The simple version
Today, every AI company could invent a different way to connect to your software. MCP gives them a shared approach. You add one carefully designed connection; compatible assistants can understand the jobs it offers.
For example, an order-tracking SaaS might let an assistant:
- find an order by customer name or number;
- explain its current status using live product data;
- prepare a delivery change for review; and
- apply that change only after the user approves it.
What happens when a customer asks
- 1
The assistant understands the request
It sees that your connected product has a suitable capability.
- 2
Your connection checks access
It uses the signed-in customer’s identity and your product’s permission rules.
- 3
Your product does the work
The API returns the result, and the assistant explains it or asks for approval.
Four terms worth knowing
| Term | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| MCP | The shared standard used for the conversation between an AI assistant and connected software. |
| MCP server | The small service Strata builds to present selected product capabilities through MCP. |
| Tool | One job the assistant may request, such as finding an invoice or preparing a booking change. |
| App or connector | The customer-facing name an AI product may use for the MCP connection. |
Each request stands on its own
MCP requests are self-contained. The assistant sends the information and references needed for that specific job, and your service checks identity and permissions each time. If work continues later—such as a prepared refund, a background report, or a subscription to updates—it uses an explicit reference that can be checked, expired, and audited.
In business terms, this makes the connection easier to operate reliably and avoids treating one long-running chat as a hidden source of authority.
The useful takeaway
Your product remains the source of truth.
Your data, rules, customer accounts, and API stay where they are. MCP gives AI assistants a controlled front door.
Ask Strata to build that front door →