Azure Confidential Computing Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Confidential Computing. 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-L41	Troubleshooting AKS confidential node issues: common errors, limitations, configuration and deployment problems, and FAQs about setup, security, and workload compatibility.
Best Practices	L42-L46	FAQ and guidance on using Azure confidential VMs: supported scenarios, security guarantees, limitations, performance, pricing, and operational best practices.
Decision Making	L47-L59	Guidance on choosing Azure confidential computing options: VMs (AMD/Intel), containers, GPUs, deployment models, capabilities, products, and use cases for secure workloads.
Architecture & Design Patterns	L60-L69	Architectural patterns and design guidance for using Azure confidential VMs, SGX enclaves, AKS, and multi-party analytics to build secure AI and containerized workloads.
Limits & Quotas	L70-L74	Guidance on choosing sizes, quotas, and deployment limits for Intel SGX-enabled VMs in Azure, including capacity planning and scaling considerations.
Security	L75-L90	Attestation, vTPM, key/secrets handling, and hardening guidance to securely run and monitor Azure confidential VMs, SGX enclaves, AKS confidential containers, and clean rooms.
Configuration	L91-L99	Configuring Azure confidential computing: AKS confidential containers/SGX plugins, key rotation, secure key release policies, and using Metablob disks with confidential VMs.
Integrations & Coding Patterns	L100-L110	Coding patterns and samples for building, running, and attesting Intel SGX/AMD SEV-SNP confidential apps and containers, including SKR flows, tools, and Fortanix/Key Vault integrations.
Deployment	L111-L121	How to deploy and migrate Azure confidential VMs/VMSS and AKS (SGX and confidential node pools), create custom images, and set up Fortanix CCM using CLI and ARM templates.

Troubleshooting

Topic	URL
FAQ for AKS confidential computing nodes	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-nodes-aks-faq

Best Practices

Topic	URL
Azure confidential VM FAQ and usage guidance	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-vm-faq

Decision Making

Topic	URL
Select Azure confidential container offerings	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/choose-confidential-containers-offerings
Choose Azure confidential computing deployment models	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-computing-deployment-models
Understand Azure confidential container options	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-containers
Overview of confidential containers on Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-containers
Understand and choose Azure confidential VM capabilities	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-vm-overview
Use Azure confidential GPUs for secure compute offload	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/gpu-options
Select Azure confidential computing products	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/overview-azure-products
Choose Azure confidential computing use cases	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/use-cases-scenarios
Select Azure confidential VM options on AMD or Intel	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/virtual-machine-options

Architecture & Design Patterns

Topic	URL
Apply confidential computing to AI workloads on Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-ai
Design solutions with Azure confidential computing options	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-computing-solutions
Use SGX enclave nodes in AKS workloads	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-nodes-aks-overview
Design enclave-aware container applications on AKS	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/enclave-aware-containers
Understand Azure confidential VM guest attestation design	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/guest-attestation-confidential-virtual-machines-design
Architect multi-party analytics on Azure confidential computing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/multi-party-data

Limits & Quotas

Topic	URL
Deploy and size Intel SGX VMs on Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/virtual-machine-solutions-sgx

Security

Topic	URL
Configure attestation for Azure SGX enclaves	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/attestation
Use attestation types for Azure confidential workloads	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/attestation-solutions
Use Secure Key Release with Azure Key Vault and confidential computing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/concept-skr-attestation
Use Azure Confidential Clean Rooms for secure collaboration	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-clean-rooms
Security model for AKS Confidential Containers	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-containers-aks-security-policy
Configure guest attestation for Azure confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/guest-attestation-confidential-vms
Secure confidential VMs with Defender for Cloud and guest attestation	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/guest-attestation-defender-for-cloud
Harden Linux images by removing Azure guest agent	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/harden-a-linux-image-to-remove-azure-guest-agent
Harden Linux images by removing sudo users for confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/harden-the-linux-image-to-remove-sudo-users
Leverage vTPM features in Linux confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/how-to-leverage-virtual-tpms-in-azure-confidential-vms
Manage secrets and keys in Azure confidential computing	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/secret-key-management
Use virtual TPMs in Azure confidential VMs securely	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/virtual-tpms-in-azure-confidential-vm

Configuration

Topic	URL
Configure Confidential Containers on AKS (preview)	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-containers-on-aks-preview
Configure AKS Intel SGX device plugin (confcom)	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-nodes-aks-addon
Rotate customer-managed keys for Azure confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/key-rotation-offline
Author Secure Key Release policies for Azure confidential TEEs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/skr-policy-examples
Use Virtual Machine Metablob Disk with confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/virtual-machine-metablob-disk

Integrations & Coding Patterns

Topic	URL
Use development tools for Intel SGX enclaves on Azure	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/application-development
Run confidential containers with Intel SGX enclaves	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-containers-enclaves
Build Intel SGX enclave apps with OSS tools	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/enclave-development-oss
Use guest attestation sample app with confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/guest-attestation-example
Run apps with Fortanix CCM and Node Agent	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/how-to-fortanix-confidential-computing-manager-node-agent
Implement SKR with confidential containers on Azure Container Instances	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/skr-flow-confidential-containers-azure-container-instance
Implement SKR from Key Vault to AMD SEV-SNP confidential VMs	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/skr-flow-confidential-vm-sev-snp

Deployment

Topic	URL
Deploy AKS cluster with SGX enclave nodes via CLI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-enclave-nodes-aks-get-started
Use confidential VM node pools in AKS	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/confidential-node-pool-aks
Create custom images for Azure confidential VMs with CLI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/how-to-create-custom-image-confidential-vm
Deploy Fortanix CCM as Azure managed app	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/how-to-fortanix-confidential-computing-manager
Migrate nested Azure confidential VMs across regions	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/migrate-nested-confidential-vms
Deploy Azure confidential VMs with ARM templates	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/quick-create-confidential-vm-arm
Deploy Azure confidential VMs using Azure CLI	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/quick-create-confidential-vm-azure-cli
Deploy VM scale sets with hardened Linux images	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/confidential-computing/vmss-deployment-from-hardened-linux-image