Introduction to MCP Server in SnapLogic

What is an MCP Server?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized way for AI applications (like Claude, custom AI agents, or chat interfaces) to connect with external tools, datasets, and APIs.

In SnapLogic, an MCP Server allows you to expose your custom SnapLogic pipelines as AI-ready tools. This means you can build a pipeline that performs a specific business task — such as querying a database, fetching real-time weather data, or updating an inventory system — and seamlessly make that capability available to an AI assistant.

Core Concepts

To successfully build and deploy an MCP Server in SnapLogic, you work with two primary types of pipelines:

• Tool Pipeline: The pipeline that performs the actual work (for example, "Get Weather" or "Lookup Customer"). This pipeline must be tagged as a Tool in its pipeline properties.
• MCP Server Pipeline: The pipeline that acts as an orchestrator, exposing your available tools and routing incoming requests to the correct tool pipeline. SnapLogic automatically tags a pipeline as an MCP server when you add an MCP Server Router Snap. The quickest way to create this pipeline is with the MCP Server Pipeline Builder.

Quick Start

Ready to get your first SnapLogic MCP Server up and running? This section provides a high-level overview of the entire process.

Audience

These steps assume you are familiar with the SnapLogic platform, its features and interfaces, and components.

Prerequisites

• Your SnapLogic organization must be subscribed to the MCP Server feature and the MCP Server Snap Pack. If you do not see MCP-related Snaps or dialog options in your environment, contact your SnapLogic CSM to enable this functionality.
• Your SnapLogic environment must have a load balancer configured for your Snaplex. See MCP Server Setup for infrastructure requirements.

Quick Start Workflow

1. Step 1: Create the tool pipeline
2. Step 2: Register the MCP Server and generate the pipeline
3. Step 3: Connect and monitor your MCP Server

Step 1: Create the tool pipeline

Creating an MCP Server involves a two-layer architecture: Tool Pipelines (the workers) and the MCP Server Pipeline (the router). Start by building the tool pipeline — this is where the actual business logic lives. For example, if you want your AI agent to check the weather, this pipeline makes the API call to the weather service.

The tool pipeline must have exactly one open input view and one open output view.

1. Build the logic
   1. Download this sample pipeline and save it to your local machine.
   2. Open SnapLogic Designer.

   3. Click the Import icon and select TOOL_weather_forecast.slp from your local machine.

      

   4. Optional. To verify the pipeline executes correctly before using it as a tool, connect the disabled JSON Generator Snap to the HTTP Client Snap, then open the JSON Generator Settings and in the Snap execution field, select Execute and Validate.
   5. Optional. Save the Snap settings, and click to validate the pipeline.
2. Tag the pipeline as a Tool
   Note: The downloaded pipeline is already tagged as a Tool. This tells the MCP Server Pipeline that this pipeline is available as an AI tool. If you build your own tool pipeline from scratch, open the Edit Pipeline dialog and enable the Tool toggle.

   

3. Define parameters
   Note: The downloaded pipeline already has its parameters defined. The OpenAPI tab includes latitude and longitude as required number inputs, and the Info tab contains the description the MCP Server exposes to the AI. When building your own tool pipeline, define parameters in the Settings tab first, then complete the OpenAPI and Info tabs.

   

   

Step 2: Register the MCP Server and generate the pipeline

With your tool pipeline ready, open the Create MCP Server dialog to register the server. The MCP Server Pipeline Builder is built into this dialog — you will generate the MCP Server Pipeline and complete registration in one workflow.

1. In SnapLogic Designer, click the MCP Server icon in the top navigation ribbon.
2. In the Create MCP Server dialog, provide the server details:
   • Name: Enter a clear, identifiable name (for example, demo_weather_mcp_server).
   • Description: Optional. Add context for human transparency (for example, "Provides AI access to weather data").
3. In the Pipeline field, click Create new pipeline. The MCP Server Pipeline Builder opens.
4. In the MCP Server Pipeline Builder's Settings section, confirm the pipeline name and project.
   Note: The MCP Server Pipeline Builder automatically suggests a pipeline name based on the MCP Server name you entered, appending _ppl (for example, demo_weather_mcp_server_ppl).
5. In the MCP Server Pipeline Builder's Tools section, expand SnapLogic tool pipeline and search for the weather forecast pipeline you imported in Step 1. Select it — it appears as a chip above the accordion.

   

6. Click Generate pipeline. The MCP Server Pipeline Builder creates the MCP Server Pipeline and automatically selects it in the Pipeline field.
7. Back in the Create MCP Server dialog, configure the execution details:
   • Snaplex: Select the execution environment where this server will run. Ensure this Snaplex has network access to the target systems your tools interact with.

     

   • Run Policy: Select one of the following:
     • Triggered (default)
     • Ultra
   • Optional. Modify the timeout.
8. Authentication Policy: Select an existing policy from the dropdown, or click Create New Policy to create one directly from this dialog.
   Note: The following steps create a basic policy using the Anonymous Authenticator, suitable for development and testing. For production, use OAuth2 or API Key authentication instead.
   1. Click Create New Policy. A visual policy pipeline opens with stages: Validate, Authenticate, Authorize, Shape, and Transform.
   2. Configure Authentication:
      • Click the + under the Authenticate stage.
      • For development and testing, select the Anonymous Authenticator. This assigns a default role (for example, anonymous) to the incoming request.
      • For production environments, choose the MCP OAuth2 Client Credential or JWT Validator rules instead.
   3. Configure Authorization:
      • Click the + under the Authorize stage.
      • Select Authorize by role.
      • Configure it to allow access to the role assigned in the previous step (for example, anonymous).
   4. Name your policy (for example, MCP_Basic_Auth_Policy) and click Save.

   

9. Review the form and click Save.

Upon saving, SnapLogic registers the server and generates a unique MCP Server URL.

Step 3: Connect and monitor your MCP Server

claude mcp add --transport http sl_mcp https://{snaplex-hostname}/mcpserver/{server-id}/mcp
  Added HTTP MCP server sl_mcp with URL: https://{snaplex-hostname}/mcpserver/{server-id}/mcp to local config
  File modified: /Users/{username}/.claude.json [project: /path/to/project]
/mcp
 ⎿  MCP dialog dismissed
 ❯ what is the weather in san francisco?

Thinking…

  The user wants to know the weather in San Francisco. I have a weather forecast tool available. San Francisco's coordinates are
  approximately 37.7749° N, 122.4194° W.

⏺ sl_mcp - TOOL_weather_forecast (MCP)(latitude: 37.7749, longitude: -122.4194)
  ⎿  {
       "periods": "Name: This Afternoon\nTemperature: 87F\nWind: 7 mph NNW\nDetailedForecast: Sunny. High near 87, with
     temperatures falling to around 85 in the afternoon. North northwest wind around 7 mph.\n---\nName: Tonight\nTemperature:
     58F\nWind: 2 to 6 mph W\nDetailedForecast: Clear, with a low around 58. West wind 2 to 6 mph.\n---\nName:
     Wednesday\nTemperature: 86F\nWind: 2 to 6 mph NW\nDetailedForecast: Sunny. High near 86, with temperatures falling to around
     82 in the afternoon. Northwest wind 2 to 6 mph.\n---\nName: Wednesday Night\nTemperature: 58F\nWind: 2 to 6 mph
     W\nDetailedForecast: Clear, with a low around 58. West wind 2 to 6 mph.\n---\nName: Thursday\nTemperature: 87F\nWind: 2 to 7
     mph N\nDetailedForecast: Sunny, with a high near 87. North wind 2 to 7 mph."