MP-101 · Module 4

Building an MCP Strategy

3 min read

An MCP strategy starts with an inventory. List every system your AI agents need to interact with — databases, APIs, SaaS platforms, internal tools, file systems, communication channels. For each one, check whether a public MCP server already exists. If it does, evaluate it: is it maintained, is it from the official vendor or a trusted source, does it cover the operations you need? The servers that exist and work become your quick wins. The gaps become your build list.

The build-versus-use decision is straightforward. If an official or well-maintained MCP server exists for a tool, use it. If no server exists for an internal tool, build one. If a server exists but does not cover your specific use case, consider contributing to the existing server before building your own. The MCP SDK is available in TypeScript and Python, and building a basic server for a REST API takes a day or less. Building one for a complex system with authentication and multiple resources takes a week.

Internal versus external servers is the second strategic decision. Internal servers wrap your company's proprietary systems — internal APIs, databases, deployment tools. These run behind your firewall and are accessible only to your team. External servers connect to third-party services — GitHub, Slack, Salesforce. Internal servers are where you build competitive advantage because nobody else has your internal tools as MCP servers. External servers are where you save time because the ecosystem has already done the work.

Do This

  • Start with an inventory of every system your AI agents need to access
  • Use existing MCP servers for common tools before building custom ones
  • Prioritize the three most-used systems for your first MCP rollout
  • Build internal MCP servers for proprietary systems — these are your competitive advantage
  • Version your MCP server configurations in source control for reproducibility

Avoid This

  • Do not try to MCP-enable everything at once — scope to the highest-value integrations first
  • Do not build a custom server when an official one exists and covers your use case
  • Do not deploy MCP servers without a plan for credential management and access control
  • Do not treat MCP as a one-time project — it is ongoing infrastructure, like your API layer