Azure Management MCP Server

 


Azure Management MCP Server

Manage Azure Virtual Networks, DNS, and Functions through Claude Desktop using natural language.

📦 What's Included

This package contains everything you need to set up an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that extends Claude Desktop with Azure management capabilities.

Files in This Package:

  • BLOG_POST_COMPLETE_GUIDE.md - Complete tutorial (START HERE!)
  • azure_mcp_server.py - The MCP server script (template with placeholders)
  • requirements.txt - Python dependencies for easy installation
  • SETUP_CHECKLIST.md - Step-by-step checklist to track your progress
  • README.md - This file

🚀 Quick Start

1. Read the Complete Guide

Open BLOG_POST_COMPLETE_GUIDE.md and follow along. It contains:

  • Prerequisites
  • Step-by-step installation instructions
  • Configuration guide
  • Usage examples
  • Troubleshooting

2. Use the Checklist

Open SETUP_CHECKLIST.md and check off each step as you complete it. This ensures you don't miss anything.

3. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

Or manually:

pip install mcp azure-identity azure-mgmt-network azure-mgmt-dns azure-mgmt-resource azure-mgmt-web azure-mgmt-storage requests

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, you need:

  • ✅ Python 3.10 or higher
  • ✅ Azure account (free tier works)
  • ✅ Claude Desktop installed
  • ✅ Azure CLI installed
  • ✅ 30-45 minutes

🎯 What This MCP Server Can Do

Virtual Networks

  • List all VNets
  • Create new VNets
  • List subnets
  • Create subnets

DNS Management

  • List DNS zones
  • Create DNS zones
  • Create DNS records (A, CNAME, TXT)

Azure Functions

  • List Function Apps
  • Create Function Apps (Python, Node.js, .NET, Java)
  • Start/Stop/Restart Function Apps
  • Deploy functions from ZIP files

General

  • Check Azure subscription status
  • List resource groups

🔧 Installation Overview

  1. Install Azure CLI - Manage Azure from command line
  2. Install Python - Required to run the MCP server
  3. Create Service Principal - Azure credentials for the server
  4. Install Python packages - Azure SDK and MCP framework
  5. Configure the script - Add your credentials
  6. Configure Claude Desktop - Connect the MCP server
  7. Test - Verify everything works

Full instructions in BLOG_POST_COMPLETE_GUIDE.md

⚙️ Configuration

Step 1: Edit the Script

Open azure_mcp_server.py and replace these placeholders:

TENANT_ID = "YOUR_TENANT_ID_HERE"        # Your Azure tenant ID
CLIENT_ID = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID_HERE"        # Service principal client ID
CLIENT_SECRET = "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE"  # Service principal secret
SUBSCRIPTION_ID = "YOUR_SUBSCRIPTION_ID_HERE"  # Azure subscription ID

Step 2: Configure Claude Desktop

Edit Claude Desktop's config file:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add this configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "azure-management": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "/FULL/PATH/TO/azure_mcp_server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Important: Use the full absolute path to the script!

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop

Completely quit and restart Claude Desktop.

🧪 Testing

Once configured, test with these commands in Claude Desktop:

Check my Azure subscription status

List all my resource groups

List all my virtual networks

If these work, you're all set! 🎉

💡 Usage Examples

Create a Virtual Network

Create a virtual network named "prod-vnet" in resource group "network-rg" 
in East US with address space 10.0.0.0/16

Create a Function App

Create a Python Function App named "my-api" in resource group "app-rg" 
in East US with storage account "myapistorage123"

Manage DNS

Create a DNS zone for "example.com" in resource group "dns-rg"
Create an A record named "www" in zone "example.com" pointing to 1.2.3.4

🔒 Security Notes

Important Security Practices:

  1. Never commit credentials to Git

    # Add to .gitignore
echo "azure_mcp_server.py" >> .gitignore

  2. Keep the script file secure

    • Don't share it with credentials in it
    • Don't upload to public repositories
    • Store in a secure location

  3. Rotate credentials regularly

    • Every 6-12 months
    • After any security incident
    • When team members leave

  4. Use least privilege

    • Only grant necessary permissions
    • Use resource-specific roles when possible

  5. Monitor Azure activity

    • Check activity logs regularly
    • Set up cost alerts
    • Enable Azure Security Center

🐛 Troubleshooting

MCP Server Not Showing

Check:

  • Path in config is absolute (full path)
  • JSON syntax is valid
  • Claude Desktop was completely restarted

Authentication Failed

Check:

  • Credentials in script are correct
  • Service principal has Contributor role
  • Subscription ID is correct

Module Not Found

Fix:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Python Command Not Found

Windows: Use python in config
Mac/Linux: Use python3 in config

📚 Additional Resources

🆘 Getting Help

If You're Stuck:

  1. ✅ Review BLOG_POST_COMPLETE_GUIDE.md thoroughly
  2. ✅ Check SETUP_CHECKLIST.md - did you complete all steps?
  3. ✅ Look at the Troubleshooting sections
  4. ✅ Verify all prerequisites are installed
  5. ✅ Check Azure Portal for permission issues

📝 What's Next?

Once your MCP server is working:

Expand Functionality

  • Add more Azure services (Storage, VMs, Databases)
  • Create custom workflows
  • Add organization-specific features

Automate Tasks

  • Environment setup scripts
  • Resource cleanup routines
  • Deployment pipelines

Share with Team

  • Create team-specific MCP server
  • Enforce naming conventions
  • Add compliance checks

🎓 Learning Path

Beginner

  1. Follow the complete guide
  2. Create your first VNet
  3. Set up a DNS zone
  4. Deploy a simple Function App

Intermediate

  1. Automate environment creation
  2. Set up multi-region deployments
  3. Implement tagging strategies
  4. Create monitoring dashboards

Advanced

  1. Add custom Azure services
  2. Implement CI/CD with MCP
  3. Build team collaboration features
  4. Create compliance automation

⚖️ License

This project is provided as-is for educational and practical purposes.

Important: You are responsible for:

  • Securing your Azure credentials
  • Managing Azure costs
  • Compliance with your organization's policies
  • Following Azure's terms of service

🙏 Credits

📊 Quick Stats

  • Lines of Code: ~600
  • Supported Services: 3 (VNet, DNS, Functions)
  • Total Tools: 15+
  • Setup Time: 30-45 minutes
  • Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

🚦 Status Indicators

After setup, you should see:

✅ All Systems Go:

  • MCP server shows in Claude Desktop
  • Subscription check returns authenticated
  • Can list resource groups
  • Can list virtual networks

⚠️ Check Setup:

  • MCP server not showing
  • Authentication errors
  • Module import errors

❌ Needs Attention:

  • Python not installed
  • Azure CLI not installed
  • No service principal created
  • Config file incorrect

🎯 Success Criteria

You've successfully set up the MCP server when:

  1. ✅ Claude Desktop shows the MCP connection
  2. ✅ Check my Azure subscription status returns authenticated
  3. ✅ You can list Azure resources
  4. ✅ You can create new resources with natural language commands
  5. ✅ No error messages appear

📞 Quick Reference

File Locations

Config File:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Script File:

  • Wherever you saved azure_mcp_server.py

Common Commands

Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Test Azure connection:

az login
az account show

Verify Python:

python --version

Check MCP installation:

pip show mcp

Ready to get started? Open BLOG_POST_COMPLETE_GUIDE.md and begin! 🚀

Download Script MCP Script

Last updated: December 2024

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