Server monitoring and observability are crucial for maintaining healthy systems. MCP servers can give Claude access to metrics, logs, and alerts so it can help diagnose issues and suggest fixes. Here are the best options for monitoring integration.
Recommended MCP Servers
Netdata MCP
netdata/netdata-mcp
Real-time monitoring with discovery, exploration, reporting, and root cause analysis across all observability data.
Key Features
- Real-time metrics visualization
- Logs, containers, processes
- Network connection monitoring
- Automatic root cause analysis
Installation
See Netdata MCP documentationNetdata provides incredibly detailed real-time monitoring. With the MCP integration, Claude can access metrics, logs, and system data to diagnose issues. The automatic root cause analysis is particularly powerful.
Grafana MCP
grafana/grafana-mcp
Search dashboards, investigate incidents, and query datasources in your Grafana instance.
Key Features
- Dashboard search
- Incident investigation
- Datasource queries
- Alert management
Installation
pip install grafana-mcpIf your team already uses Grafana, this MCP lets Claude tap into your existing dashboards and datasources. Search dashboards, investigate incidents, and query metrics without leaving your workflow.
Shell MCP + Monitoring CLI
anthropics/mcp-server-shell
Use shell access to run monitoring commands, check logs, and query metrics.
Key Features
- Run any monitoring command
- Check system resources
- Query log files
- Execute health checks
Installation
npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-shellThe Shell MCP gives Claude access to any monitoring tool you have installed—htop, systemctl, journalctl, docker stats, kubectl top. Perfect for custom monitoring setups or quick system checks.
Quick Comparison
| MCP | Stars | Best For | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netdata MCP | >5k | Full observability | Comprehensive data | Netdata required |
| Grafana MCP | >500 | Existing Grafana | Dashboard access | Grafana required |
| Shell MCP | >2k | Custom monitoring | Universal access | Manual queries |
Getting Started
To monitor servers with Claude Code:
For comprehensive monitoring, set up Netdata with its MCP integration.
For existing Grafana setups, install the Grafana MCP.
For quick checks, use Claude Code's built-in bash:
"Check the system resources and show me any processes using high CPU."
Example prompt: "Check the server metrics for the last hour and identify any anomalies or issues."