FAQ about the CAST MCP Server for Gatekeeper

Overview

Health checks, troubleshooting steps, and answers to common issues for the CAST MCP Server for Gatekeeper.

Health check

Verify the server is running

curl http://<mcp-server>:8283/mcp/healthcheck

Expected response:

{
  "status": "healthy",
  "service": "mcp-server",
  "details": {
    "dashboard_client": "available",
    "dashboard_api": "configured"
  }
}

Test Dashboard API connectivity

curl -H "x-api-key: <your-imaging-api-key>" http://<your_imaging_public_URL>:8090/dashboards/rest/server

View logs

# Docker
docker logs <container-id>

# Local (rotating log files, 30 × 10 MB gzipped)
tail -f /app/logs/mcp_dashboard.log

Common issues

Symptom Likely Cause Fix
"Dashboard API is not available" Wrong HOST_CONTROL_PANEL Check network connectivity and host/port settings
"DashboardClient cannot be initialized — control panel returned no configuration" Control Panel uses HTTPS Set CONTROL_PANEL_SSL_ENABLED=true in app.config
404 errors on API calls Wrong API path configuration Verify HOST_CONTROL_PANEL and PORT_CONTROL_PANEL values
HTTP 429 Too Many Requests Rate limit exceeded Wait for the window to reset

Frequently Asked Questions

How does authentication work?
The server uses a CAST Imaging API key sent in HTTP Request Headers (by the MCP client per request): x-api-key:

For VS Code and Cursor integrations, credentials are passed in the MCP client configuration so each HTTP request carries them:

"headers": {
  "x-api-key": "your-api-key"
}

Can multiple users connect to the same MCP server simultaneously?
Yes. The MCP server supports concurrent multi-client usage:
  • Per-request authentication: each AI client sends their own API key with every request
  • No session management: no login/logout sessions that could block other users
  • Async architecture: asynchronous request handling for concurrent operations

Does it need to be deployed on a dedicated machine?
No. It can be deployed on the same machine used for CAST Imaging components or on a separate machine. Update HOST_CONTROL_PANEL in app.config accordingly.

What ports need to be opened?
- MCP Server listening port: TCP port 8283 (HTTP) - configurable via MCP_SERVER_PORT - CAST Imaging Control Panel / Eureka service: TCP port 8098 (default) - configurable via PORT_CONTROL_PANEL

What data is sent to the LLM?
The MCP server sends Dashboard API responses to the LLM, which include:
  • Application names and quality metrics
  • Compliance status and health factor scores
  • Violation details (rule names, file paths, line numbers, remediation guidance)
  • Technical debt estimates

Credentials and connection strings are never forwarded to the LLM.