1.2.2. Open Standards: MCP and Agent2Agent (A2A)
Two open standards are transforming how agents connect to the world and to each other. The exam expects you to know not just what MCP and A2A do, but when to use each — and critically, how they complement rather than replace each other.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting agents to tools and data sources. Think of MCP as a universal adapter that lets any agent access any tool without custom integration code. Before MCP, connecting an agent to a CRM, a database, or an API required building custom connectors for each combination. MCP standardizes this: tools expose their capabilities through an MCP server, and agents discover and use those tools through the protocol.
In Copilot Studio, MCP support is generally available. You can connect your agent to an existing MCP server with a few clicks — the agent automatically discovers available tools, understands their parameters, and can invoke them during conversations. Dynamics 365 Sales even provides its own MCP Server, allowing external AI agents to access CRM data through the standard protocol.
Agent2Agent (A2A) is an open standard (supported by the Linux Foundation) for agent-to-agent communication. While MCP connects agents to tools, A2A connects agents to other agents. Each agent publishes an "agent card" describing its capabilities, and other agents can discover, communicate with, and delegate tasks to it.
In Copilot Studio, A2A support (currently in preview) enables your agent to orchestrate with external agents that support the A2A protocol — regardless of what platform those agents were built on. This is critical for multi-vendor environments where agents from different providers need to collaborate.
| Dimension | MCP | A2A |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Agent-to-tool connectivity | Agent-to-agent collaboration |
| Direction | Agent calls tool capabilities | Agents delegate tasks to each other |
| Discovery | Agent discovers tool parameters | Agent discovers other agent capabilities via agent cards |
| Copilot Studio status | Generally available | Preview |
| Use case | Access CRM data, query databases, call APIs | Multi-agent orchestration across platforms |
Exam Trap: MCP and A2A are complementary, not competitive. A common exam distractor presents them as alternative solutions for the same problem. If the question involves connecting an agent to a data source or tool, MCP is the answer. If it involves agents collaborating or delegating tasks, A2A is the answer. If a scenario needs both (an agent that accesses tools AND collaborates with other agents), specify both protocols.
Reflection Question: An enterprise has agents built in Copilot Studio, custom agents in Microsoft Foundry, and a third-party vendor's agent. They need all agents to share tasks and access a common CRM. Which protocols are needed and why?
