Microsoft's MCP Gateway is a reverse proxy and control plane for MCP servers on Kubernetes. It routes each request to a ready server instance, deploys, updates and deletes MCP servers through a control-plane API, and protects both planes with bearer tokens and role-based access. The current version requires MCP clients on the 2026-07-28 protocol revision.
Who it suits
Platform teams on Kubernetes or Azure who host their own MCP servers and need routing and lifecycle management.
Strengths
- Control plane for MCP server lifecycle: deploy, update, delete.
- Stateless routing that scales across instances.
- Bearer-token and role-based access on the data and control planes; one-click deploy to Azure.
Limits
- Requires MCP 2026-07-28 clients; older clients need migration.
- No per-user credential handling, tool-level policy or shadow discovery documented.
Scores on each criterion
| Criterion | Score | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Partial | Bearer tokens and RBAC on data and control planes. |
| Credential handling | Not documented | Not documented. |
| Policy depth | Partial | Role-based access to adapters and tools. |
| Audit | Not documented | Not documented beyond telemetry. |
| Observability | Partial | Telemetry integration points. |
| Deployment model | Strong | Kubernetes, local or Azure one-click deploy. |
| Shadow usage discovery | Not documented | Not documented. |
| Total | 5/14 | Ranked #8 of 8 |
Strong Built in and documented (2 points)Partial Present with gaps, or limited scope (1 point)Not documented Not found in the public docs we reviewed (0 points)
What it costs
Free to self-host (MIT). You pay for the Kubernetes or Azure resources it runs on.
Sources
Every score above comes from these public pages. Check them for changes since 11 November 2026.