SnapLogic adds MCP support to aid agentic AI deployment
Following the launch of AgentCreator in 2024, the data integration vendor is adding support for the open standard to better enable customers to build and manage agentic tools.
SnapLogic on Tuesday unveiled support for Model Context Protocol to enable customers to develop, deploy and integrate agentic AI models and applications across their organization.
Agents are AI applications that, unlike chatbots, possess reasoning capabilities and have contextual awareness. As a result, agents can act autonomously to assist workers by surfacing insights they might not otherwise discover and executing tasks to relieve humans of time-consuming work.
Model Context Protocol (MCP), meanwhile, is an open standard created by generative AI (GenAI) vendor Anthropic that sets out an accepted way for agents to connect with resources such as large language models and interoperate with other agents so they can act autonomously.
With agents now the dominant trend in AI and becoming more ubiquitous, numerous data management and AI development vendors have added support for MCP to simplify and standardize how agents are built with their tools. In addition to Anthropic, AWS, MongoDB and Databricks are among others that now support MCP.
SnapLogic's addition of MCP isn't merely an incremental feature. It's a strategic accelerant for enterprises striving to become agentic.
Michael NiAnalyst, Constellation Research
Given that MCP simplifies agentic AI development and deployment, adding support for the protocol is significant for SnapLogic users, according to Michael Ni, an analyst at Constellation Research.
"SnapLogic's addition of MCP isn't merely an incremental feature," he said. "It's a strategic accelerant for enterprises striving to become agentic. For [data] and AI leaders, this means swiftly transforming existing data and API investments into a governed, interconnected fabric that empowers AI agents to understand, decide and act across your entire business."
By adding support for MCP, SnapLogic is making it easier for customers to benefit from their investments in developing agentic AI tools, Ni continued.
"It's how you unlock measurable ROI from your rapidly expanding AI investments without the traditional integration headaches," he said.
Based in San Mateo, Calif., SnapLogic is a data integration specialist whose Intelligent Integration Platform enables users to combine data from disparate sources to help prepare it for informing analytics and AI applications. Competitors include other data integration specialists such as Boomi and Informatica, as well as more broad-based vendors with data integration tools such as Oracle and SAP.
Adhering to protocol
With GenAI capable of making workers better informed and more efficient, many enterprises have made AI development a priority since OpenAI's November 2022 launch of ChatGPT marked a significant improvement in GenAI technology.
In response, given that data is the foundation of any AI model or application, many data management vendors have created environments within their platforms that simplify combining proprietary data with AI models so customers can easily build AI tools that understand their organization.
Throughout 2023 and into 2024, many of the GenAI applications enterprises developed were query-and-response tools that enable technical and non-technical workers alike to work with data using natural language, rather than code. But as 2024 progressed, agentic AI emerged, advancing GenAI beyond being a reactive technology to one that is proactive.
Now, because agents can improve workers' knowledge and efficiency beyond the capabilities of reactive tools, agentic AI is at the forefront.
However, because agents are proactive rather than reactive, it is imperative that standards be set before agents are developed and deployed. Doing so ensures that they act and interact in a way that does not put enterprises at risk of harming themselves or their customers.
SnapLogic has a long history with AI.
The vendor launched its first AI-powered assistant, Iris, in 2017. Since then, SnapLogic released SnapGPT, a conversational assistant, in August 2023 and GenAI Builder -- later renamed AgentCreator -- to enable application development in February 2024.
Now, to aid agentic AI development and management, the vendor is adding support for MCP by transforming pipelines and APIs managed through SnapLogic API Management 3.0 into MCP servers, as well. By adding MCP server capabilities to AI pipelines and APIs, SnapLogic enables agents to connect to the tools they need to function accurately under MCP specifications.
Regarding SnapLogic's integration of MCP support by adding MCP server capabilities to existing workflows, the vendor is taking a logical -- and perhaps unique -- approach that makes it easy for customers to deploy, according to Mike Leone, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, now part of Omdia.
"SnapLogic's key differentiation lies in making agentic AI accessible and governable for enterprises through its existing low-code platform," he said. "By enabling its pipelines and APIs to function as MCP servers, SnapLogic is bringing something unique to the table that allows organizations to transform their current integration investments into dynamically discoverable resources for AI agents."
The result is potentially faster AI adoption that includes built-in security and control, Leone continued.
"By leveraging its existing low-code/no-code strengths and built-in [API] endpoints, SnapLogic will significantly ease deployment for current users, allowing them to transform existing integrations into AI-accessible resources with familiar tools and integrated governance," he said.
Ni likewise noted that SnapLogic's approach to integrating MCP support by adding to existing workflows is wise. However, whether the vendor's support for MCP and integration of the standard into existing workflows will prove as easy in practice as intended in theory remains to be seen, he continued.
"SnapLogic's MCP integration builds directly on how customers already deploy visual pipelines and snaps, transforming them into governed, AI-ready services that agents can dynamically invoke," Ni said. "It's a promising step toward decision-aware orchestration, but the real test will be how easily enterprises can scale and secure these agentic workflows in production."
Looking ahead
With SnapLogic now providing support for MCP, next steps the vendor could take to further enable customers to safely develop agentic AI tools include adding more AI orchestration tools and deepening AI governance capabilities, according to Leone.
"[Those are] two areas where I expect SnapLogic to make greater investment going forward … to help customers build and manage more sophisticated, trustworthy AI workflows," he said.
In addition, SnapLogic could add partnerships and integrations with AI vendors to expand its AI development capabilities, Leone continued.
"[Broadening] AI model and ecosystem support would offer customers even more flexibility and ensure seamless integration with the latest AI advancements," he said.
Eric Avidon is a senior news writer for Informa TechTarget and a journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He covers analytics and data management.
