Buoyant has announced that Linkerd will become the first open-source service mesh to support the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enhancing its framework for cloud-native and Kubernetes environments. This development allows Linkerd to extend its capabilities to agentic AI workloads, facilitating secure, stateful communication compared to traditional APIs. MCP, developed by Anthropic, provides a standardized method for AI models to connect seamlessly with external data while ensuring robust security measures. With the integration of MCP, Linkerd offers improved observability, traffic management, and identity-based access controls within a zero-trust environment. This support aims to help enterprises manage the complexities and security risks associated with AI-driven communication without compromising their operational integrity. Buoyant’s CEO, William Morgan, emphasized the importance of security and reliability as enterprises innovate with AI technologies. Full MCP support will be rolled out by 2026, benefiting both the open-source community and Buoyant’s enterprise users.
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