--- sourceDocument: Australia Enable AI sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Enable AI ft:clusterId : - platai bundleId : - platai workflow : - Platform --- # Explore # Exploring MCP Server Console {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated July 29, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Exploring MCP Server Console The Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server Console enables ServiceNow customers to create and manage MCP servers that allow AI applications to securely access and interact with data and functionality on a ServiceNow instance. MCP defines a standardized communication method between large language models (LLMs) and external systems. Through MCP servers, AI clients such as Microsoft Copilot or Claude can discover available tools, request data, and automate actions on the instance via OAuth 2.0 authentication. Show full answer Show less MCP Server Console allows AI administrators to configure which tools (functionalities and data) are exposed to MCP clients, either by creating custom tools from existing AI skills or by using a preconfigured Quickstart Server. This facilitates integration of AI-driven employee experiences across various workflows like HR or IT. ## Key Features * **Create MCP Servers:** AI administrators can create servers to expose specific tools for external AI clients. * **Tool Configuration:** Tools define the instance functionality and data accessible to clients, which can be based on existing AI skills. * **OAuth 2.0 Authentication:** Secure client access to MCP servers via inbound OAuth integrations configured on the instance. * **Preconfigured Quickstart Server:** Provides out-of-the-box tools for summarizing incidents and cases, supporting quick adoption and testing. * **Cross-instance Access:** The ServiceNow Model Context Protocol Client enables AI apps on one instance to access MCP servers on another. **Current limitations** include support only for stateless and remote servers, lack of Studio support, fixed rate limits requiring service restarts to adjust, and limited streaming support (Streamable HTTP transport with optional Server-Sent Events). ## Who Should Use MCP Server Console? * **AI Administrators:** Responsible for creating and managing MCP servers, configuring tools, setting up OAuth integrations, and defining client access. * **Employees Using AI Clients:** End users who interact with AI-driven tools to query data or automate actions on ServiceNow instances. ## Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * **Standardized Integration:** Connect any AI application that supports MCP to ServiceNow data and processes. * **Controlled Access:** Define exactly which tools and data fields are available to AI clients, ensuring secure and appropriate exposure. * **Improved Employee Experience:** Enable AI-powered automation and insights within familiar workflows, enhancing productivity. * **Quick Start Capability:** Use the Quickstart Server to rapidly explore MCP capabilities without complex setup. ## Getting Started and Next Steps AI administrators should begin by identifying relevant instance functionalities to expose via MCP servers, either utilizing the Quickstart Server or creating custom servers with tailored tools. OAuth inbound integrations must be configured to secure client connections. Clients then authenticate and retrieve available tools to prompt the server for data retrieval or action execution. To deepen understanding and implementation, customers can explore documentation on configuring MCP Server Console, setting up MCP clients, and related MCP Client references. Learn about how you can use Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to allow AI applications to access data and perform actions on a ServiceNow instance. ## MCP Server Console overview {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-overview} The Model Context Protocol defines a standard method of communication between large language models (LLMs) and external systems, such as a ServiceNow instance. AI applications connect to an external system from an MCP client, such as an AI agent, using an MCP server. The server tells the client which external resources it can access and how to access them. Then, from an MCP client, users can request information from the server and automate functionality using the available tools and data that the server returns. For general information about the Model Context Protocol and MCP terminology, see the [Model Context Protocol documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/learn/server-concepts) on the modelcontextprotocol.io website. With MCP Server Console, you can create MCP servers on an instance and configure the tools that they expose or use a preconfigured Quickstart Server. Tools define which functionality and data a server exposes to clients and the actions that can be performed on an instance by clients. You can create tools based on existing capabilities, such as AI skills. Then any AI application, such as Microsoft Copilot or Claude, can call a server from a client using OAuth 2.0 authentication and get a list of available tools. With these tools, employees using MCP clients can prompt the server for information from the instance or to perform an action on the instance, such as to summarize a list of recently closed incidents or cases. You can also use the ServiceNow Model Context Protocol Client to let an AI application on one instance access tools from an MCP server on another instance. Note: MCP Server Console currently has the following limitations: * Only stateless and remote servers are supported. * MCP resources and prompts aren't supported. * MCP Server Console supports the Streamable HTTP transport. By default, tool calls return a single JSON response. Server-Sent Events (SSE) are optionally available for streaming response types. Studio is not supported. * The MCP rate limit is