New MCP Support with the Foundry SDK

[jacobreesmontgomery]

I'm unclear on the server URL parameter required with the new MCP tooling integrations. Can that be any URL page for an MCP server? Are there any requirements for the URL?

[jacobreesmontgomery]

Is it just a matter of using this page to convert MCP servers to their remote URLs?

[nicholasdbrady]

Hey @jacobreesmontgomery, I'm adding @lindazqli to provide any additional advice here...

You asked about the server URL parameter required for MCP tooling integrations in the Azure AI Foundry SDK—specifically, whether any URL can be used and what requirements there might be. Here’s what you need to know:

---

The server URL for MCP in Azure AI Foundry should be the full HTTP(S) endpoint address for your MCP server.

Requirements and Best Practices:

• Type of URL:
  The URL must point to an MCP-compliant server’s main endpoint—this could be a public endpoint (like GitHub Copilot’s MCP: https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/).
• No Special Restrictions:
  Any endpoint that implements the MCP specification is allowed—there are no restrictions to a particular vendor or platform.
• Accessibility:
  The MCP server URL must be reachable by your agent at runtime (either public internet or your internal network). For production, prefer a stable and secure endpoint.
• Format:
  Use the full base URL (ensure a trailing slash if the MCP server API requires it).
• Uniqueness:
  Assign a unique server_label for each MCP server within your agent’s config.
• Authentication:
  If the MCP server requires authentication, include necessary headers/tokens via the tool_resources parameter.
• Approval:
  The require_approval parameter must be set to "never" (this is the only supported value currently).

---

Example Configuration:

agent = project_client.agents.create_agent(
    model=MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME,
    name="my-mcp-agent",
    instructions="...",
    tools=[
        {
            "type": "mcp",
            "server_label": "github",
            "server_url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
            "require_approval": "never"
        }
    ],
    tool_resources=None
)

• See setup details:
  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-foundry/agents/how-to/tools/model-context-protocol#setup

---

Aspect	Guidance
URL format	Full HTTP(S) to a valid MCP endpoint
Server type	Any MCP-compliant server
Accessibility	Must be reachable from agent environment
Uniqueness	Use server_label to distinguish servers
Headers	Auth/extra headers go in tool_resources
Example	https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

---

Summary:
There are no unusual constraints. As long as you use a valid, reachable MCP endpoint and configure requisite authentication (if needed), you’re good to go!

References:

• Official Microsoft Documentation: Connect to MCP Servers (Azure AI Foundry)

• Blog: Announcing Model Context Protocol support in Azure AI Foundry

• Integrating Azure AI Agents with MCP

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Let me know if you have follow-up questions and please mark this as the answer if this helps you and could help others.

[jacobreesmontgomery]

Thanks for the reply! Got it.