Microsoft Foundry Demystified: Building and Evaluating Agents with MCP and Guardrails

Proposed session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

Get started with the new Foundry ecosystem from Microsoft and learn how to build your first AI-powered workflow. This session introduces the core concepts of Foundry, explains how the platform works, and walks through creating an MCP server as an Azure Function and connecting it to an agent. You’ll also learn how Foundry evaluates agent performance and how to apply guardrails to ensure your solutions remain safe, reliable, and aligned with organizational standards. A fast-paced, practical introduction for anyone ready to begin building with Foundr

Session Details

Jump into the new Microsoft Foundry ecosystem and learn how to build your first AI-powered workflow.

This session breaks down the essentials—from what Foundry is and how it works, to creating an MCP server as an Azure Function and connecting it to an agent.

We’ll also explore how Foundry evaluates agent performance and how to implement guardrails to keep your automations safe, reliable, and aligned with organizational requirements.

A fast-paced and practical introduction for anyone eager to start building with Foundry.

3 things you'll get out of this session

- Understand how create an Agent in the new foundry UI - Understand how to link a MCP Server to a foundry agent - Understand the concept of guardrails and how they work