MCP for DevOps - Series Opener and MCP Architecture Intro

[ad_1] MCP for DevOps – Sequence Opener and MCP Structure Intro You could have undoubtedly heard about Anthropic’s MCP (Mannequin Context Protocol) open supply venture. When you haven’t, I hope your trip on a distant island with out web entry was beautiful!

As a die-hard YouTube Premium fan, I'm inundated with video suggestions with themes like “What's MCP?” “OMG, This Adjustments All the things,” and my favourite, “Goodbye Builders, MCP is Right here to Keep.” Severely? Whereas it's a unbelievable venture, it isn’t right here to interchange us.

Over the subsequent a number of weeks, I'll delve into these matters:

MCP—Why Ought to You Care?: This may present a short overview of MCP from a communication, discovery, and interplay perspective. We are going to then discover what it seems to be like on the wire and the way it features as a shopper/server structure, adopted by numerous use instances. I gained’t cowl the historical past of MCP or different important info, as numerous glorious assets can be found on YouTube, dev.to, Medium, and elsewhere.

MCP for DevOps: I'll talk about a collection of use instances that work properly for DevOps, NetOps, and SecOps roles.

MCP How-to: That is the place issues get thrilling. I'll current a number of demos and walk-throughs for the next use instances:

Cursor with GitHub: Use Cursor as an MCP shopper to programmatically work together with an MCP server that integrates with GitHub for a Cisco DevOps workflow Cursor with Argo CD: Use Cursor as an MCP shopper to programmatically work together with an MCP server that employs Argo CD for a Cisco DevOps workflow Claude Desktop & DevOps Workflows: We are going to change issues up through the use of Claude Desktop as a substitute of Cursor to display flexibility on the MCP shopper facet

On the finish of the sequence, I'll tie all of this collectively to indicate how Cursor, with a number of MCP purchasers, can drive adjustments to Ansible playbooks in a GitHub repository, triggering actions within the Argo CD workflow. Finally, we'll use the Ansible playbook to change configuration settings on Cisco options akin to Cisco ISE (Identification Companies Engine) and different Cisco merchandise.

I hope you be a part of me on this journey.

Let’s get began with discussing the MCP structure and why it is best to care about it.

MCP Intro—Why Ought to You Care? Welcome to the primary publish in our three-part technical sequence on Mannequin Context Protocol (MCP), a brand new, centered protocol constructed to assist AI functions and brokers work together with instruments, APIs, recordsdata, and databases persistently and programmatically.

When you’re in DevOps and experimenting with AI-driven automation, MCP deserves your consideration—not as a silver bullet however as a sensible step towards cleaner integration between AI techniques and your operational stack. That stated, it’s early days. MCP is new and transferring quick, and whereas it already solves a lot of real-world issues, there are nonetheless corners to shine and edge instances it doesn’t but cowl.

What's MCP, and Why Does It Matter?

As illustrated in Determine 1, Mannequin Context Protocol (MCP) is a protocol that gives a uniform strategy to plug in an AI mannequin into instruments and providers.

Determine 1. MCP with LLMs and Instruments

MCP Overview It's:

A light-weight communication protocol designed particularly for AI brokers and functions. Constructed to attach these brokers to instruments, APIs, databases, and file techniques. Structured as a shopper/server structure—easy and predictable. Plumbing

It isn't:

A messaging protocol for agent-to-agent communication. An LLM, database, AI assistant or agent. A general-purpose integration platform. A alternative on your current APIs or knowledge bus.

MCP’s job is tightly scoped: give an AI agent a clear, standardized strategy to uncover, request, and invoke capabilities on current tool-based infrastructure. In case your LLM-powered bot must name a REST API, checklist recordsdata, or question a database—MCP offers the glue.

MCP issues as a result of it reduces and, in lots of instances, removes the toil for AI functions and brokers to seek out, connect with, and leverage exterior instruments and providers akin to APIs, knowledge sources, and different non-AI native instrument units. For Dev/Web/SecOps employees, it could actually convey instant worth so that you can leverage an AI agent to connect with your current knowledge sources and APIs in order that an operationally-focused agent can extra precisely full duties.

