Frequently Asked Questions about the ntopng MCP Server

Q: What is the ntopng MCP Server? A: The ntopng MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation that allows AI agents to query network monitoring data from ntopng using the ntopng database.

Q: What is MCP? A: MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs, enabling AI models to access and interact with external data sources and tools.

Q: What is ntopng? A: ntopng is a high-performance network traffic monitoring and analysis application that collects comprehensive network data, including flow information, host statistics, and security alerts.

Q: What are the benefits of using the ntopng MCP Server? A: The ntopng MCP Server enables AI agents to automate threat detection and response, optimize network performance, detect network anomalies, monitor compliance, and proactively maintain the network.

Q: What kind of data can I access through the ntopng MCP Server? A: You can access a wide range of network data, including flow data, host statistics, alert statistics, and SNMP device data.

Q: What tools are included with the ntopng MCP Server? A: The server includes tools to retrieve interface IDs, host locations, top talkers, flow data, and various alert statistics.

Q: How do I configure the ntopng MCP Server? A: You configure the server using environment variables or by modifying the claude_desktop_config.json file, specifying connection details for your ntopng instance.

Q: What environment variables are required to configure the server? A: Required environment variables include NTOPNG_HOST, NTOPNG_DBUSER, NTOPNG_DBPASSWORD, and NTOPNG_API_KEY. Optional variables include NTOPNG_DBPORT, NTOPNG_SECURE, NTOPNG_VERIFY, NTOPNG_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, and NTOPNG_SEND_RECEIVE_TIMEOUT.

Q: How do I install the ntopng MCP Server? A: You can install the server by running uv sync and uv pip install -e . from the project main directory.

Q: Does the ntopng MCP Server support TLS connections? A: Yes, you can enable a TLS connection by setting the NTOPNG_SECURE environment variable to true.

Q: How do I integrate the ntopng MCP Server with UBOS? A: Deploy the ntopng MCP Server, configure it to connect to your ntopng instance, and then connect it to your UBOS environment to enable your AI agents to access network data.

Q: What are some use cases for the ntopng MCP Server with UBOS? A: Use cases include automated threat detection and response, performance optimization, network anomaly detection, compliance monitoring, and proactive network maintenance.

Q: Where can I learn more about UBOS? A: You can visit the UBOS website at https://ubos.tech to learn more about the platform’s features and capabilities.