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Azure Resource Naming Validation

Version: 1.0 Last Updated: February 6, 2026

Overview

This document provides validation rules and examples for Azure resource naming conventions to ensure compliance with Azure's naming restrictions.

Key Vault Naming Rules

Key Vault Restrictions

  • Length: 3-24 characters
  • Characters: Alphanumeric and hyphens only
  • Start: Must begin with a letter
  • End: Must end with a letter or digit
  • Consecutive hyphens: Not allowed
  • Global uniqueness: Required

Examples

❌ Invalid Names:

dna-staging-pr-26-portfolio-westeurope-kv  # 43 chars - TOO LONG
kv-portfolio                                # Starts with non-letter
portfolio-kv-                               # Ends with hyphen
portfolio--kv                               # Consecutive hyphens

✅ Valid Names:

dnadevportfoliowekv-a1b2c3                 # 26 chars - but still too long!
dnadevportfoliokv-a1b2c3                   # 24 chars - PERFECT
dnastgprtkv-a1b2c3                         # 18 chars - shortened version

Implementation

Our Key Vault module uses this strategy:

// Shorten environment names
var env_short = environment == 'dev' ? 'dev'
              : environment == 'prod' ? 'prd'
              : environment == 'staging' ? 'stg'
              : take(replace(environment, '-', ''), 6)  // For PR environments

// Shorten location names
var location_short = location == 'westeurope' ? 'we'
                   : location == 'eastus' ? 'eu'
                   : take(location, 2)

// Build base name: dnadevportfoliowekv
var base_name = '${org}${env_short}${project}${location_short}kv'

// Add unique suffix: a1b2c3
var unique_suffix = take(uniqueString(resourceGroup().id), 6)

// Final name: dnadevportfoliowekv-a1b2c3 (max 24 chars)
var key_vault_name = length(base_name) > 18
                   ? '${take(base_name, 17)}-${unique_suffix}'
                   : '${base_name}-${unique_suffix}'

Result Examples:

  • dev: dnadevportfoliowekv-a1b2c3 (26 chars → truncated to 24)
  • staging: dnastgportfoliowekv-a1b2c3 (26 chars → truncated to 24)
  • staging-pr-26: dnastagprportfoliowekv-a1b2c3 (32 chars → truncated to 24)
  • prod: dnaprdportfoliowekv-a1b2c3 (26 chars → truncated to 24)

Container Registry Naming Rules

Container Registry Restrictions

  • Length: 5-50 characters
  • Characters: Alphanumeric only (no hyphens, no special characters)
  • Case: Lowercase only
  • Global uniqueness: Required

Examples

❌ Invalid Names:

dna-dev-portfolio-acr          # Contains hyphens
DnaDevPortfolioACR             # Contains uppercase
acr                            # Too short (< 5 chars)

✅ Valid Names:

dnadevportfoliowesteuropeacr   # 28 chars - VALID
dnastagingpr26portfolioacr     # 26 chars - VALID
dnaprdportfolioacr             # 18 chars - VALID

Implementation

// Remove all hyphens and convert to lowercase
var acr_name = '${org}${replace(environment, '-', '')}${project}${replace(location, '-', '')}acr'

Result Examples:

  • dev: dnadevportfoliowesteuropeacr (28 chars)
  • staging-pr-26: dnastagingpr26portfoliowesteuropeacr (37 chars)
  • prod: dnaprdportfoliowesteuropeacr (28 chars)

Storage Account Naming Rules

Storage Account Restrictions

  • Length: 3-24 characters
  • Characters: Lowercase letters and numbers only
  • No hyphens: Not allowed at all
  • Global uniqueness: Required

Examples

❌ Invalid Names:

dna-dev-portfolio-st           # Contains hyphens
DnaDevPortfolioSt              # Contains uppercase
st                             # Too short
dnadevportfoliowesteuropest    # 27 chars - TOO LONG

✅ Valid Names:

dnadevportfoliost              # 17 chars - VALID
dnastgportfoliost              # 17 chars - VALID
dnaprdportfoliost              # 17 chars - VALID

Implementation

// No hyphens, lowercase only, max 24 chars
var storage_name = '${org}${env_short}${project}st'

Log Analytics & App Insights Naming Rules

Log Analytics & App Insights Restrictions

  • Length: 4-63 characters
  • Characters: Alphanumeric, hyphens, and underscores
  • Start/End: Must begin and end with alphanumeric
  • Scope: Resource group level (not globally unique)

Examples

✅ Valid Names (more flexible):

dna-dev-portfolio-westeurope-log           # VALID
dna-staging-pr-26-portfolio-westeurope-log # VALID
dna-prod-portfolio-westeurope-appi         # VALID

Implementation

// Standard CAF naming works fine here
var log_analytics_name = '${org}-${environment}-${project}-${location}-log'
var app_insights_name = '${org}-${environment}-${project}-${location}-appi'

Container Apps Naming Rules

Container Apps Restrictions

  • Length: 2-32 characters
  • Characters: Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens
  • Start/End: Must begin and end with alphanumeric
  • Scope: Resource group level

Examples

✅ Valid Names:

dna-dev-portfolio-westeurope-cae           # VALID
dna-staging-pr-26-portfolio-we-ca-frontend # VALID (shortened location)
dna-prod-portfolio-we-ca-backend           # VALID

Implementation

// May need to shorten for PR environments
var container_app_env_name = '${org}-${environment}-${project}-${location}-cae'
var frontend_app_name = '${org}-${environment}-${project}-${location}-ca-frontend'

Resource Group Naming Rules

Resource Group Restrictions

  • Length: 1-90 characters
  • Characters: Alphanumeric, hyphens, underscores, periods, and parentheses
  • End: Cannot end with period
  • Scope: Subscription level

Examples

✅ Valid Names (very flexible):

dna-dev-portfolio-westeurope-rg
dna-staging-pr-26-portfolio-westeurope-rg
dna-prod-portfolio-westeurope-rg

Naming Strategy Summary

Resource Type Max Length Special Rules Strategy
Key Vault 24 No consecutive hyphens Aggressive shortening + hash
Container Registry 50 No hyphens, lowercase only Remove hyphens, lowercase
Storage Account 24 No hyphens, lowercase only Short names, no location
Log Analytics 63 Standard Full CAF naming
App Insights 63 Standard Full CAF naming
Container Apps 32 Lowercase, hyphens OK May shorten location
Resource Group 90 Very flexible Full CAF naming

Environment Name Shortening

For resources with strict length limits, we use these abbreviations:

Environment Abbreviation Example
dev dev dnadevportfolio...
staging stg dnastgportfolio...
prod prd dnaprdportfolio...
staging-pr-26 stagpr (6 chars) dnastagprportfolio...

Location Shortening

Location Abbreviation
westeurope we
eastus eu
northeurope ne
westus2 w2

Validation Checklist

Before deploying, verify:

  • [ ] Key Vault name is ≤ 24 characters
  • [ ] Key Vault name has no consecutive hyphens
  • [ ] Container Registry name has no hyphens
  • [ ] Container Registry name is lowercase
  • [ ] Storage Account name is ≤ 24 characters
  • [ ] Storage Account name has no hyphens
  • [ ] All names start with a letter
  • [ ] All names end with alphanumeric character
  • [ ] Unique suffixes are used for globally unique resources

Testing Names

Use this Bicep snippet to test name generation:

output key_vault_name_length int = length(key_vault_name)
output key_vault_name_valid bool = length(key_vault_name) <= 24
output acr_name_length int = length(acr_name)
output acr_name_valid bool = length(acr_name) <= 50

References