We are going to talk about use instances within the subsequent weblog, however think about you'll want to create a workflow that works with Ansible Playbooks, NetBox, and GitHub and automate configurations towards your infrastructure.

An instance workflow could appear like this:

You manually create a Jinja2 template for Ansible and host it on GitHub. Collect knowledge out of your NetBox deployment. You utilize Python + Jinja2 to populate the playbook template with knowledge from NetBox after which invoke Ansible through a Python module, CLI, runner, and many others. Ideally, you utilize a CI/CD instrument to auto-run this workflow.

Quick ahead from the nice ’ole days; you or somebody in your group be taught in regards to the energy of AI Brokers and create a sequence of AI brokers that may faucet into every instrument and knowledge supply with out writing any code. They will leverage MCP to connect with every useful resource as MCP servers and work together with them natively—no particular script code. No scouring the web for SDKs or some mysterious script somebody recommends that you simply don’t perceive. To me, that is one in every of many value-add use instances of MCP.

Overview of MCP – Structure and Core Elements

MCP has a streamlined structure and there aren’t many transferring elements.

As illustrated in Determine 2 MCP makes use of a shopper/server structure. Let’s outline what the shopper and server elements do.

Determine 2. MCP Elements

<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-471830 alignnone" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-2-1-300x111.png" alt="" width="681" height="252" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-2-1-300x111.png 300w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-2-1.png 744w" sizes="(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px"/> MCP Elements Determine 2 reveals an MCP host which is an AI utility akin to an AI agent, IDE, coding assistant, and many others..

The MCP shopper (MCP-C) is software program that runs on MCP hosts and has one-to-one connections to MCP servers (MCP-S).

The MCP server is software program that represents particular service or instrument capabilities.

The MCP host makes use of the language-specific MCP SDK for shopper connections (instance: MCP Python SDK) to determine connections to MCP servers. The MCP SDK is used for each client-side and server-side code.

Instance Python MCP shopper code.

Instance Python MCP server code.

Many present MCP purchasers are full functions or AI brokers with the MCP shopper SDK performance natively inbuilt. You'll be able to see an instance checklist right here: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/purchasers

There are quite a few sources of MCP server lists on the Web. Here's a checklist from the MCP venture: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/examples. Some MCP shopper suppliers, akin to Cursor, have their very own checklist of servers: https://cursor.listing/.

Determine 2 reveals that every MCP-C occasion has a one-to-one connection to every MCP-S occasion. Within the determine, there are two MCP purchasers operating on the MCP host, an AI agent on this instance. The primary MCP shopper is connecting to a locally-hosted MCP server that gives native machine file system entry. The second MCP shopper is connecting to a remotely hosted MCP server that's offering entry to a distant file system.

MCP purchasers change messages with MCP servers utilizing JSON-RPC 2.0 (because the wire format). For native knowledge sources, MCP makes use of JSON-RPC over stdio (Commonplace Enter/Output) because the transport. Determine 3., illustrates how an MCP-C connects to a neighborhood MCP-S for file or DB entry utilizing stdio. The MCP-S sends JSON-RPC messages to its commonplace output / stdout and reads from the usual enter / stdin.

Determine 3. JSON-RPC over stdio

<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-471815" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-3-300x94.png" alt="" width="874" height="274" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-3-300x94.png 300w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-3.png 760w" sizes="(max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px"/> JSON-RPC 2.0 / stdio Right here is an instance of operating an MCP filesystem server domestically in stdio mode and proscribing entry to a really particular listing:

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /Customers/shmcfarl/code/mcp-testing Safe MCP Filesystem Server operating on stdio Allowed directories: [ '/Users/shmcfarl/code/mcp-testing' ]

Utilizing an awesome take a look at instrument such because the MCP Inspector you possibly can pair a neighborhood shopper (MCP Inspector) together with your domestically operating stdio or HTTP+SSE server:

