microsoftdocs/azure-update-manager

Azure Update Manager Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Update Manager. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, 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 | L36-L41 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure Update Manager and Automanage onboarding issues, including common error codes, connectivity problems, and remediation steps for failed update operations. | | Best Practices | L42-L52 | Best practices for configuring Automanage and guest patching on Windows/Linux/Arc VMs, handling SQL Server and Ubuntu/Ubuntu Pro updates, and managing SMB over QUIC in Update Manager. | | Decision Making | L53-L58 | Planning patch strategies across subscriptions and guidance for migrating patch management from Configuration Manager to Azure Update Manager | | Limits & Quotas | L59-L67 | OS, region, image, and workload support limits for Update Manager, including supported update sources/types, change tracking matrix, and unsupported scenarios. | | Security | L68-L73 | Configuring disk encryption for Automanaged VMs and setting up RBAC roles/permissions to securely manage and control access to Azure Update Manager. | | Configuration | L74-L93 | Configuring Update Manager: update schedules, scopes, alerts, policies, ESU, hotpatching, change tracking, workspaces/DCRs, reports, Resource Graph, and cross-subscription patching. | | Integrations & Coding Patterns | L94-L106 | Using SDKs (Go/Java/JS/Python) and REST APIs to assign Automanage profiles, manage VM/Arc server updates, and implement pre/post maintenance with Functions, webhooks, and runbooks | | Deployment | L107-L120 | Deploying and managing Automanage/Update Manager at scale: onboarding VMs and Arc servers, moving/repairing configs across regions/tenants, policies, extension versions, and supported OS/features. |

Troubleshooting

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Troubleshoot Azure Automanage onboarding failures and errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/common-errors | | Troubleshoot errors and issues in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/troubleshoot |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Apply Automanage best practices to Azure Arc-enabled servers | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-arc | | Apply Automanage best practices to Linux VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-linux | | Manage SMB over QUIC using Automanage best practices | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-smb-over-quic | | Apply Automanage best practices to Windows Server VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-windows-server | | Apply patching best practices for SQL Server on Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/guidance-patching-sql-server-azure-vm | | Handle Ubuntu security and Ubuntu Pro in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/security-awareness-ubuntu-support | | Configure automatic guest patching for Azure VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix-automatic-guest-patching |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Plan cross-subscription patching with Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/cross-subscription-patching | | Plan migration from Configuration Manager to Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/guidance-migration-azure |

Limits & Quotas

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Understand Change Tracking support matrix and limitations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/change-tracking-inventory-support-matrix | | Manage customized images in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-updates-customized-images | | Understand supported update sources and types | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix | | Check supported Azure regions for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/supported-regions | | Identify unsupported workloads in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/unsupported-workloads |

Security

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Configure Azure disk encryption for Automanaged VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/overview-azure-disk-encryption | | Assign RBAC roles for Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/roles-permissions |

Configuration

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Create and configure custom Automanage profiles for VMs | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/virtual-machines-custom-profile | | Create data collection rules for Azure Change Tracking | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/create-data-collection-rule | | Configure workspaces and data collection rules for Change Tracking | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/tutorial-change-workspace-configure-data-collection-rule | | Configure Windows Update client for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/configure-wu-agent | | Set up cross-subscription patching in Azure | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/enable-cross-subscription-patching | | Enroll Windows Server ESU with Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/extended-security-updates | | Enable and configure alerts in Azure Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-alerts | | Configure and manage dynamic scopes for patching | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-dynamic-scoping | | Manage existing pre and post maintenance events | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-pre-post-events | | Manage update configuration settings in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-update-settings | | Create custom Update Manager reports with workbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-workbooks | | Enable periodic assessment via Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/periodic-assessment-at-scale | | Create pre and post maintenance events in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/pre-post-events-schedule-maintenance-configuration | | Access Update Manager data via Azure Resource Graph | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/query-logs | | Use sample Resource Graph queries for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/sample-query-logs | | Configure recurring update schedules in Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/scheduled-patching |

Integrations & Coding Patterns

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Use Go SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-go-sdk | | Use Java SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-java-sdk | | Use JavaScript SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-javascript-sdk | | Use Python SDK to assign Automanage configuration profiles | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/quick-python-sdk | | Choose and use Automanage SDKs across languages | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/reference-sdk | | Use REST API for Arc-enabled server updates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-arc-enabled-servers-programmatically | | Use Azure REST API to manage VM updates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/manage-vms-programmatically | | Implement pre/post maintenance using Azure Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/tutorial-using-functions | | Trigger pre/post maintenance via webhooks and runbooks | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/tutorial-webhooks-using-runbooks |

Deployment

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Onboard VMs to Automanage with ARM templates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/arm-deploy | | Onboard Arc-enabled servers to Automanage with ARM templates | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/arm-deploy-arc | | Upgrade existing Automanage machines to the latest version | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/automanage-upgrade | | Move Automanage configuration profiles between Azure regions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/move-automanaged-configuration-profile | | Move Automanaged virtual machines across Azure regions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/move-automanaged-vms | | Repair Automanage accounts after subscription tenant moves | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/repair-automanage-account | | Enable Automanage for VMs using Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/automanage/virtual-machines-policy-enable | | Deploy Change Tracking at scale using Azure Policy | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/enable-change-tracking-at-scale-policy | | Review Change Tracking extension versions and known issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-change-tracking-inventory/extension-version-details | | Track Arc-enabled VM extension releases and issues for Update Manager | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/overview-arc-enabled-vm-extensions | | Azure Update Manager OS and feature support matrix | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/update-manager/support-matrix-updates |