damens_mcps: Instructions file for GitHub Copilot

Path-Specific Instructions: iDRAC MCP Server

Path: idrac-mcp/

Project Overview

The iDRAC MCP server provides Dell PowerEdge server management capabilities through the Model Context Protocol. It allows AI assistants to manage Dell servers via iDRAC (Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller).

Key Characteristics

• Architecture: Pure JSON-RPC (no MCP library)
• Transport: stdin/stdout JSON-RPC protocol
• Canonical Server: working_mcp_server.py ONLY
• Configuration: JSON configuration file (config.json)
• Fleet Support: Manages multiple servers simultaneously

Critical Requirements

Server Implementation

• ONLY use working_mcp_server.py as the canonical implementation
• DO NOT use or modify other server files (they exist for historical reasons)
• Server reads JSON-RPC from stdin, writes to stdout
• Use stderr for debugging: print(message, file=sys.stderr)
• Multiple server fleet support built-in

Power Operations

Power operations are extremely dangerous and can cause:

• Production downtime
• Data loss if systems aren't shut down gracefully
• Service interruption
• Hardware issues if done improperly

ALWAYS:

• Validate server IDs carefully
• Log all power operations with details
• Consider graceful shutdown before power off
• Implement confirmation for forced operations
• Check server status before operations

Dangerous Operations

These operations can cause significant problems:

• Power off/on/reset - Immediate downtime
• Force power off - Can cause data corruption
• BIOS configuration changes - Can brick servers
• Firmware updates - Can fail and brick hardware

Configuration

Configuration File Format

{
  "servers": [
    {
      "id": "server-01",
      "host": "192.168.1.10",
      "username": "root",
      "password": "calvin",
      "verify_ssl": false
    },
    {
      "id": "server-02",
      "host": "192.168.1.11",
      "username": "root",
      "password": "calvin",
      "verify_ssl": false
    }
  ],
  "defaults": {
    "timeout": 30,
    "retry_count": 3,
    "retry_delay": 5
  }
}