In this article, Maria Naggaga details the Model Context Protocol (MCP), outlining its impact on AI integration and developer productivity, with insights on leveraging GitHub Copilot, Visual Studio, Azure API Management, and robust security practices.

Connect Once, Integrate Anywhere: Model Context Protocol (MCP) for AI Integration

By Maria Naggaga

In the rapidly evolving domain of AI development, ensuring intelligent applications can connect to the necessary tools and data sources is more important—and challenging—than ever. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is emerging as an open standard that streamlines how developers integrate powerful AI capabilities across diverse environments.

What is MCP?

MCP is an open standard designed to let developers “connect once, integrate anywhere,” establishing a universal method for AI systems to interact with external tools and data. By creating MCP servers, developers can build reusable and composable integration components, allowing any MCP-compatible client (such as VS Code, Claude Desktop, or Copilot Studio) to connect and use these components. This minimizes repetitive work and speeds innovation across products and teams, widening access to AI-powered capabilities for millions of users.

Key features include:

  • Clean separation of concerns between AI models and tools
  • Standardized error handling
  • Forward-compatible versioning
  • OAuth 2.1 authorization
  • Self-documenting interfaces

These design choices mean less integration friction and fewer instances where developers must reinvent best practices for interoperability.

Getting Started with MCP as a Developer

Maria shares actionable steps for developers interested in leveraging MCP, including both the usage and creation of MCP servers.

GitHub Copilot Agent Mode with MCP

MCP is supported in:

With MCP enabled, developers can add local or remote MCP servers as tools in Agent mode for these IDEs. The interface makes it easy to browse and use these tools from within the editor environment.

Example Tool Integrations

  • Stdio, Remote, NPM, Pip, Docker-based MCP servers
  • Access via the “Tools” button in VS Code, Visual Studio, or other IDEs with GitHub Copilot enabled

GitHub Copilot Coding Agent

The Copilot coding agent now includes public preview support for MCP servers. This agent can iterate on code, recognize errors, and fix them automatically. Integrating MCP allows the agent to connect with local tools (like Playwright for web, Sentry for error tracking, Notion for documentation), enhancing the overall coding experience. Developers can start building local MCP servers with the C# SDK and secure remote ones with Azure API Management.

Building MCP Servers with C# SDK

For developers in the .NET ecosystem, an official C# SDK (built via collaboration with Anthropic) facilitates straightforward development of MCP integrations, using patterns familiar to C# programmers. Read the announcement for more details.

Security, Governance, and Operationalization with Azure API Management

MCP Server Security & Governance

MCP incorporates OAuth 2.1, self-documenting interfaces, and centralized registries for a secure software supply chain. By treating MCP endpoints as backend APIs, enterprises can use Azure API Management for authentication, authorization, and operational controls, including:

  • Onboarding to the MCP authorization spec
  • Using credential manager with API Management as the gateway

Exposing REST APIs as MCP Servers

Azure API Management can transform any REST API into a remote MCP server (using Server-Sent Events and Streamable HTTP), enabling LLMs to access specific APIs with secure, governed integration. This lets organizations embed AI agents in existing business flows without sacrificing oversight or compliance.

Private MCP Registry with Azure API Center

A registry is needed for centralized management and discovery of MCP servers. Azure API Center features as a private enterprise registry, offering:

  • Granular access controls
  • Version tracking
  • Advanced discovery
  • Integration with platforms like Copilot Studio and VS Code

Growing the MCP Ecosystem: Microsoft, GitHub & Community Initiatives

Product teams across Microsoft and GitHub have collaborated with Anthropic and the community to:

Official MCP Servers from Microsoft

Summary

The MCP ecosystem supports developers by providing practical, standardized protocols for integrating AI with enterprise tools, improving productivity, and ensuring security. With resources and partnerships from Microsoft, GitHub, Anthropic, and others, MCP is becoming a unifying standard for AI-driven development across platforms.

Happy coding!

This post appeared first on “Microsoft DevBlog”. Read the entire article here