Pox MCP Server

🚀 POX MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implemented based on the POX SDN controller, providing network control capabilities through network control and management functions. This server allows for network programming in Python, OpenFlow device management, and automated network analysis, thanks to POX's modular architecture. It is ideal for educational environments, network prototyping, and SDN research.

🚀 Quick Start

This POX MCP Server offers network control capabilities through POX SDN controller. It enables Python network programming, OpenFlow device management, and automated network analysis, suitable for education, prototyping, and SDN research.

✨ Features

• Network Programming: Allows using Python for network programming.
• OpenFlow Device Management: Enables management of OpenFlow devices.
• Automated Network Analysis: Supports automated network analysis.
• Modular Architecture: Benefits from POX's modular architecture.

📦 Installation

No installation steps are provided in the original README, so this section is skipped.

💻 Usage Examples

Usage with Claude Desktop (uv)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pox": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "parent_of_servers_repo/servers/src/mcp_server_pox",
        "run",
        "server.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "POX_SERVER_URL": "http://localhost:8000"
      }
    }
  }
}

📚 Documentation

Components

Resources

The server exposes two dynamic resources:

• pox://network-config: A comprehensive POX controller configuration store
  • Tracks active POX components and their configurations.
  • Records network topology and flow rules.
  • Maintains discovered network insights.
• pox://topology: A real - time network topology view
  • Displays active OpenFlow datapaths (switches).
  • Maps host locations and connections.
  • Shows link status and port mappings.

Prompts

The server provides three dedicated prompts:

• pox - network - manager: An interactive prompt for POX controller management
  • Required parameter: topic - The focus of network control aspects.
  • Helps configure POX components and modules.
  • Guides network policy implementation.
  • Integrates into the network configuration store.
• simple - hub: A basic L2 hub implemented with POX
  • Required parameter: dpid - Datapath identifier.
  • Demonstrates POX's event - driven programming.
  • Shows basic packet processing and flooding.
  • Explains POX's core mechanisms.
• learning - switch: A learning L2 switch implemented with POX
  • Required parameter: dpid - Datapath identifier.
  • Demonstrates POX's table management.
  • Implements MAC learning and forwarding.
  • Shows POX's packet processing capabilities.

Tools

The server provides five core tools:

Datapath Management Tools

• get_switches
  • Lists all connected OpenFlow datapaths.
  • No input required.
  • Returns: An array of active POX - controlled switches, including connection status and capabilities.
• get_switch_desc
  • Gets detailed datapath information.
  • Input:
    • dpid (string): Datapath identifier.
  • Returns: Detailed information and capabilities of the POX - managed switch.

Flow Management Tools

• get_flow_stats
  • Retrieves POX flow statistics.
  • Input:
    • dpid (string): Datapath identifier.
    • match (object, optional): POX match structure.
    • table_id (string, optional): OpenFlow table ID.
    • out_port (string, optional): Output port filter.
  • Returns: POX flow statistics including packet counts.
• set_table
  • Configures the POX flow table.
  • Input:
    • dpid (string): Datapath identifier.
    • flows (array): POX flow specifications.
  • Returns: Confirmation of flow table update.

Analysis Tools

• append_insight
  • Adds network insights to the POX configuration store.
  • Input:
    • insight (string): Network observation or analysis.
  • Returns: Confirmation of insight addition.
  • Updates the pox://network - config resource.

🔧 Technical Details

The server is based on the POX SDN controller, leveraging its modular architecture to provide network control capabilities. It allows for network programming in Python, OpenFlow device management, and automated network analysis, which is suitable for educational environments, network prototyping, and SDN research.

📄 License

This MCP server is distributed under the MIT License. This means you can freely use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to the terms and conditions of the MIT License. For more details, see the LICENSE file in the project repository.

🤝 Contribution

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests, report bugs, or suggest new features.