Azure Resource Lookup
npx machina-cli add skill microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure/azure-resource-lookup --openclawAzure Resource Lookup
List, find, and discover Azure resources of any type across subscriptions and resource groups. Use Azure Resource Graph (ARG) for fast, cross-cutting queries when dedicated MCP tools don't cover the resource type.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user wants to:
- List resources of any type (VMs, web apps, storage accounts, container apps, databases, etc.)
- Show resources in a specific subscription or resource group
- Query resources across multiple subscriptions or resource types
- Find orphaned resources (unattached disks, unused NICs, idle IPs)
- Discover resources missing required tags or configurations
- Get a resource inventory spanning multiple types
- Find resources in a specific state (unhealthy, failed provisioning, stopped)
- Answer "what resources do I have?" or "show me my Azure resources"
💡 Tip: For single-resource-type queries, first check if a dedicated MCP tool can handle it (see routing table below). If none exists, use Azure Resource Graph.
Quick Reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Query Language | KQL (Kusto Query Language subset) |
| CLI Command | az graph query -q "<KQL>" -o table |
| Extension | az extension add --name resource-graph |
| MCP Tool | extension_cli_generate with intent for az graph query |
| Best For | Cross-subscription queries, orphaned resources, tag audits |
MCP Tools
| Tool | Purpose | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
extension_cli_generate | Generate az graph query commands | Primary tool — generate ARG queries from user intent |
mcp_azure_mcp_subscription_list | List available subscriptions | Discover subscription scope before querying |
mcp_azure_mcp_group_list | List resource groups | Narrow query scope |
Workflow
Step 1: Check for a Dedicated MCP Tool
For single-resource-type queries, check if a dedicated MCP tool can handle it:
| Resource Type | MCP Tool | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Machines | compute | ✅ Full — list, details, sizes |
| Storage Accounts | storage | ✅ Full — accounts, blobs, tables |
| Cosmos DB | cosmos | ✅ Full — accounts, databases, queries |
| Key Vault | keyvault | ⚠️ Partial — secrets/keys only, no vault listing |
| SQL Databases | sql | ⚠️ Partial — requires resource group name |
| Container Registries | acr | ✅ Full — list registries |
| Kubernetes (AKS) | aks | ✅ Full — clusters, node pools |
| App Service / Web Apps | appservice | ❌ No list command — use ARG |
| Container Apps | — | ❌ No MCP tool — use ARG |
| Event Hubs | eventhubs | ✅ Full — namespaces, hubs |
| Service Bus | servicebus | ✅ Full — queues, topics |
If a dedicated tool is available with full coverage, use it. Otherwise proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Generate the ARG Query
Use extension_cli_generate to build the az graph query command:
mcp_azure_mcp_extension_cli_generate
intent: "query Azure Resource Graph to <user's request>"
cli-type: "az"
See Azure Resource Graph Query Patterns for common KQL patterns.
Step 3: Execute and Format Results
Run the generated command. Use --query (JMESPath) to shape output:
az graph query -q "<KQL>" --query "data[].{name:name, type:type, rg:resourceGroup}" -o table
Use --first N to limit results. Use --subscriptions to scope.
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
resource-graph extension not found | Extension not installed | az extension add --name resource-graph |
AuthorizationFailed | No read access to subscription | Check RBAC — need Reader role |
BadRequest on query | Invalid KQL syntax | Verify table/column names; use =~ for case-insensitive type matching |
| Empty results | No matching resources or wrong scope | Check --subscriptions flag; verify resource type spelling |
Constraints
- ✅ Always use
=~for case-insensitive type matching (types are lowercase) - ✅ Always scope queries with
--subscriptionsor--firstfor large tenants - ✅ Prefer dedicated MCP tools for single-resource-type queries
- ❌ Never use ARG for real-time monitoring (data has slight delay)
- ❌ Never attempt mutations through ARG (read-only)
Source
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure/blob/main/plugin/skills/azure-resource-lookup/SKILL.mdView on GitHub Overview
Azure Resource Lookup lets you list, find, and discover Azure resources of any type across subscriptions and resource groups. It uses Azure Resource Graph for fast cross-subscription queries when a dedicated MCP tool doesn’t cover a resource type, enabling you to answer what resources you have and build a comprehensive inventory.
How This Skill Works
The skill relies on KQL-based queries executed via the az graph query command to search resources across scopes. If a dedicated MCP tool exists for the resource type, use that tool first per the routing guidance; if not, fall back to Azure Resource Graph with the resource-graph extension to retrieve results across subscriptions and resource groups.
When to Use It
- List resources of any type across multiple subscriptions
- Show resources within a specific subscription or resource group
- Query across subscriptions to find orphaned resources (unattached disks, idle NICs)
- Identify resources missing required tags or configurations
- Get a cross-type resource inventory and answer what resources you have
Quick Start
- Step 1: Determine scope and whether a dedicated MCP tool exists for the resource type
- Step 2: If no tool exists, enable ARG by installing the extension: az extension add --name resource-graph
- Step 3: Run a KQL query with az graph query -q "<your KQL here>" -o table to return results
Best Practices
- Check for a dedicated MCP tool for the resource type before using ARG, per the workflow.
- Use Azure Resource Graph for cross-subscription and multi-type queries when no single tool covers the type.
- Narrow the scope to a subscription or resource group first, then widen to multiple scopes to reduce query load.
- Include tag and configuration audits to identify missing or misconfigured resources.
- Export or log results to maintain a centralized resource inventory and audit trail
Example Use Cases
- List all virtual machines across subscriptions
- Show all storage accounts in a specific resource group
- Find resources missing the CostCenter tag across the tenant
- Identify unattached disks across subscriptions
- Inventory web apps and app services across subscriptions
