A method of connecting a software-defined data center (SDDC) to a cloud platform to enable the cloud platform to deliver cloud services to the SDDC includes the steps of: deploying an agent platform appliance that is connected to a management network of the SDDC; and deploying a plurality of agents on the agent platform appliance, wherein the agents include a first agent that is configured to issue a command to a component of the SDDC to perform an operation requested by a cloud service of the cloud platform and a second agent that is configured to acquire an authentication token for authenticating to the component of the SDDC, and wherein the second agent acquires the authentication token from the component of the SDDC, and the first agent acquires the authentication token from the second agent and transmits the command and the authentication token to the component of the SDDC.