MCP
Also known as: Model Context Protocol
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard through which AI applications are connected to a company's own systems and data.
Before MCP existed, connecting an AI model to a specific internal system — an inventory tool or a ticketing system, say — required custom, one-off programming for every combination. MCP instead defines a common way for an AI application to discover which tools and data a system offers, and how to call them, regardless of which model or software sits on one side and which system sits on the other.
In practice, a business exposes its system, such as inventory management or a CRM, through what's called an MCP server, which describes what queries and actions are available. An AI application connects to that server as a client and can then query data in a targeted way, or, where permitted, trigger actions, without a bespoke interface having to be built for every model-and-system combination.
A common misunderstanding is assuming MCP itself provides security. The standard defines what a request and response look like, not who is allowed to access what — that permission setup still has to be configured explicitly. Not every internal system offers built-in MCP support yet either, which often requires an additional component.
What it means in practice
For a business, MCP becomes relevant once an AI agent needs to do more than chat — accessing systems like inventory, calendars or customer records directly instead of information being copied manually. NDVDL builds such connections for SMEs and deliberately scopes the access rights involved.
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