MCP Server Installation

MCP server installations are how your team actually uses MCP servers from the catalog. Think of the MCP catalog as a "store" where you browse available servers, and installations as the "purchased items" that your team can actually use with your own credentials and settings.

Understanding the Connection

The Three-Layer System

DeployStack uses a three-layer system to manage MCP servers:

Global MCP Catalog: A centralized library of all available MCP servers
Team Access: Your team can browse and select servers you have permission to use
Team Installations: Your team's actual configured instances of MCP servers

How It Works

graph TD
    A[Global MCP Catalog] --> B[Team Browsing]
    B --> C[Team Installation]
    C --> D[Team Workspace]
    
    A1[GitHub MCP Server] --> B1[Your Team Sees It]
    B1 --> C1[Install with Your Credentials]
    C1 --> D1[Ready to Use in Your Team]

MCP Server Installation Scope

Team-Centered Installations

Every MCP server installation belongs to a specific team. This is a fundamental principle of DeployStack:

Team Ownership: Each installation is owned by one team and isolated from other teams
Team Credentials: Your team provides and manages its own API keys, tokens, and configuration
Team Configuration: Customize server settings specific to your team's needs
Team Privacy: Other teams cannot see or access your installations

Why Team-Scoped?

This design provides several important benefits:

Security Isolation

Credential Separation: Your team's API keys are completely separate from other teams
Access Control: Only your team members can use your team's installations
Data Privacy: No cross-team access to configurations or usage data

Flexibility

Custom Names: Give installations meaningful names for your team context
Team-Specific Settings: Configure servers differently for your team's workflow
Independent Updates: Update or modify installations without affecting other teams

Organization

Clear Ownership: Every installation has a clear team owner
Team Management: Team administrators control all installations
Workspace Isolation: Each team has its own complete workspace

Team Workspace Context

How Installations Fit in Your Team

Your team's MCP server installations are part of your complete team workspace:

Team Resources

MCP Installations: Configured MCP servers ready to use
Cloud Credentials: Authentication for deployment platforms
Environment Variables: Global team settings
Team Members: Users who can access these resources

Workspace Benefits

Unified Management: All team resources in one place
Consistent Access: Same permissions across all installations
Shared Configuration: Common settings available to all installations
Team Collaboration: All team members work with the same tools

Database Storage

Behind the scenes, your team's installations are stored securely:

Team-Level Storage

Team Workspace: All installations belong to your team's workspace
Encrypted Credentials: Your API keys and tokens are encrypted at rest
Access Control: Only your team members can access the data
Audit Trail: Complete history of installation changes

Data Isolation

Team Boundaries: Your data is completely separate from other teams
Secure Access: Only authorized team members can view or modify installations
Privacy Protection: No cross-team data sharing or access

Installation Types

Local Installations

Local MCP servers run on your team's infrastructure:

Your Environment: Runs in your team's deployment environment
Direct Control: Full control over the server instance
Custom Configuration: Unlimited customization options
Team Credentials: Uses your team's API keys and authentication

Cloud Installations (Future)

Cloud MCP servers will run on managed infrastructure:

Managed Service: DeployStack handles the infrastructure
Simplified Setup: Easier installation and maintenance
Automatic Updates: Managed updates and scaling
Team Isolation: Still team-scoped with your credentials

Security Considerations

Credential Protection

Your team's installation credentials are protected through multiple layers:

Encryption at Rest: All credentials are encrypted in the database
Access Control: Only team members can access credentials
Secure Transmission: Credentials are encrypted during transmission
Audit Logging: All credential access is logged for security

Team Boundaries

The team-scoped installation system provides strong security boundaries:

Complete Isolation: Teams cannot access each other's installations
Separate Credentials: Each team uses completely separate authentication
Independent Configuration: No shared configuration between teams
Secure Defaults: Installations use secure default settings

MCP server installations provide the bridge between the global catalog of available servers and your team's actual working environment. By understanding how installations work within your team workspace, you can effectively manage your team's MCP server landscape while maintaining security and organization.

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