Open Standards for Enterprise Agents: Architecting Secure and Interoperable Agentic AI
David Blank-Edelman, Uli Homann, and Eric Charran lead a deep dive into open standards and protocols critical to agentic AI for enterprises, sharing actionable strategies for Microsoft architects.
Open Standards for Enterprise Agents: Architecting Secure and Interoperable Agentic AI
In this episode of Armchair Architects, Microsoft thought leaders David Blank-Edelman, Uli Homann, and Eric Charran examine the rapidly growing ecosystem of agentic AI, focusing on the crucial role of open standards in building secure, interoperable enterprise systems.
Key Topics Covered
**Model Context Protocol (MCP)😗*
- Enabling clear, standardized context handling across AI agents.
- See Model Context Protocol
Agent2Agent (A2A) Protocol:
- Facilitating direct, interoperable agent communication.
- Documentation at A2A GitHub
**OpenTelemetry (OTEL)😗*
- Providing observability for distributed AI systems.
- Learn more at OpenTelemetry.io
**Web Authorization Protocol (OAuth)😗*
- Ensuring secure agent identity and trust boundaries.
- Details: OAuth Working Group
Practical Guidance for Architects
- Emphasize contributing to and following open-source communities around these standards.
- Incorporate open standards requirements into enterprise RFPs/RFIs to future-proof solutions.
- Evaluate agent architectures holistically, considering:
- Layer 1: Interaction and invocation standards
- Layer 2: Orchestration and lifecycle patterns
- Layer 3: Evaluation, observation, and orchestration
- Security, observability, and interoperability are non-negotiable requirements for enterprise adoption.
Resources and Further Reading
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Connect with the Architects
This episode offers actionable strategies and domain expertise for architects serious about designing agentic AI architectures that are secure, observable, and standards-driven for enterprise contexts.