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /Customers/shmcfarl/code/mcp-testing Beginning MCP inspector... Proxy server listening on port 3000 MCP Inspector is up and operating at http://localhost:5173 Question parameters: { transportType: 'stdio', command: 'npx', args: '-y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem -y /Customers/shmcfarl/code/mcp-testing', . . . [Output removed for clarity] Spawned stdio transport Linked MCP shopper to backing server transport Created net app transport Created net app transport Arrange MCP proxy Acquired message for sessionId 697bd02d-5d67-4dfc-85b9-6a12d6a99f45 Acquired message for sessionId 697bd02d-5d67-4dfc-85b9-6a12d6a99f45 Acquired message for sessionId 697bd02d-5d67-4dfc-85b9-6a12d6a99f45 Acquired message for sessionId 697bd02d-5d67-4dfc-85b9-6a12d6a99f45 MCP helps HTTP+SSE (Server-Despatched Occasions) to ship structured requests from service backends utilizing MCP servers to MCP purchasers for native or distant connections. The 2025-03-26 specification adjustments states that MCP is transferring to a extra versatile Streamable HTTP transport. Nevertheless, HTTP+SSE transport can nonetheless be used for backward compatibility. This retains it clear, traceable, and tool-agnostic. Word: As of the time of penning this weblog, the brand new Streaming HTTP help will not be accomplished in every SDK.

Determine 4 illustrates the connection circulate for HTTP+SSE situations. Within the determine, HTTP POST is used for MCP-C -to- MCP-S messages. HTTP+SSE is used for MCP-S -to- MCP-C messages.

Determine 4. MCP-C -to- MCP-S communication utilizing HTTP+SSE

<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-471816" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-4-300x107.png" alt="" width="872" height="311" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-4-300x107.png 300w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-4.png 743w" sizes="(max-width: 872px) 100vw, 872px"/> HTTP+SSE You'll be able to undergo the MCP quickstart server and shopper guides to learn to setup your personal climate shopper/server combo: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/quickstart/server. Utilizing the same setup, you possibly can see some HTTP messages for stuff like a instruments checklist name:

POST /messages/?session_id=6ccde3779adf43cc9d3f5f661508310b HTTP/1.1 Host: 0.0.0.0:8080 Settle for: */* Settle for-Encoding: gzip, deflate Connection: keep-alive Consumer-Agent: python-httpx/0.28.1 Content material-Size: 46 Content material-Kind: utility/json {"methodology":"instruments/checklist","jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2} HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted date: Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:14:51 GMT server: uvicorn content-length: 8 Accepted

And a instrument name to get the climate forecast:

POST /messages/?session_id=6ccde3779adf43cc9d3f5f661508310b HTTP/1.1 Host: 0.0.0.0:8080 Settle for: */* Settle for-Encoding: gzip, deflate Connection: keep-alive Consumer-Agent: python-httpx/0.28.1 Content material-Size: 134 Content material-Kind: utility/json {"methodology":"instruments/name","params":{"identify":"get_forecast","arguments":{"latitude":39.7392,"longitude":-104.9903}},"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":3} HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted date: Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:14:54 GMT server: uvicorn content-length: 8 Accepted

And a response for the climate forecast immediate I entered for Denver, CO:

occasion: message knowledge: {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":3,"outcome":{"content material":[{"type":"text","text":"nThis Afternoon:nTemperature: 74..FnWind: 12 mph WnForecast: Partly sunny. High near 74, with temperatures falling to around 72 in the afternoon. West wind around 12 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.nn---nnTonight:nTemperature: 42..FnWind: 5 to 10 mph WSWnForecast: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.nn---nnWednesday:nTemperature: 71..FnWind: 5 to 15 mph WnForecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.nn---nnWednesday Night:nTemperature: 40..FnWind: 2 to 14 mph WNWnForecast: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West northwest wind 2 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.nn---nnThursday:nTemperature: 68..FnWind: 2 to 8 mph ESEnForecast: Sunny, with a high near 68. East southeast wind 2 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.n"}],"isError":false}} For the reason that specification change to Streamable HTTP could be very latest and never absolutely carried out as of the writing of this weblog, I'll forgo doing a granular rationalization of that connection sequence. I really helpful that you simply learn in regards to the proposed Streamable HTTP implementation right here: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-03-26/primary/transports#streamable-http.

Discovery

When an agent must work together with a instrument or service, MCP offers a useful resource discovery mechanism that lets MCP purchasers uncover out there assets. The MCP shopper can use direct assets or useful resource templates. You'll be able to learn extra in regards to the useful resource discovery choices at https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/ideas/assets. However, the necessary factor to know is that the aim of useful resource discovery is to seek out out the next info:

Supported capabilities and actions Protocol variations Customized metadata

Determine 5 reveals the MCP-C to MCP-S request/response circulate for the capabilities discovery.

