MCP Server Tool

The MCP Server tool enables agents to connect to remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, extending their capabilities with external services, tools, and data sources through a standardized protocol.

This tool has Preview status, meaning it’s nearly ready for production with potential minor adjustments based on user feedback.

Overview

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables seamless integration between AI agents and external tools. The MCP Server tool allows your PLai agents to:

Standardized Integration

Connect to any MCP-compliant server using a unified protocol

Extended Capabilities

Access specialized tools and services beyond built-in functionality

Secure Authentication

Support for OAuth 2.0 and token-based authentication methods

Scalable Architecture

Distributed tool architecture for enterprise deployments

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol provides:

Standardized Communication: Consistent API for tool interactions
Resource Management: Organized access to external resources
Tool Discovery: Automatic discovery of available capabilities
Security: Built-in authentication and authorization
Extensibility: Easy addition of new tools and services

Configuration Parameters

server_url

input

required

The URL of the MCP server
Example: https://api.example.com/mcp
Format: Must be a valid HTTPS URL
Note: HTTP URLs are not supported for security reasons

auth_type

select

required

Authentication method to use with the MCP server
Options:

oauth - OAuth 2.0 authentication flow
token - Simple token-based authentication

OAuth Authentication Parameters

access_token

password

OAuth access token for authentication
Example: eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
Condition: Only required when auth_type is set to oauth
Security: Stored securely and never logged

token_expiry

input

Token expiry timestamp or ‘never’ for long-lived tokens
Example: 2024-12-31T23:59:59Z or never
Default: never
Condition: Only shown when auth_type is set to oauth
Format: ISO 8601 timestamp or literal never

Token Authentication Parameters

api_token

password

API token for authentication
Example: mcp_token_abc123xyz789
Condition: Only required when auth_type is set to token
Security: Stored securely and never logged

header_name

input

HTTP header name for the token
Example: X-API-Token, Authorization, X-MCP-Token
Default: X-API-Token
Condition: Only shown when auth_type is set to token

token_prefix

input

Token prefix for the authorization header
Example: Bearer, Token, MCP
Default: Bearer
Condition: Only shown when auth_type is set to token
Result: Header will be formatted as {prefix} {token}

Setup Instructions

Prepare MCP Server

Ensure you have access to an MCP-compliant server with proper credentials

Navigate to Tools

Go to the Tools section in your project dashboard

Create MCP Server Tool

Click Create Tool and select MCP Server

Configure Server URL

Enter the HTTPS URL of your MCP server

Select Authentication Method

Choose between OAuth 2.0 or token-based authentication

Configure Authentication

Provide the required authentication credentials based on your selected method

Test Connection

Use the test button to verify connectivity and authentication

Add to Agent

Assign this tool to your agents in agent settings

Authentication Methods

OAuth 2.0 Authentication

OAuth provides secure, token-based authentication with automatic refresh capabilities:

Configuration
Features
Use Cases

{
  "server_url": "https://api.example.com/mcp",
  "auth_type": "oauth",
  "access_token": "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...",
  "token_expiry": "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
}

Token Authentication

Simple token-based authentication for straightforward API access:

Configuration
Header Formats
Use Cases

{
  "server_url": "https://api.example.com/mcp",
  "auth_type": "token",
  "api_token": "mcp_token_abc123xyz789",
  "header_name": "X-API-Token",
  "token_prefix": "Bearer"
}

Bearer Token:

Authorization: Bearer mcp_token_abc123xyz789

Custom Header:

X-API-Token: mcp_token_abc123xyz789

API Key Style:

X-MCP-Key: Token mcp_token_abc123xyz789

MCP Server Examples

Database Query Server

Connect to a database through an MCP server:

{
  "server_url": "https://db-mcp.company.com/mcp",
  "auth_type": "oauth",
  "access_token": "{{oauth_token}}",
  "token_expiry": "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
}

Capabilities:

Execute SQL queries
Retrieve table schemas
Perform data analysis
Generate reports

File Processing Server

Process documents and files through MCP:

{
  "server_url": "https://files-mcp.company.com/mcp",
  "auth_type": "token",
  "api_token": "{{file_processor_token}}",
  "header_name": "Authorization",
  "token_prefix": "Bearer"
}

Capabilities:

PDF text extraction
Image analysis
Document conversion
Metadata extraction

Business Logic Server

Access custom business logic and calculations:

{
  "server_url": "https://business-logic.company.com/mcp",
  "auth_type": "token",
  "api_token": "{{business_token}}",
  "header_name": "X-Business-Token",
  "token_prefix": "BL"
}

Capabilities:

Pricing calculations
Compliance checks
Workflow automation
Custom validations

MCP Protocol Features

Resource Management

MCP servers can provide various types of resources:

Tool Discovery

MCP servers automatically expose available tools:

Connection Establishment: Agent connects to MCP server
Capability Discovery: Server provides list of available tools
Tool Registration: Tools are registered with the agent
Dynamic Invocation: Agent can call tools as needed

Error Handling

MCP protocol includes comprehensive error handling:

Connection Errors: Network and connectivity issues
Authentication Errors: Invalid credentials or expired tokens
Authorization Errors: Insufficient permissions
Tool Errors: Issues with specific tool execution
Protocol Errors: MCP-specific communication problems

Best Practices

Security

Token Security: Never expose MCP tokens in logs or debug output. Always use secure storage for credentials.

