Set Up MCP Connector

What you'll build

An MCP connector to the GitHub MCP server and working tool calls in chat. The same steps work for Datadog, Splunk, New Relic, and any partner connector. Learn more → MCP Connectors & Tools.

Prerequisites

• An active Azure SRE Agent in Running state
• A GitHub Personal Access Token (PAT) — create one here

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Step 1: Add the GitHub MCP connector

1. Go to sre.azure.com and select your agent
2. Navigate to Builder > Connectors
3. Click + Add connector
4. Select GitHub MCP server — the URL (https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/) and auth method (Bearer token) are pre-configured
5. Enter a name (e.g., github-mcp) and paste your GitHub PAT
6. Click Next, review the summary, then click Add connector

Checkpoint: You should see your connector appear in the list. Status shows Initializing briefly (~30 seconds), then Connected with a green checkmark.

tip

If the status shows Failed, check your PAT — it needs at least repo scope. If Disconnected, wait for the next 60-second health check.

Step 2: Select tools for your agent

During connector setup (or by editing the connector afterward), select which tools your agent can use directly in chat.

1. After the connector shows Connected, click Edit on the connector
2. In the MCP Tools section, check the tools you want available — or click Select all to add everything
3. Click Save

Selected tools are now available directly in your main chat — no custom agent needed.

Checkpoint: The connector shows the number of tools selected for the main agent.

Tool limit

Your agent can use up to 80 tools total across all connectors. The tool picker shows a capacity bar so you can manage your tool budget.

Step 3: Test in chat

1. Open a New chat thread

2. Ask a question that uses the connected tools. For example:

   "Search for files related to authentication in my GitHub repositories"

3. Press Enter

Checkpoint: Tool call cards show github-mcp as the connection, the tool name, and Completed status.

Using custom agents for advanced scenarios

For complex workflows, you can also assign MCP tools to a custom agent on the Agent Canvas. This is useful when you want specialized agents for different platforms or need to control which tools are available in which context.

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Finding more MCP servers

Registry	URL	What you'll find
Azure MCP Center	mcp.azure.com	Verified MCP servers for Azure services
MCP GitHub directory	github.com/mcp	Community and open-source MCP servers

What you learned

• How to add a Streamable-HTTP MCP connector using a partner card (pre-configured URL + auth)
• How to select tools for the main agent so they're available directly in chat
• How to verify MCP tool calls via tool cards showing connection name and Completed status

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Status shows Failed	Check URL, credentials, and network access
MCP tools not in tool picker	Verify connector shows Connected in Builder > Connectors
Tool calls fail in chat	Verify tools are selected for the main agent — edit the connector and check the MCP Tools section
Hit the 80-tool limit	Remove unused tools from other connectors to free capacity

Related

Resource	What you'll learn
MCP Connectors & Tools →	Architecture, transport types, and health monitoring
Connectors →	How all connectors work in SRE Agent
Custom agents →	Specialized agents for advanced tool routing