not configurable currently, and adjusting the rate limit requires a service restart. Contact your ServiceNow representative to learn more. {#exploring-mcp-server-console__ul_pqk_2fb_bkc} ## MCP Server Console users {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-users} {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_epw_sph_ggc__entry__2} | User | Description | |-|-| | AI administrator | AI administrators can create MCP servers and configure which tools they expose to MCP clients. They also create OAuth inbound integrations on the instance for each client and configure clients with the server and authentication details. | [ ] {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_epw_sph_ggc} ## MCP Server Console workflow {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-workflow} The following infographic shows the workflow for AI administrators to get started managing MCP servers with MCP Server Console. Figure 1. Managing MCP servers with MCP Server Console 1. As an AI administrator, you identify which functionality on an instance to access from an external MCP client and employee experience. 2. You can use the preconfigured Quickstart Server or create an MCP server with the appropriate tools to use the desired functionality.You can create one or more servers that expose different tools for different use cases, such as for HR or IT workflows, or for different clients. 3. If needed, you can create additional tools from AI skills and configure which fields are exposed to clients and then add the tools to servers. 4. You create OAuth inbound integrations for each client to secure access to servers on an instance. 5. You configure clients to connect to a server using the server and OAuth inbound integration details.Then the client calls the server, which validates the OAuth token and responds with the list of tools available for use with the server. 6. Employees use clients, such as AI agents, to prompt the server for data from the instance or to perform an action on the instance. {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-workflow-ol} Note: With AI Gateway in AI Control Tower, AI administrators can monitor MCP server access and view metrics for servers and their tools. For more information, see . ## MCP Server Console benefits {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-benefits} {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_hpw_sph_ggc__entry__3} | Benefit | Feature | Users | |-|-|-| | Integrate with any AI application and MCP client using a standard protocol. | [Create a Model Context Protocol server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/a2CY_8UaP1y3J_5_ry5NCQ "Create a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server and configure which tools it exposes to MCP clients.") | AI administrator | | Control which tools and fields are exposed to MCP clients. | [Creating tools for a Model Context Protocol server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/EbErxGoMF9tNd~jNSm9zxg "You can create tools from various tool categories to expose ServiceNow capabilities to Model Context Protocol (MCP) clients from MCP servers.") | AI administrator | | Securely access functionality from a ServiceNow instance in any external employee experience. | [Configure an MCP client to connect to an MCP server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/pBkcH1NbUdpsycrndmkLog "Configure a Model Context Protocol (MCP) client to connect to an MCP server and prompt the server to perform a task.") | AI administrator | [ ] {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_hpw_sph_ggc} ## Quickstart Server in MCP Server Console {#exploring-mcp-server-console__section_uhc_pw5_fhc} MCP Server Console includes a preconfigured Quickstart Server to help you get started learning about MCP servers and connecting MCP clients to a ServiceNow instance. The Quickstart Server includes tools for looking up and summarizing incident and case records, depending on the applications installed on your instance, such as ServiceNow Otto for CSM or ServiceNow Otto for ITSM. {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_bhx_l5h_ggc__entry__2} | Name | Description | |-|-| | Case summarization | Get a summary of details in a case record generated by ServiceNow Otto. | | Incident summarization | Get a summary of details in an incident record generated by ServiceNow Otto. | | Look up Case Records | Look up case records to enable summarizing them with the Case Summarization tool. | | Look up Incident Records | Look up incident records to enable summarizing them with Incident summarization tool. | [Table 1. Quickstart Server tools] {#exploring-mcp-server-console__table_bhx_l5h_ggc} ## What to explore next {#exploring-mcp-server-console__cf-exploring-parent-links} To learn more about configuring and using MCP Server Console, see: * [Configuring MCP Server Console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bvMD6gzPFWEuX_NYCkGd2w "Create a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server and configure the tools and inputs it exposes to MCP clients.") * [Configure an MCP client to connect to an MCP server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/pBkcH1NbUdpsycrndmkLog "Configure a Model Context Protocol (MCP) client to connect to an MCP server and prompt the server to perform a task.") * [MCP Server Console reference](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CsLx7t_HPZ_ZhOU98edmHg "Reference topics include information about MCP Server Console roles, tables, and more.") {#exploring-mcp-server-console__ul_ipw_sph_ggc} **Related reference** * [Model Context Protocol Client Legacy](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/2HbM4pJ_exqse~VI4QNe~Q "The ServiceNow Model Context Protocol Client (MCP Client) enables you to access the Model Context Protocol tools that are hosted externally and published using an MCP Server in the ServiceNow AI Agent Studio.")