---
slug: "azurehelp"
source_type: "readme"
source_url: "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/akshaykokane/azurehelp-mcp-server@main/README.md"
repo: "https://github.com/akshaykokane/azurehelp-mcp-server"
source_file: "README.md"
branch: "main"
---

# 🧠 Azure Self Help MCP Server

Welcome to the **Azure Troubleshooter MCP Server** – a hands-on implementation of [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.org), designed to enable intelligent agents (like Claude or Semantic Kernel) to troubleshoot Azure resources step-by-step using the **Azure Self Help API**.

In short: it lets your AI app *talk to Azure’s Guided Troubleshooter*, automating common diagnostic workflows.  

---

## 💡 What Is This?

This project implements an **MCP Server** that exposes Azure's Self Help API as a toolset. Once connected to an MCP Host (like Claude Desktop or an SK App), you can ask the agent to:

- Create a troubleshooter session
- View its current step
- Continue the flow with your response
- End or restart the session

Think of this as your **interactive AI assistant for Azure diagnostics**.

---

## ✨ Live Demo Use Case

> ❓ “I can’t SSH into my Azure VM.”

This tool lets an LLM walk you through possible causes and fixes interactively using Microsoft’s Guided Troubleshooter API.

![Demo of the app in action](https://github.com/akshaykokane/azurehelp-mcp-server/raw/HEAD/assets/demo.gif)

---

## 🧰 Prerequisites

- [.NET 8 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)
- Azure CLI (logged in)
- Claude App or any MCP Host
- IDE / Terminal

---

## 📦 Setup

### Step 1: Install Packages

```bash
dotnet add package ModelContextProtocol --prerelease
dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting
dotnet add package Azure.ResourceManager.SelfHelp
dotnet add package Azure.Identity
```

---

### Step 2: Create Your MCP Server

In `Program.cs`:

```csharp
var builder = Host.CreateEmptyApplicationBuilder(settings: null);

builder.Services.AddMcpServer()
    .WithStdioServerTransport()
    .WithToolsFromAssembly(); // Registers [McpServerTool] methods

var app = builder.Build();
await app.RunAsync();
```

---

### Step 3: Write Your MCP Tools

In `AzureTroubleshooterTools.cs`:

```csharp
[McpServerToolType]
public static class AzureTroubleshooterTools
{
    [McpServerTool, Description("Create a troubleshooter session")]
    public static async Task<string> CreateTroubleshooter([Description("Resource Uri of the azure resource")]string scope)
    {
        string solutionId = "e104dbdf-9e14-4c9f-bc78-21ac90382231"; // this is solutionId for vm ssh issue. This id can be found using Discovery API of Azure Help, which will also be part of this MCP Server
        string troubleshooterName = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
        var client = new ArmClient(new DefaultAzureCredential());

        var troubleshooterId = SelfHelpTroubleshooterResource.CreateResourceIdentifier(scope, troubleshooterName);
        var troubleshooter = client.GetSelfHelpTroubleshooterResource(troubleshooterId);

        var data = new SelfHelpTroubleshooterData
        {
            SolutionId = solutionId,
            Parameters = { ["ResourceURI"] = scope }
        };

        ArmOperation<SelfHelpTroubleshooterResource> lro = await troubleshooter.UpdateAsync(WaitUntil.Completed, data);
        return $"Troubleshooter created with ID: {lro.Value.Data.Id}";
    }

    // Tools: Get, Continue, End, Restart...
}
```

---

## 🤖 MCP Config for Claude or Other Hosts

To connect your MCP Server with an MCP-compatible app like Claude, update your config file (in Claude Desktop: `Settings > Developer`):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "azurehelpTroubleshooter": {
      "command": "dotnet",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "/Users/yourname/Projects/AzureTroubleshooterServer",
        "--no-build"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Once saved and restarted, Claude will detect your tools — ready to assist with Azure diagnostics! ✅

---

## 🧪 Available Tools

| Method                   | Description                                       |
|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| `CreateTroubleshooter`   | Start a new troubleshooter session for a resource |
| `GetTroubleshooterStep`  | View current step & instructions                  |
| `ContinueTroubleshooter` | Respond to the current step's question            |
| `EndTroubleshooter`      | End the session                                   |
| `RestartTroubleshooter`  | Start over from step one                          |

---

## 🛡 Authentication

Uses [`DefaultAzureCredential`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/azure.identity.defaultazurecredential), so it works out-of-the-box with:

- Azure CLI
- Environment variables
- Managed Identity

---

## 🧠 Why This Matters

**Model Context Protocol (MCP)** is revolutionizing how LLMs communicate with tools. By building an MCP Server for Azure Help APIs, you can:

- Make Azure debugging *agent-native*
- Empower AI apps with cloud intelligence
- Extend to other Microsoft APIs with the same structure

---

## 📎 Related Blogs

- [Build an AI App That Can Browse the Internet Using Playwright MCP Server](https://ai.gopubby.com)
- [Step-by-Step Guide to MCP Servers](https://ai.gopubby.com)

---

## 🙌 Acknowledgements

Thanks to the amazing Azure SDK team and the creators of MCP for making this kind of developer magic possible. ✨
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/help/
- https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/mcp

---