Azure Resource Limits and Quotas

Check Azure resource availability during azure-prepare workflow. Validate after customer selects region.

Types

1. Hard Limits - Fixed constraints that cannot be changed
2. Quotas - Subscription limits that can be increased via support request

CLI First: Always use az quota CLI for quota checks. Provides better error handling and consistent output. "No Limit" in REST/Portal doesn't mean unlimited - verify with service docs.

Hard Limits

Fixed service constraints (cannot be changed).

Check via: azure__documentation tool or azure-provisioning-limit skill

Examples: Cosmos DB item size (2 MB), Container Apps HTTP timeout (240s), App Service Free tier deployment slots (0)

Process:

1. Identify services and resource sizes needed
2. Look up limits in documentation
3. Compare plan vs limits
4. If exceeded: redesign or change tier

Quotas

Subscription/regional limits that can be increased via support request.

Check via: az quota CLI (install: az extension add --name quota)

Examples: AKS clusters (5,000/region), Storage accounts (250/region), Container Apps environments (50/region)

Key Concept: No 1:1 mapping between ARM resource types and quota names.

• ARM: Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments → Quota: ManagedEnvironmentCount
• ARM: Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines → Quota: standardDSv3Family, cores, virtualMachines

Process:

1. Install extension: az extension add --name quota
2. Discover quota names: az quota list --scope /subscriptions/{id}/providers/{Provider}/locations/{region}
3. Check usage: az quota usage show --resource-name {name} --scope ...
4. Check limit: az quota show --resource-name {name} --scope ...
5. Calculate: Available = Limit - Current Usage
6. If exceeded: Request increase via az quota update

Unsupported Providers (BadRequest error):

Not all providers support quota API. If az quota list fails with BadRequest, use fallback:

1. Get current usage:

   # Option A: Azure Resource Graph (recommended)
   az extension add --name resource-graph
   az graph query -q "resources | where type == '{type}' and location == '{loc}' | count"
   
   # Option B: Resource list
   az resource list --subscription "{id}" --resource-type "{Type}" --location "{loc}" | jq 'length'

1. Get limit from service documentation
2. Calculate: Available = Documented Limit - Current Usage

Known Support Status:

• ❌ Microsoft.DocumentDB (Cosmos DB)
• ✅ Microsoft.Compute, Microsoft.Network, Microsoft.App, Microsoft.Storage, Microsoft.MachineLearningServices

Workflow

Phase 1: Identify & Check Hard Limits

1. Analyze app requirements and select Azure services
2. Determine resource counts, sizes, tiers, throughput
3. Check hard limits via azure-provisioning-limit skill or documentation
4. Validate plan against limits; redesign if needed

Phase 2: Check Quotas After Region Selection

1. Get customer subscription and region preference
2. For each service/region, check quota:

• Use az quota usage list and az quota show
• Calculate available capacity

1. If quota exceeded: request increase or choose different region

Phase 3: Validate Region

• Confirm sufficient quota in selected region
• Request increases if needed
• Only proceed after validation complete

Limit Scopes

Service Patterns

CLI Reference

Prerequisites: az extension add --name quota

Discovery: List quotas to find resource names

az quota list --scope /subscriptions/{id}/providers/{provider}/locations/{location}

Check Usage:

az quota usage show --resource-name {quota-name} --scope /subscriptions/{id}/providers/{provider}/locations/{location}

Check Limit:

az quota show --resource-name {quota-name} --scope /subscriptions/{id}/providers/{provider}/locations/{location}

Request Increase:

az quota update --resource-name {quota-name} --scope /subscriptions/{id}/providers/{provider}/locations/{location} --limit-object value={new-limit} --resource-type {type}

azure-prepare Integration

When to Check:

1. After selecting services - Check hard limits
2. After customer selects region - Check quotas
3. Before generating infrastructure code - Validate availability

Required Steps:

Phase 1 - Planning:

• Select Azure services
• Check hard limits (service documentation)
• Create provisioning limit checklist (leave quota columns as "TBD")

Phase 2 - Execution:

• Get subscription and region preference
• Must invoke azure-quotas skill - Process ONE resource type at a time:

a. Try az quota list first (required) b. If supported: Use az quota usage show and az quota show c. If NOT supported (BadRequest): Use Resource Graph + service docs d. Calculate available capacity e. Document in checklist (no "TBD" entries allowed) f. If insufficient: Request increase or change region

Phase 3 - Generate Artifacts:

• Only proceed after Phase 2 complete (all quotas validated)

