CCDev 2 - what you need to think about with MCP

An episode of the The Copilot Connection podcast, hosted by Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell, titled "CCDev 2 - what you need to think about with MCP" was published on July 29, 2025 and runs 68 minutes.

July 29, 2025 ·68m · The Copilot Connection

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Summary

Send us a textKevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder delve into the world of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and its implications for developers. We start with a starter overview of functionality of MCP and why it is important. However, we wanted to get beyond that initial view that is covered elsewhere and look at some of the challenges associated with using MCP and broader considerations that you need to be looking at. The conversation covers the importance of optimizing documentation for language models, governance in MCP usage, and strategies for getting started with MCP and then scaling. TakeawaysMCP is a universal approach to context in AI.MCP servers can execute actions beyond API calls.Optimizing documentation for LLMs is essential for effective AI integration.Trust and governance are critical in using MCP servers.MCP can significantly enhance productivity in software development.Building an MCP server can be straightforward and quick.MCP allows for local execution of actions, enhancing flexibility.The future of MCP involves more robust governance and control mechanisms.Organizations should develop a strategy for managing MCP servers.Experimentation with MCP can lead to unexpected benefits and insights.Useful linksIntroduction - Model Context ProtocolGetting started with Local MCP Servers on Claude Desktop | Anthropic Help Center and For Claude Desktop Users – Model Context Protocol （MCP）Use MCP servers in VS Code Community built Graph MCP Server - GitHub - merill/lokka: MCP (Model Context Protocol) for Microsoft 365. Azure AI Search:Full text search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnVector search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnHybrid search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnMCP for beginners course - GitHub - microsoft/mcp-for-beginnersMCP Dev Days 29th/30th July (and available on demand after) - MCP Dev Days | Microsoft ReactorMicrosoft MCP Lab - GitHub - microsoft/mcsmcp: Lab for creating an MCP Server and using it in Microsoft Copilot Studio.Microsoft's MCP Server collection - GitHub - microsoft/mcp: Catalog of official Microsoft MCP (Model Context Protocol) server implementations for AI-powered data access and tool integrationCLI for m365 MCP server - GitHub - pnp/cli-microsoft365-mcp-server: Manage Microsoft 365 using MCP serverGitHub - dotnet/dev-proxy: Simulate API failures, throttling, and chaos — all from your command line.

Episode Description

Send us a text

Kevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder delve into the world of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and its implications for developers. We start with a starter overview of functionality of MCP and why it is important. However, we wanted to get beyond that initial view that is covered elsewhere and look at some of the challenges associated with using MCP and broader considerations that you need to be looking at. The conversation covers the importance of optimizing documentation for language models, governance in MCP usage, and strategies for getting started with MCP and then scaling.

Takeaways