This guide covers how to use the Microsoft Data Factory MCP Server for managing Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Fabric connections.

The connection management tools allow you to:

• List all accessible connections across different types
• Retrieve detailed information about specific connections
• Create new cloud, on-premises (gateway), and virtual network connections
• Launch an interactive Create Connection form via create_connection_ui
• Discover supported connection types, parameters, and credential kinds
• Work with on-premises, virtual network, and cloud connections

Retrieve a list of all connections you have access to.

list_connections

list_connections(continuationToken: "next-page-token")

{
  "totalCount": 112,
  "continuationToken": null,
  "hasMoreResults": false,
  "connections": [
    {
      "id": "a0b9fa12-60f5-4f95-85ca-565d34abcea1",
      "displayName": "Example Cloud Data Source",
      "connectivityType": "OnPremisesGateway",
      "connectionDetails": {
        "type": "Web",
        "path": "http://www.microsoft.com/"
      },
      "privacyLevel": "Organizational",
      "credentialDetails": {
        "credentialType": "Anonymous",
        "singleSignOnType": "None",
        "connectionEncryption": "Any",
        "skipTestConnection": false
      },
      "gatewayId": "7d3b5733-732d-4bbe-8d17-db6f6fe5d19c"
    }
  ]
}

Retrieve detailed information about a specific connection.

get_connection(connectionId: "a0b9fa12-60f5-4f95-85ca-565d34abcea1")

{
  "id": "a0b9fa12-60f5-4f95-85ca-565d34abcea1",
  "displayName": "Example Cloud Data Source",
  "connectivityType": "OnPremisesGateway",
  "connectionDetails": {
    "type": "Web",
    "path": "http://www.microsoft.com/"
  },
  "privacyLevel": "Organizational",
  "credentialDetails": {
    "credentialType": "Anonymous",
    "singleSignOnType": "None",
    "connectionEncryption": "Any",
    "skipTestConnection": false
  },
  "gatewayId": "7d3b5733-732d-4bbe-8d17-db6f6fe5d19c"
}

Retrieve all available connection types along with their creation methods, parameters, and supported credential kinds. Use this before calling create_connection to discover valid values.

list_supported_connection_types

list_supported_connection_types(gatewayId: "7d3b5733-732d-4bbe-8d17-db6f6fe5d19c")

{
  "totalCount": 45,
  "connectionTypes": [
    {
      "type": "SQL",
      "creationMethods": [
        {
          "name": "SQL",
          "parameters": [
            { "name": "server", "dataType": "Text", "required": true, "allowedValues": null },
            { "name": "database", "dataType": "Text", "required": false, "allowedValues": null }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "supportedCredentialTypes": ["Basic", "Windows", "OAuth2", "ServicePrincipal"],
      "supportedConnectionEncryptionTypes": ["Encrypted", "NotEncrypted", "Any"],
      "supportsSkipTestConnection": true
    }
  ]
}

Creates a new data source connection. Supports cloud, on-premises (gateway), and virtual network connectivity types.

Tip: Use list_supported_connection_types first to discover the correct connectionType, creationMethod, parameters, and credential types for your data source.

UI alternative: Use the ui://datafactory/create-connection resource to open the guided Create Connection form inside VS Code chat.

create_connection(
  connectionName: "My SQL Connection",
  connectionType: "SQL",
  connectionParameters: '{"server":"myserver.database.windows.net","database":"mydb"}',
  credentialType: "Basic",
  credentials: '{"username":"myuser","password":"mypassword"}',
  connectionEncryption: "Encrypted"
)

create_connection(
  connectionName: "My Blob Storage",
  connectionType: "AzureBlobs",
  connectionParameters: '{"accountDomain":"blob.core.windows.net","accountName":"mystorage"}',
  credentialType: "Anonymous"
)

create_connection(
  connectionName: "On-Prem SQL",
  connectionType: "SQL",
  connectionParameters: '{"server":"myserver","database":"mydb"}',
  credentialType: "Windows",
  credentials: '{"username":"DOMAIN\\user","password":"pass"}',
  connectivityType: "OnPremisesGateway",
  gatewayId: "7d3b5733-732d-4bbe-8d17-db6f6fe5d19c"
)

