azure-kubernetes
Plan, create, and configure production-ready Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. Covers Day-0 checklist, SKU selection (Automatic vs Standard), networking options (private API server, Azure CNI Overlay, egress configuration), security, and operations (autoscaling, upgrade strategy, cost analysis). WHEN: create AKS environment, provision AKS environment, enable AKS observability, design AKS networking, choose AKS SKU, secure AKS.
Security Assessment
About azure-kubernetes
The `azure-kubernetes` skill is designed to assist users in planning, creating, and configuring production-ready Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. It addresses the challenges of deploying and managing Kubernetes in Azure by providing authoritative guidance on Day-0 decisions, which are critical choices made before cluster creation, such as networking, API server access, and SKU selection. By distinguishing between Day-0 and Day-1 decisions, the skill helps users establish a robust AKS environment while minimizing configuration errors that are difficult to change later.
Key features of this skill include comprehensive support for AKS cluster setup, covering SKU selection (Automatic vs Standard), networking options like private API servers and Azure CNI overlays, security and identity management, autoscaling, upgrade strategies, and cost analysis. It integrates with Azure MCP tools and the Azure CLI to provide the necessary commands for cluster provisioning and observability setup. The skill also offers a Day-0 checklist and recommended configurations, ensuring that production workloads are deployed according to best practices in reliability, performance, and security.
This skill is particularly useful for cloud engineers, DevOps practitioners, and IT architects responsible for designing and managing AKS environments. It is aimed at users who need to plan production-grade Kubernetes clusters, configure networking and security policies, enable observability tools like Container Insights and Prometheus, and establish cost visibility. Organizations adopting AKS for scalable containerized workloads can leverage this skill to streamline cluster setup, enforce governance, and reduce operational complexity.
FAQ
When should I use the azure-kubernetes skill?
You should activate this skill when planning or creating a new AKS cluster, designing networking, setting up security and observability, or establishing upgrade and cost management strategies.
Which AKS SKUs are supported and how do I choose between them?
The skill supports AKS Automatic and Standard SKUs. Automatic is recommended for most production workloads due to its curated, pre-configured best practices. Standard provides full control but requires additional setup and management.
What networking options does this skill cover?
It covers pod IP models including Azure CNI Overlay (recommended) and Azure CNI VNet-routable, as well as API server access, ingress/egress configuration, and dataplane considerations.
Does the skill handle cluster scaling and observability?
Yes, it includes guidance on autoscaling, upgrade strategies, and enabling observability tools like Container Insights, Managed Prometheus, and Grafana.
Are there any prerequisites for using this skill?
Users should provide AKS environment type, region, node VM sizes, expected scale, networking and security requirements, upgrade preferences, and cost constraints. If unsure, the skill uses safe defaults.
Install azure-kubernetes
Quick Setup:
- Copy the skill folder to
.claude/skills/ - Claude will automatically detect and use the skill
Repository
microsoft/azure-skills