Task 2 — Connect a remote MCP server

Part of the Build and extend AI agents lab. New here? Start with Getting started.

Set up (start here): This task needs a Foundry project and the starter code. If you haven’t already, complete Getting started to create your project, clone the code, and set PROJECT_ENDPOINT and MODEL_DEPLOYMENT_NAME in Python/.env. Then, from the Labfiles/A-build-and-extend-ai-agents folder, verify you’re ready:

python setup/check_env.py --task 2

Continuing from a previous task? If you just finished an earlier task in the same Python folder, your project, virtual environment, and .env are already set — go straight to Connect the agent to the MCP server below.

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets an agent discover and call tools hosted by a server. Behind the scenes, the Tailwind Traders platform team is rebuilding the online store on Azure — so in this task you’ll connect an agent to the Microsoft Learn Docs remote MCP server, giving the team an assistant that can pull trusted, up-to-date Azure documentation on demand.

Open the Python folder and activate the virtual environment from Getting started (.\labenv\Scripts\Activate.ps1), then continue below.

Connect the agent to the MCP server

Open remote_mcp_agent.py and add code at each commented placeholder.

Tip: As you add code, keep the indentation aligned with the comments.

1. Add references:

    # Add references
    from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
    from azure.ai.projects import AIProjectClient
    from azure.ai.projects.models import PromptAgentDefinition, MCPTool
    from openai.types.responses.response_input_param import McpApprovalResponse, ResponseInputParam
   

2. Connect to the agents client:

    # Connect to the agents client
    with (
        DefaultAzureCredential() as credential,
        AIProjectClient(endpoint=project_endpoint, credential=credential) as project_client,
        project_client.get_openai_client() as openai_client,
    ):
   

3. Initialize agent MCP tool — this points the agent at the Microsoft Learn Docs MCP server:

    # Initialize agent MCP tool
    mcp_tool = MCPTool(
        server_label="api-specs",
        server_url="https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp",
        require_approval="always",
    )
   

4. Create a new agent with the MCP tool:

    # Create a new agent with the MCP tool
    agent = project_client.agents.create_version(
        agent_name="platform-docs-agent",
        definition=PromptAgentDefinition(
            model=model_deployment,
            instructions="You are a platform engineering assistant for Tailwind Traders. Use the available MCP tools to look up trusted Azure documentation and help the team build and operate the online store.",
            tools=[mcp_tool],
        ),
    )
    print(f"Agent created (id: {agent.id}, name: {agent.name}, version: {agent.version})")
   

5. Create a conversation thread:

    # Create a conversation thread
    conversation = openai_client.conversations.create()
    print(f"Created conversation (id: {conversation.id})")
   

6. Send initial request that will trigger the MCP tool:

    # Send initial request that will trigger the MCP tool
    response = openai_client.responses.create(
        conversation=conversation.id,
        input="Give me the Azure CLI commands to deploy our product catalog API to an Azure Container App with a managed identity.",
        extra_body={"agent_reference": {"name": agent.name, "type": "agent_reference"}},
    )
   

7. Process any MCP approval requests — because the tool requires approval, the agent pauses and asks permission before each call. This loop auto-approves each request:

    # Process any MCP approval requests that were generated
    while True:
        input_list: ResponseInputParam = []
        for item in response.output:
            if item.type == "mcp_approval_request":
                if item.server_label == "api-specs" and item.id:
                    input_list.append(
                        McpApprovalResponse(
                            type="mcp_approval_response",
                            approve=True,
                            approval_request_id=item.id,
                        )
                    )
   
        # No more approvals needed -> the agent has produced its final response
        if not input_list:
            break
   
        response = openai_client.responses.create(
            input=input_list,
            previous_response_id=response.id,
            extra_body={"agent_reference": {"name": agent.name, "type": "agent_reference"}},
        )
   
    print(f"\nAgent response: {response.output_text}")
   

8. Clean up the agent version so you don’t leave test agents behind:

    # Clean up resources by deleting the agent version
    project_client.agents.delete_version(agent_name=agent.name, agent_version=agent.version)
    print("Agent deleted")
   

9. Save the file (Ctrl+S).

Run and test

1. In the terminal, sign in and run the app:

    az login
   

    python remote_mcp_agent.py
   

2. Watch the agent create itself, call the MCP tool (approved automatically by your loop), and answer using live documentation. You should see output similar to:

    Agent created (id: platform-docs-agent:2, name: platform-docs-agent, version: 2)
    Created conversation (id: conv_...)
   
    Agent response: Here are Azure CLI commands to create an Azure Container App with a managed identity:
    ...
    Agent deleted
   

3. Try changing the input string to ask about a different Azure service, and run again.

✅ Checkpoint: You’ve built a grounded agent and extended an agent with an external tool via a remote MCP server, including approval handling. That’s the Core of this lab — everything below is optional.

When you’re finished, enter deactivate to exit the virtual environment.

Next (optional): Task 3 — Call your agent from a client app · Task 4 — Add custom function tools