Jan 16
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Unlock the power of Model Context Protocol (MCP) in AI automation. Lead Technical Advocate Kareem Iskander and Head of Developer Relations Matt DeNapoli are joined by VP, Cisco DevNet Shannon McFarland to break down the Model Context Protocol (MCP)—a new open standard enabling AI applications to interact with external APIs, services, and tools. Shannon explains what MCP is, how it works, and where it fits with other AI approaches like RAG. The team explores practical implementation tips, the importance of targeted MCP servers, and real-world DevOps automation use cases. If you want to build smarter, more connected AI systems, this episode is for you! Key topics: What is MCP, and why does it matter? MCP vs RAG: When to use each How to design scalable, secure MCP implementations Real-world DevOps automation with MCP Tips for getting started and avoiding common pitfalls Chapters 01:09 - What Is MCP? 02:48 - How MCP Connects AI to Tools & APIs 04:29 - What is Agent Communication Protocol (ACP)? 05:09 - MCP vs RAG: Differences and Complementarity 06:29 - API Integration: Why MCP Is a Game Changer 07:30 - Designing Targeted MCP Servers for Scalability 09:29 - Implementation Best Practices: Use Case-First Approach 11:00 - Security & Trust: Vetting MCP Servers 11:59 - DevOps Workflow Example: Netbox, Ansible & GitHub 13:15 - Final Tips & Where to Learn More Read MCP for DevOps: https://blogs.cisco.com/developer/mcp-for-devops ✨ Subscribe for more tech videos! @CiscoUtube ✨ Create a Cisco U. Free Account: http://cs.co/9001OQtCx #AI #DevOps #Cisco #SnackMinute #MCP #Automation