Deploy and manage MCP servers in your private cloud to safeguard data

Unlock the best of all worlds with Stacklok’s centrally managed approach to MCP — keep sensitive workloads local and provide frictionless access to remote tools all from the same custom registry and UI.

Why centralized management matters

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers are powering a growing range of AI-driven workflows, and their adoption is accelerating. In many organizations, MCP servers are run both locally and remotely, which can create real challenges:

Shadow AI

Unapproved local usage as developers spin up their own MCP servers without oversight, creating “shadow AI” and introducing security gaps.

Security

Hard to securely configure remote servers that require complex authentication workflows, slowing down development.

Complexity

Operational complexity becomes an issue if you have different (or incremental) monitoring tools rather than plugging in your existing source of truth

Without the right controls in place, your hybrid MCP ecosystem risks inefficiency, security vulnerabilities, and a lack of visibility that undermines operational control.

Devs care about the service, not how it’s served

At Stacklok, we believe your developers shouldn’t have to care where an MCP runs, whether it’s local on a developer machine, hosted in the cloud, or managed in an internal cluster, as long as it’s secure, approved, and ready to use. We enable you to…

Manage

Manage all MCP servers centrally regardless of where they live.

Secure

Prepopulate credentials and endpoints so developers can connect instantly.

Operate

Support secure local MCP without compromising compliance.

With Stacklok, developers just open their tools, and everything works.

How to run MCP in a hybrid environment

We’ve distilled the process into four high-impact steps

1

Create your curated, custom registry

  • Build your organization’s MCP registry as the single source of truth.
  • Preload it with approved MCP servers grouped for specific workflows or teams.

Stacklok Advantage

Support custom registries with both local and remote MCP servers that can be grouped together for a turnkey experience.

2

Set pre-approved configurations

  • Build out the API keys, URLs, and access controls for each MCP in your registry.
  • Ensure these settings are centrally and securely stored for automatic provisioning.

Stacklok Advantage

Developers never have to search for connection details — they’re prepopulated in their UI or CLI.

3

Deploy your MCP servers

  • Provision MCP servers from the official MCP registry and/or your registry to the appropriate environment — local or hosted.
  • Apply consistent deployment processes to ensure security and compliance.

Stacklok Advantage

Centralize deployment of MCP servers and automatically manages client configurations for a seamless developer experience.

4

Monitor and optimize

  • Observe usage, performance, and compliance across all MCPs.
  • Track agent and tool activity to build trust in AI-driven workflows.

Stacklok Advantage

Centralize deployment of MCP servers and automatically manages client configurations for a seamless developer experience.

Best practices for MCP registry curation

Do

  • Manage local and hosted MCPs under a common policy and governance model.
  • Use preconfigured settings to remove developer friction.
  • Maintain auditing and observability across all environments.

Don’t

  • Allow developers to configure MCPs ad hoc.
  • Make developers fend for themselves to hunt down URLs and environment variables.
  • Don’t leave security and compliance up to end users.

Stacklok enablement path

We help you go from idea to production-ready registry fast

  • Advisory services: Curation strategy and compliance alignment
  • Implementation support: Policy enforcement automation and registry setup
  • Managed services: Ongoing maintenance, updates, and monitoring
  • One-click integration with clients: Built-in integration with clients like Cursor and Claude