HTTPS Only: Always use HTTPS for MCP server connections
Token Rotation: Regularly rotate authentication tokens
Least Privilege: Grant minimum necessary permissions
Audit Logging: Monitor MCP server access and usage
Network Security: Use VPNs or private networks when possible

Performance

Connection Pooling: MCP connections are pooled for better performance. Multiple agents can share the same MCP server connection.

Caching: Cache MCP responses when appropriate
Connection Management: Reuse connections for multiple requests
Timeout Configuration: Set appropriate timeouts for MCP calls
Load Balancing: Distribute requests across multiple MCP servers
Monitoring: Track MCP server performance and availability

Development

Testing: Use mock MCP servers for development and testing
Documentation: Document custom MCP server capabilities
Versioning: Version MCP server APIs for backward compatibility
Monitoring: Implement health checks for MCP servers
Logging: Log MCP interactions for debugging and analysis

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Connection Refused

Symptoms: Unable to connect to MCP serverSolutions:

Verify server URL is correct and accessible
Check network connectivity and firewall rules
Confirm MCP server is running and healthy
Test connection from PLai infrastructure

Authentication Failed

Symptoms: 401 or 403 errors during connectionSolutions:

Verify authentication credentials are correct
Check token expiry dates
Confirm authentication method matches server expectations
Review server-side authentication logs

Tool Not Available

Symptoms: Specific tools not appearing or failingSolutions:

Check MCP server tool registration
Verify tool permissions and access rights
Review server-side tool implementation
Test tool functionality directly on server

Slow Performance

Symptoms: Long response times from MCP serverSolutions:

Check server performance and resource usage
Review network latency between PLai and server
Implement caching strategies
Optimize tool implementations on server side

Debug Mode

Enable detailed logging for troubleshooting:

{
  "debug": true,
  "log_level": "debug",
  "trace_requests": true
}

MCP Server Development

Creating Custom MCP Servers

If you need custom functionality, you can develop your own MCP server:

Node.js
Python

const { MCPServer } = require('@modelcontextprotocol/server');

const server = new MCPServer({
  name: 'custom-mcp-server',
  version: '1.0.0'
});

// Register tools
server.registerTool('calculator', {
  description: 'Perform mathematical calculations',
  parameters: {
    expression: { type: 'string', required: true }
  }
}, async (params) => {
  // Tool implementation
  return eval(params.expression);
});

server.start(3000);

from mcp_server import MCPServer

app = MCPServer('custom-mcp-server', '1.0.0')

@app.tool('text-analyzer')
async def analyze_text(text: str):
    """Analyze text and return insights"""
    # Tool implementation
    return {
        'word_count': len(text.split()),
        'character_count': len(text),
        'sentiment': 'neutral'
    }

app.run(port=3000)

MCP Server Requirements

Protocol Compliance: Must implement MCP specification
HTTPS Support: Secure communication required
Authentication: Support OAuth or token-based auth
Error Handling: Proper error responses and codes
Documentation: Tool and resource documentation

Next Steps

Browse Other Tools

Explore other available tools

Advanced Tool Setup

Learn advanced tool configuration

API Reference

View the tools API documentation

MCP Specification

Read the official MCP specification

Getting Started

🤖 Agents

🔧 Tools

🗄️ Datasources

📋 Batches

📊 Monitor

Advanced

​MCP Server Tool

​Overview

Standardized Integration

Extended Capabilities

Secure Authentication

Scalable Architecture

​What is MCP?

​Configuration Parameters

​OAuth Authentication Parameters

​Token Authentication Parameters

​Setup Instructions

​Authentication Methods

​OAuth 2.0 Authentication

​Token Authentication

​MCP Server Examples

​Database Query Server

​File Processing Server

​Business Logic Server

​MCP Protocol Features

​Resource Management

​Tool Discovery

​Error Handling

​Best Practices

​Security

​Performance

​Development

​Troubleshooting

​Common Issues

​Debug Mode

​MCP Server Development

​Creating Custom MCP Servers

​MCP Server Requirements

​Next Steps

Browse Other Tools

Advanced Tool Setup

API Reference

MCP Specification

MCP Server Tool

Overview

What is MCP?

Configuration Parameters

OAuth Authentication Parameters

Token Authentication Parameters

Setup Instructions

Authentication Methods

OAuth 2.0 Authentication

Token Authentication

MCP Server Examples

Database Query Server

File Processing Server

Business Logic Server

MCP Protocol Features

Resource Management

Tool Discovery

Error Handling

Best Practices

Security

Performance

Development

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Debug Mode

MCP Server Development

Creating Custom MCP Servers

MCP Server Requirements

Next Steps