---
sourceDocument: Brazil Enable AI
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences

 Release :

    - brazil

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Brazil Enable AI

ft:clusterId :

    - platai

bundleId :

    - platai

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Turn access management on or off for an MCP server

# Turn access management on or off for an MCP server {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Brazil  
Updated October 26, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read  
Turn on access management to limit each client to the tools that its policies grant, or turn it off to let every client use all active tools.

## Before you begin

* Client access control must be turned on for the instance. For details, see [Turn on client access control for your instance](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Hqnk3nUKzRsp6iPQpOgsbQ "Set a system property so that AI stewards can turn on access management and create client access policies for MCP servers.").
* The MCP server must be approved. For details, see [MCP server approval playbook workflow](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hPa4Wm1KeuynX~H66V~Ixg "After you register and manage an MCP server, the AI steward moves it through the onboarding lifecycle before agents can use it.").
* Client access policies should be created for the clients that use the server. After access management is on, clients without a policy aren't authorized to use the server's tools through AI Gateway. For details, see [Create a client access policy](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/A2ofdHKeiKbWTVDRxaPH8w "Grant one client access to specific tools on an MCP server.").

{#ai-gw-turn-access-management__ul_ai-gw-turn-access-management-prereqs}

Role required: sn_ai_governance.ai_steward

## Procedure

1. In AI Control Tower, navigate to InventoryAssetsMCP servers and select the server name.
2. Select the AI Gateway tab, and then select the Policies sub-tab.
3. Under Policy categories, select Access management.
4. On the Access management card, turn the toggle switch on or off.
5. In the confirmation dialog, select Turn on or Turn off.  
   To leave the setting as it is, select Keep off or Keep on.

## Result

The card shows Access management is on or Access management is off.

* When access management is on, only the clients that the server's client access policies allow are authorized to access the server through AI Gateway, and each client is authorized to use only the tools that its policies grant.
* When access management is off, every client can access the server and use all of its active tools. The server's client access policies aren't deleted, but AI Gateway doesn't apply them until access management is turned on again.

{#ai-gw-turn-access-management__ul_ai-gw-turn-access-management-result}  
Important:  
It can take up to 30 minutes for the change to apply to clients that are already connected. For details, see [Controlling which tools clients can access](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vdbnwpXstkbsfKFUA2BcLQ "Limit each client to the MCP server tools that it requires by turning on access management for the server and creating client access policies.").

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