Error Messages

Best Practices

1. MUST use Azure CLI quota API first: az quota commands are MANDATORY as the primary method for checking quotas - only use fallback methods (REST API, Portal, docs) when quota API returns BadRequest
2. Don't trust "No Limit" values: If REST API or Portal shows "No Limit" or unlimited, verify with official service documentation - it likely means the quota API doesn't support that resource type, not that capacity is unlimited
3. Always check after customer selects region: Validates availability and allows time for quota requests
4. Use the discovery workflow: Never assume quota resource names - always run az quota list first to discover correct names
5. Check both usage and limit: Run az quota usage show AND az quota show to calculate available capacity
6. Handle unsupported providers gracefully: If you get BadRequest error, fall back to official documentation (Azure Resource Graph + docs)
7. Request quota increases proactively: If selected region lacks capacity, submit request before deployment
8. Have alternative regions ready: If quota increase denied, suggest backup regions
9. Document capacity assumptions: Note quota availability and source in .azure/deployment-plan.md
10. Design for limits: Architecture should account for both hard limits and quotas
11. Monitor usage trends: Regular quota checks help predict future needs
12. Use lower environments wisely: Dev/test environments count against quotas

Quick Reference Limits

For complete quota checking workflow and commands, invoke the azure-quotas skill.

Note: These are typical default limits. Always verify actual quotas using az quota show for your specific subscription and region.

Common quotas to check:

Subscription Level

• Cosmos DB accounts: 50 per region (check via docs - quota API not supported)
• SQL logical servers: 250 per region
• Service Bus namespaces: 100-1,000 (tier dependent)

Regional Level

• Storage accounts: 250 per region (quota resource name: StorageAccounts)
• AKS clusters: 5,000 per region (quota resource name: varies by configuration)
• Container Apps environments: 50 per region (quota resource name: ManagedEnvironmentCount)
• Function apps: 200 per region (Consumption)

Resource Level

• Cosmos DB containers per account: Unlimited (subject to storage)
• Apps per Container Apps environment: 500
• Databases per SQL server: 500
• Queues/topics per Service Bus namespace: 10,000

Related Documentation

• azure-quotas skill - Complete quota checking workflow and CLI commands (invoke the azure-quotas skill)
• Azure subscription limits - Official Microsoft documentation
• Azure Quotas Overview - Understanding quotas and limits
• azure-context.md - How to confirm subscription and region
• architecture.md - Architecture planning workflow

Example: Complete Check Workflow

# Scenario: Deploying app with Cosmos DB, Storage, and Container Apps
# Customer selected region: East US

# 1. Check Hard Limits (from azure-provisioning-limit skill)
# Cosmos DB: Item size max 2 MB ✓
# Storage: Blob size max 190.7 TiB ✓
# Container Apps: Timeout 240 sec ✓

# 2. Get Customer's Region Preference
# Customer: "I prefer East US"

# 3. Check Quotas for Customer's Selected Region (East US)

# 3a. Cosmos DB - NOT SUPPORTED by quota API
az quota list \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.DocumentDB/locations/eastus
# Error: (BadRequest) Bad request

# Fallback: Get current usage with Azure Resource Graph
# Install extension first (if needed)
az extension add --name resource-graph

az graph query -q "resources | where type == 'microsoft.documentdb/databaseaccounts' and location == 'eastus' | count"
# Result: 3 database accounts currently deployed

# Or use Azure CLI resource list
az resource list \
  --subscription "abc-123" \
  --resource-type "Microsoft.DocumentDB/databaseAccounts" \
  --location "eastus" | jq 'length'
# Result: 3

# Get limit from documentation: 50 database accounts per region
# Calculate: Available = 50 - 3 = 47 ✓
# Document as: "Fetched from: Azure Resource Graph + Official docs"

# 3b. Storage Accounts
# Step 1: Discover resource name
az quota list \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.Storage/locations/eastus

# Step 2: Check usage (use discovered name "StorageAccounts")
az quota usage show \
  --resource-name StorageAccounts \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.Storage/locations/eastus
# Current: 180

# Step 3: Check limit
az quota show \
  --resource-name StorageAccounts \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.Storage/locations/eastus
# Limit: 250
# Available: 250 - 180 = 70 ✓

# 3c. Container Apps
# Step 1: Discover resource name
az quota list \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.App/locations/eastus
# Shows: "ManagedEnvironmentCount"

# Step 2: Check usage
az quota usage show \
  --resource-name ManagedEnvironmentCount \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.App/locations/eastus
# Current: 8

# Step 3: Check limit
az quota show \
  --resource-name ManagedEnvironmentCount \
  --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.App/locations/eastus
# Limit: 50
# Available: 50 - 8 = 42 ✓

# 4. Validate Availability
# ✅ All services have sufficient quota in East US
# ✅ Proceed with deployment

# Alternative: If quotas were insufficient
# ❌ Container Apps: 49/50 (only 1 available, need 3)
# Action: Request quota increase
# 
# az quota update \
#   --resource-name ManagedEnvironmentCount \
#   --scope /subscriptions/abc-123/providers/Microsoft.App/locations/eastus \
#   --limit-object value=100 \
#   --resource-type Microsoft.App/managedEnvironments

Remember: Checking limits and quotas early prevents deployment failures and ensures smooth infrastructure provisioning.