# automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🤖 Coding Agents  
**Repository:** https://github.com/automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP  
**GitHub Stars:** 84  
**Views:** 4  
**Installs:** 0  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/automateyournetwork-pyats-mcp

## Description
Cisco pyATS server enabling structured, model-driven interaction with network devices.

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **pyats_list_devices** — List all devices in the testbed
- **pyats_search_devices** — Fuzzy-search devices by name or alias
- **pyats_run_show_command** — Run a validated show command; returns parsed JSON or raw output
- **pyats_run_show_command_multi** — Run a show command across multiple devices concurrently (thread pool)
- **pyats_pcall_show_command** — Same, but one OS process per device (`pyats.async_.pcall`) instead of a shared thread pool
- **pyats_show_running_config** — Retrieve the full running configuration (raw text)
- **pyats_show_logging** — Retrieve device system logs via `show logging
- **pyats_ping_from_network_device** — Execute a ping from a network device
- **pyats_run_linux_command** — Run a command on a Linux host
- **pyats_configure_device** — Apply configuration commands with safety guardrails
- **pyats_configure_devices_multi** — Apply configuration across multiple devices concurrently (thread pool)
- **pyats_pcall_configure_devices** — Same, but one OS process per device
- **pyats_configure_with_diff** — Apply config and return a before/after diff
- **pyats_rollback_config** — Roll back to the last saved configuration snapshot
- **pyats_device_health** — Snapshot CPU, memory, interfaces, and routing state
- **pyats_get_neighbors** — Retrieve CDP/LLDP neighbors
- **pyats_find_interface_by_ip** — Find which interface owns a given IP address
- **pyats_learn_feature** — Genie `device.learn()` for a whole feature (interface, ospf, bgp, …), optionally saved as a named snapshot
- **pyats_diff_learned_snapshots** — Diff two snapshots saved by `pyats_learn_feature
- **pyats_clean_device** — Genie Clean (Kleenex), restricted to non-destructive `connect`+`execute_command` stages; `dry_run=True` by default
- **pyats_run_blitz** — Run a declarative pyATS Blitz YAML test
- **pyats_run_robot** — Run a Robot Framework suite using the `pyats.robot`/`genie.libs.robot` keyword libraries
- **pyats_run_dynamic_test** — Execute a sandboxed pyATS AEtest script
- **pyats_rest_request** — Generic REST/RESTCONF/NX-API call via pyATS's `rest.connector` (a separate connection type from CLI/SSH)
- **pyats_xpresso_request** — Authenticated call to Cisco XPresso's REST API v2 (test requests, jobs, testbeds, images, …)
- **pyats_get_operation_log** — Retrieve the in-memory operation log

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "pyats-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","mcp-remote","http://localhost:8080/mcp","--transport","http-only"],
    "env": {
      "PYATS_TESTBED_PATH": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_ARTIFACTS_DIR": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_KEEP_ARTIFACTS": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_TESTBED_CACHE_TTL": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_CONN_CACHE_TTL": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_OP_LOG_MAX": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_TRANSPORT_MODE": "",
      "PYATS_MCP_HTTP_HOST": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `PYATS_TESTBED_PATH`, `PYATS_MCP_ARTIFACTS_DIR`, `PYATS_MCP_KEEP_ARTIFACTS`, `PYATS_MCP_TESTBED_CACHE_TTL`, `PYATS_MCP_CONN_CACHE_TTL`, `PYATS_MCP_OP_LOG_MAX`, `PYATS_MCP_TRANSPORT_MODE`, `PYATS_MCP_HTTP_HOST` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP MCP server does

The automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP MCP server gives an MCP client structured access to Cisco pyATS and Genie workflows. It can discover devices from a testbed, search by device name or alias, execute validated show commands, retrieve running configuration and logs, check device health, inspect CDP or LLDP neighbors, and identify the interface associated with an IP address.

The server also supports operational changes and testing. Agents can apply configuration to one or more devices, request a before-and-after diff, roll back to the most recent saved configuration snapshot, and run pings from network devices. Testing options include declarative pyATS Blitz YAML, Robot Framework suites using pyATS/Genie libraries, and sandboxed pyATS AEtest scripts.

## How it works

A running Python process exposes the MCP endpoint at `/mcp` using Streamable HTTP. The default listener is `0.0.0.0:8080`, with host, port, and statefulness controlled through environment variables. The server reads a pyATS `testbed.yaml`; device fields in that file can reference environment variables using `%ENV{}` substitution.

The automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP MCP server can fan commands or configuration changes across multiple devices using either a shared thread pool or one operating-system process per device through pyATS `pcall`. Genie feature learning can save named snapshots, which can later be compared for changes in interface, OSPF, BGP, or other supported feature state. REST, RESTCONF, and NX-API requests use pyATS's REST connector, while XPresso requests target Cisco XPresso REST API v2.

Each call is recorded in an in-memory operation log that an agent can retrieve. Configuration actions include safety controls, and destructive operations require an exact confirmation phrase. Genie Clean is limited to non-destructive `connect` and `execute_command` stages and defaults to dry-run mode.

## Setup and configuration

The project requires Python 3.10 or newer, a reachable pyATS testbed, and an MCP-capable client. Install the repository requirements, copy `.env.example` to `.env`, populate the server settings and device credentials, then start `python3 pyats_mcp_server.py`. The testbed may point to physical devices or environments such as Cisco Modeling Labs, VIRL, or GNS3, provided Unicon can reach them over SSH or Telnet.

`PYATS_TESTBED_PATH` identifies the testbed file. Other settings control artifact retention, testbed and connection cache lifetimes, operation-log size, HTTP transport mode, and the listening address. XPresso URL, token, and group variables are only needed for the XPresso request tool. Docker is also supported by building the included image, passing the environment file, and mounting the testbed file.

## Tools and capabilities

The tool set covers:

- Device listing and fuzzy search.
- Parsed or raw show-command execution, including concurrent multi-device variants.
- Running configuration, logging, health, neighbor, ping, and interface lookups.
- Single-device and multi-device configuration with rollback and diff support.
- Genie feature learning and comparison of saved snapshots.
- Restricted Genie Clean operations.
- Blitz, Robot Framework, and dynamic AEtest execution.
- Generic REST requests, Cisco XPresso API calls, and operation-log retrieval.

## Limitations and notes

The automateyournetwork/pyATS_MCP MCP server does not simulate a network; it operates against devices or hosts reachable through the configured testbed. STDIO transport is not supported by the project itself. Claude Desktop therefore needs an HTTPS custom connector for a publicly reachable deployment, or a local `mcp-remote` bridge; its desktop configuration cannot directly start this server through a URL.

Network credentials and device details must be supplied by the operator. The material does not describe built-in server authentication, so deployments exposed beyond a trusted environment should account for access control separately, such as with a reverse proxy.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/automateyournetwork-pyats-mcp/readme_