{
  "success": true,
  "connection": {
    "id": "b1c2d3e4-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
    "displayName": "My SQL Connection",
    "connectivityType": "ShareableCloud",
    "connectionDetails": {
      "type": "SQL",
      "path": "myserver.database.windows.net;mydb"
    },
    "privacyLevel": "None",
    "credentialDetails": {
      "credentialType": "Basic",
      "singleSignOnType": "None",
      "connectionEncryption": "Encrypted",
      "skipTestConnection": false
    }
  }
}

Launch the interactive Create Connection form directly from chat. The tool validates authentication before displaying the guided wizard.

create_connection_ui

No parameters are required — the form handles connection type selection, parameter entry, and credential configuration interactively.

Note: You must be authenticated before calling this tool. If not signed in, the tool returns an error prompting you to authenticate first.

The server exposes a guided HTML form as an MCP App resource that can be rendered inside VS Code chat.

The form dynamically loads supported connection types, prompts for parameters and credentials based on the selected type, and calls create_connection on submit.

Both the create_connection_ui tool and the ui://datafactory/create-connection resource open the same wizard — use whichever is more convenient.

# List all available connections
> show me all my data factory connections

# Get specific connection details by ID
> get details for connection with ID a0b9fa12-60f5-4f95-85ca-565d34abcea1

# Get specific connection details by name
> get details for connection with name Example Cloud Data Source

# Discover what connection types are available
> what connection types are supported?

# Discover supported types for a specific gateway
> what data sources does gateway 7d3b5733-732d-4bbe-8d17-db6f6fe5d19c support?

# Create a new SQL connection
> create a SQL connection named "Production DB" to server myserver.database.windows.net, database mydb, using Basic auth with username sa

# Create an on-premises connection
> create an on-premises SQL connection named "On-Prem Sales" on gateway 7d3b5733, server SQLSRV01, database SalesDB, Windows auth

# Open the interactive Create Connection form
> open the create connection form

# Launch the create connection UI tool
> I want to use the create connection UI

The Create Connection form is a 3-step guided wizard that walks you through setting up a new data source connection — no need to remember parameter names or look up credential types.

To open the wizard, ask:

> open the create connection form

Or trigger it from any chat by referencing the resource URI ui://datafactory/create-connection.

Pick how you want to connect: Cloud, On-Premises (gateway), or Virtual Network. Selecting a mode automatically moves you to the next step.

Fill in your connection info:

• Gateway (shown for on-prem / VNet modes)

• Connection name

• Data source type — searchable dropdown with 45+ supported types, including:

  Type	Description
  SQL	SQL Server & Azure SQL Database
  AzureBlobs	Azure Blob Storage
  AzureDataLakeStorage	Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
  Lakehouse	Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse
  Warehouse	Microsoft Fabric Warehouse
  Web	REST APIs, SharePoint Online, web endpoints
  AzureTable	Azure Table Storage
  PostgreSql	PostgreSQL databases
  MySql	MySQL databases
  Oracle	Oracle databases
  Snowflake	Snowflake Data Cloud

  The full list is loaded dynamically — run list_supported_connection_types or open the wizard to see all available types for your environment.

• Connection parameters — fields appear dynamically based on the selected type (e.g. server, database for SQL)

Configure authentication and options:

• Credential type — only valid options for your chosen data source are shown (e.g. Basic, OAuth2, Key, Anonymous)
• Credential fields — adapts to the selected auth method (e.g. username/password for Basic)
• Privacy level, connection encryption, and skip test connection toggle

On submit the connection is created and you'll see a confirmation with the new connection ID.