Azure Firewall SNAT ports with NAT Gateway	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/integrate-with-nat-gateway
Integrate Azure Firewall with NAT Gateway V2 for SNAT scaling	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/integrate-with-nat-gateway-v2
Configure Azure Firewall prescaling capacity ranges	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/prescaling
Manage Azure Firewall TCP session idle timeouts	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tcp-session-behavior

Security

Topic	URL
Understand Azure Firewall compliance certifications	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/compliance-certifications
Enforce Azure Firewall security using Azure Policy	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-azure-policy
Configure TLS inspection certificates for Firewall Premium	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/premium-certificates
Deploy Enterprise CA chain for Azure Firewall Premium	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/premium-deploy-certificates-enterprise-ca
Protect AKS clusters using Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/protect-azure-kubernetes-service
Azure Firewall roles, permissions, and required access	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/roles-permissions
Configure Azure Firewall threat intelligence filtering	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/threat-intel
Deploy and configure Azure Firewall in portal	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-firewall-deploy-portal
Configure Azure Firewall DNAT for inbound filtering	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-firewall-dnat
Configure Azure Firewall for hybrid network security	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-hybrid-portal

Configuration

Topic	URL
Create and manage Azure Firewall IP Groups	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/create-ip-group
Set customer-controlled maintenance windows for Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/customer-controlled-maintenance
Deploy and configure Azure Firewall policy via PowerShell	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/deploy-ps-policy
Bulk manage Azure Firewall rules with PowerShell	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/deploy-rules-powershell
Configure and monitor Azure Firewall DNAT rules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/destination-nat-rules
Configure DNS servers and DNS proxy for Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/dns-settings
Use Azure Firewall Policy Draft and Deployment	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/draft-deploy
Configure Azure Firewall explicit proxy mode	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/explicit-proxy
Analyze Azure Firewall data using workbooks	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-workbook
Configure FTP modes and security on Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/ftp-support
Configure and use IP Groups in Azure Firewall rules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/ip-groups
Configure monitoring and logging for Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/monitor-firewall
Use Azure Firewall monitoring data and logs with Azure Monitor	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/monitor-firewall-reference
Implement Azure Firewall Premium advanced features	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/premium-features
Track Azure Firewall rule changes with Resource Graph	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/rule-set-change-tracking
Configure SNAT private IP ranges in Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/snat-private-range
Configure Azure Firewall application rules with SQL FQDNs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/sql-fqdn-filtering
Configure Azure Firewall DNAT policy for inbound traffic	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-firewall-dnat-policy

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
Access Azure Storage via SFTP through Azure Firewall	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/firewall-sftp

Deployment

Topic	URL
Deploy and configure Azure Firewall Premium environments	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/premium-deploy
Deploy Azure Firewall and IP Groups using Bicep	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/quick-create-ipgroup-bicep
Deploy Azure Firewall and IP Groups via ARM template	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/quick-create-ipgroup-template
Deploy Azure Firewall and IP Groups using Terraform	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/quick-create-ipgroup-terraform
Deploy Azure Firewall with Azure DDoS Protection	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/tutorial-protect-firewall-ddos