
Azure-aigateway enables developers and platform engineers to configure Azure API Management as a governance layer for AI models, MCP tools, and agents. The skill provides policies and commands for implementing semantic caching, token limits, content safety filters, load balancing, rate limiting, and jailbreak detection to control costs, ensure compliance, and protect AI workloads. It solves the problem of managing multiple AI backends and tools through a single controlled gateway with observability and cost control mechanisms.
$ npx -y skills add microsoft/github-copilot-for-azure --skill azure-aigateway --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
Configure Azure API Management (APIM) as an AI Gateway for governing AI models, MCP tools, and agents.
To deploy APIM, use the azure-prepare skill. See APIM deployment guide.
| Category | Triggers |
|---|---|
| Model Governance | "semantic caching", "token limits", "load balance AI", "track token usage" |
| Tool Governance | "rate limit MCP", "protect my tools", "configure my tool", "convert API to MCP" |
| Agent Governance | "content safety", "jailbreak detection", "filter harmful content" |
| Configuration | "add Azure OpenAI backend", "configure my model", "add AI Foundry model" |
| Testing | "test AI gateway", "call OpenAI through gateway" |
| Policy | Purpose | Details |
|---|---|---|
azure-openai-token-limit | Cost control | Model Policies |
azure-openai-semantic-cache-lookup/store | 60-80% cost savings | Model Policies |
azure-openai-emit-token-metric | Observability | Model Policies |
llm-content-safety | Safety & compliance | Agent Policies |
rate-limit-by-key | MCP/tool protection | Tool Policies |
# Get gateway URL
az apim show --name <apim-name> --resource-group <rg> --query "gatewayUrl" -o tsv
# List backends (AI models)
az apim backend list --service-name <apim-name> --resource-group <rg> \
--query "[].{id:name, url:url}" -o table
# Get subscription key
az apim subscription keys list \
--service-name <apim-name> --resource-group <rg> --subscription-id <sub-id>
GATEWAY_URL=$(az apim show --name <apim-name> --resource-group <rg> --query "gatewayUrl" -o tsv)
curl -X POST "${GATEWAY_URL}/openai/deployments/<deployment>/chat/completions?api-version=2024-02-01" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key: <key>" \
-d '{"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}], "max_tokens": 100}'
See references/patterns.md for full steps.
# Discover AI resources
az cognitiveservices account list --query "[?kind=='OpenAI']" -o table
# Create backend
az apim backend create --service-name <apim> --resource-group <rg> \
--backend-id openai-backend --protocol http --url "https://<aoai>.openai.azure.com/openai"
# Grant access (managed identity)
az role assignment create --assignee <apim-principal-id> \
--role "Cognitive Services User" --scope <aoai-resource-id>
Recommended policy order in <inbound>:
See references/policies.md for complete example.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Token limit 429 | Increase tokens-per-minute or add load balancing |
| No cache hits | Lower score-threshold to 0.7 |
| Content false positives | Increase category thresholds (5-6) |
| Backend auth 401 | Grant APIM "Cognitive Services User" role |
See references/troubleshooting.md for details.
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