Determine 5. MCP Discovery Circulate

<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-471817" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-5-300x165.png" alt="" width="853" height="469" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-5-300x165.png 300w, https://storage.googleapis.com/blogs-images-new/ciscoblogs/1/2025/04/mcp-5.png 489w" sizes="(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px"/> MCP Discovery Whereas there is no such thing as a MCP server registry that MCP purchasers can search to dynamically uncover all out there MCP servers and their capabilities, there are MCP server directories as was famous early within the doc. There may be an ever-growing variety of MCP directories and in lots of instances, all of them have the identical or comparable checklist of MCP servers. Just a few of the various websites embody:

MCP Useful resource Discovery – Instance Let’s have a look at an instance of useful resource discovery utilizing direct assets.

I've the SQLite MCP Server operating on my native machine. I'm utilizing Claude Desktop as my AI utility with the MCP shopper performance configured to make use of the SQLite MCP server. Here's a snippet from my claude_desktop_config.json file:

"mcpServers": { "sqlite": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["mcp-server-sqlite", "--db-path", "/Users/shmcfarl/code/mcp-testing/sqlite/test.db"] }, Once I use Claude Desktop to instrument name SQLite and ask for a listing of server assets, you possibly can see the message change from the MCP shopper to MCP server.

2025-04-09T18:08:37.964Z [sqlite] [info] Message from shopper: {"methodology":"assets/checklist","params":{},"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":44} 2025-04-09T18:08:37.965Z [sqlite] [info] Message from server: {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":44,"outcome":{"assets":[{"uri":"memo://insights","name":"Business Insights Memo","description":"A living document of discovered business insights","mimeType":"text/plain"}]}}

Per the MCP specification you possibly can see the tactic utilized by the MCP shopper is assets/checklist and the MCP server responds utilizing the direct assets format:

{ uri: string; // Distinctive identifier for the useful resource identify: string; // Human-readable identify description?: string; // Optionally available description mimeType?: string; // Optionally available MIME kind } Conclusion MCP is off to a powerful begin, particularly for DevOps groups experimenting with AI-driven automation.

On the identical time, it’s nonetheless a younger protocol. MCP provides you a clear basis should you’re constructing AI-enabled workflows that have to work together with infrastructure and instruments safely—however you’ll nonetheless have to assess match on your particular use case.

There may be much more introductory content material that I might cowl, however I feel this lays a basis for the remainder of the weblog sequence. For the rest of the blogs it will be important so that you can know:

MCP is good for:

Brokers want to connect with a number of knowledge sources and providers in an ordinary method It abstracts away the per-integration code complexity – simply use the MCP SDK You want it for a low toil platform or with IDE integrations

What doesn’t MCP do (at the very least as we speak)?

MCP will not be an agent-to-agent framework MCP will not be used for the creation, deployment, lifecycle administration, and safety of brokers or instruments MCP will not be an LLM MCP will not be an information supply MCP doesn't dynamically uncover instruments and providers the MCP server will symbolize

We additionally discovered how MCP purchasers and servers work together with each other and over which varieties of protocol and messaging codecs.

Let’s cease there and decide again up within the subsequent weblog on MCP for DevOps: Use Circumstances

Favor to see it in motion? Watch the complete MCP for DevOps: Structure & Elements video walkthrough right here: https://youtu.be/Qdms0EHwhOw

Subsequent within the sequence

MCP for DevOps: Use Circumstances

✅ AI Brokers Triggering DevOps Instruments Use MCP to work together with current DevOps scripts, APIs, or providers in an ordinary format an AI agent can eat.

✅ Infrastructure-Conscious LLMs Let your AI apps ask structured questions like “What kubernetes providers are operating in namespace default?” or “Create a brand new database desk”—with stay solutions from techniques through MCP servers.

✅ Safe Software Invocation through AI expose choose CLI instruments or automation workflows by way of an MCP server interface, permitting AI brokers to work together with them below managed situations akin to utilizing a Docker scout MCP to scan photos.