Skip to main content
Deploy the IBM i MCP Server in containerized environments for production use, team access, or integration with AI gateway platforms.

Deployment Options


Container Images

Official container images are published to GitHub Container Registry on each release:
ghcr.io/ibm/ibmi-mcp-server
ArchitectureTag PatternUse Case
amd64amd64-v0.3.1Standard x86-64 servers and cloud VMs
arm64arm64-v0.3.1Apple Silicon Macs, ARM-based cloud instances
ppc64leppc64le-v0.3.1IBM Power Systems, running alongside IBM i
Images are built automatically by GitHub Actions when a new version tag is pushed. Each architecture gets its own tagged image.

Prerequisites

All deployment methods require:
  1. Mapepire running on IBM i — The WebSocket-based SQL gateway that the MCP server connects to. See the Setup Mapepire guide if not already configured.
  2. IBM i credentials — Hostname, user profile, and password with database authorities.
  3. Network connectivity — The container must be able to reach your IBM i system on the Mapepire port (default: 8076).

Quick Comparison

Docker / PodmanOpenShift
Best forLocal development, small teams, standalone deploymentsEnterprise production, multi-tenant, CI/CD pipelines
Setup time5 minutes30 minutes
ScalingManual (docker-compose replicas)Automatic (pod autoscaling)
TLSManual (reverse proxy)Built-in (OpenShift Routes)
Image buildsPre-built from GHCRSource-to-Image (S2I) from Git
MonitoringContainer logsOpenShift console, OpenTelemetry

Not ready for containers?

Run the server directly with npx or from source — no container runtime required. See the Quick Start Guide.