MCP Gateways

MCP Gateways are the intelligent routing layer that connects agents to capabilities:

Key Functions

• Unified Access Point: Single endpoint for all agent requests
• Security Enforcement: Authentication, authorization, and rate limiting
• Request Routing: Intelligent routing to appropriate tools and services
• Observability: Complete logging and monitoring of all interactions
• Performance Optimization: Caching, load balancing, and failover

Gateway Architecture

Gateway Components

Every MCP Gateway includes these core components:

Security

• Authentication - Verify agent identity
• Authorization - Check access permissions
• Rate Limiting - Prevent abuse and overuse

Observability

• Logging - Structured request/response logs
• Monitoring - Real-time metrics and health
• Tracing - Distributed request tracking

Performance

• Caching - Intelligent response caching
• Load Balancing - Distribute requests efficiently
• Failover - Automatic failure recovery

Control

• Policies - Enforce business rules
• Routing - Direct requests to appropriate services
• Throttling - Manage resource consumption

Observability

Complete visibility into agent operations:

Metrics & Monitoring

• Request Metrics: Latency, throughput, error rates
• Resource Usage: CPU, memory, network, storage
• Cost Tracking: Real-time unit consumption
• Performance Analytics: Identify bottlenecks and optimize

Logging & Tracing

• Structured Logs: JSON-formatted, searchable logs
• Distributed Tracing: Follow requests across services
• Error Tracking: Automatic error detection and alerting
• Debug Mode: Detailed execution traces for development

Next Steps

• Model Context Protocol - Understanding MCP
• Capabilities - Available tools and services
• Gateway Setup - Configure your gateway