Project 8 — MCP server plus AI agent

Requirements

Expose reviewed customer lookup, order/policy lookup, ticket creation, and knowledge search to an approved host.

Architecture

Agent host → MCP client → authenticated server → authorized business tools. Existing APIs stay behind the facade.

Technologies

Compatible MCP SDK/transport, Zod/Pydantic schemas, token verification, existing service adapters.

Database design

Capability/tool version metadata, audit records, idempotent tickets, and resource ownership; business data remains canonical.

API design

MCP discovery/invocation/resource contracts plus health/admin operations; negotiate the adopted protocol version.

AI design

Host maps permitted tool definitions into model calls, applies approval policy, validates results, and bounds tool use.

Security

Trusted servers, reviewed definitions, token audience/scope checks, object authorization, safe downstream identity, and output limits.

Evaluation

Discovery scope, unknown tool, malformed args, denied objects, poisoned descriptions, duplicate tickets, and protocol errors.

Observability

Host/client/server correlation, tool versions, auth denials, latency, and redacted audit events.

Deployment

Secure remote endpoint or local process as appropriate; rotate credentials and test compatible client/server versions.

Interview questions

• “Why MCP versus REST?” Answer: standardized AI-host discovery/integration; REST can remain underneath.
• “Does OAuth grant record access?” Answer: object authorization remains separate.

Acceptance: An approved second host can reuse the same safe contracts without changing business rules.