Tunnel Manager

Tunnel Manager

CLI or API | MCP | Agent

Version: 2.1.0

> Documentation — Installation, deployment, usage across the API, CLI, and MCP > and agent interfaces are maintained in the > official documentation.

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Overview

Tunnel Manager is a production-grade Agent and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to interface directly with Create SSH Tunnels to your remote hosts and host as an MCP Server for Agentic AI!.

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Key Features

• Consolidated Action-Routed MCP Tools: Minimizes token overhead and eliminates tool bloat in LLM contexts by grouping methods into optimized, togglable tool modules.
• Enterprise-Grade Security: Comprehensive support for Eunomia policies, OIDC token delegation, and granular execution context tracking.
• Integrated Graph Agent: Built-in Pydantic AI agent supporting the Agent Control Protocol (ACP) and standard Web interfaces (AG-UI).
• Native Telemetry & Tracing: Out-of-the-box OpenTelemetry exports and native Langfuse tracing.

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CLI or API

This agent wraps the Create SSH Tunnels to your remote hosts and host as an MCP Server for Agentic AI! API. You can interact with it programmatically or via its integrated execution entrypoints.

Detailed instructions on how to use the underlying API wrappers, extended schema bindings, and developer SDK references are maintained in [docs/index.md](docs/index.md).

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MCP

This server utilizes dynamic Action-Routed tools to optimize token overhead and maximize IDE compatibility.

Available MCP Tools

Auto-generated from the live MCP server — do not edit by hand.

Condensed action-routed tools (default — MCP_TOOL_MODE=condensed)

| MCP Tool | Toggle Env Var | Description | |----------|----------------|-------------| | tm_files | FILETOOL | Advanced file operations on remote hosts. | | tm_hosts | HOSTTOOL | Manage the local host alias inventory. | | tm_inventory | INVENTORYTOOL | Bulk inventory operations against YAML host groups. | | tm_operations | OPERATIONSTOOL | Operation lifecycle and session management. | | tm_remote | REMOTETOOL | Single-host SSH operations with shared connection params. | | tm_security | SECURITYTOOL | Security scanning and compliance. | | tm_system | SYSTEMTOOL | Remote system intelligence via SSH. | | tunnel_ingest_hosts | INGESTTOOL | List the managed SSH inventory and push it into the epistemic-graph KG. |

Verbose 1:1 API-mapped tools (MCP_TOOL_MODE=verbose or both)

6 per-operation tools — one per public API method (click to expand)

| MCP Tool | Toggle Env Var | Description | |----------|----------------|-------------| | tunnel_manager_add_host | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the addhost operation. | | tunnel_manager_get_host | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the gethost operation. | | tunnel_manager_list_hosts | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the listhosts operation. | | tunnel_manager_load_inventory | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the loadinventory operation. | | tunnel_manager_remove_host | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the removehost operation. | | tunnel_manager_save_inventory | HOST_MANAGERTOOL | Invoke the saveinventory operation. |

8 action-routed tool(s) (default) · 6 verbose 1:1 tool(s). Each is enabled unless its TOOL toggle is set false; MCP_TOOL_MODE selects the surface (condensed default · verbose 1:1 · both). Auto-generated — do not edit.

Detailed tool schemas, parameter shapes, and validation constraints are preserved in [docs/mcp.md](docs/mcp.md).

Dynamic Tool Selection & Visibility

This MCP server supports dynamic toolset selection and visibility filtering at runtime. This allows you to restrict the set of exposed tools in order to prevent blowing up the LLM's context window.

You can configure tool filtering via multiple input channels:

• CLI Arguments: Pass --tools or --toolsets (or their disabled counterparts --disabled-tools and --disabled-toolsets) during startup.
• Environment Variables: Define standard environment variables:
• MCP_ENABLED_TOOLS / MCP_DISABLED_TOOLS
• MCP_ENABLED_TAGS / MCP_DISABLED_TAGS
• HTTP SSE Request Headers: Pass custom headers during transport initialization:
• x-mcp-enabled-tools / x-mcp-disabled-tools
• x-mcp-enabled-tags / x-mcp-disabled-tags
• HTTP SSE Request Query Parameters: Append query parameters directly to your transport connection URL:
• ?tools=tool1,tool2
• ?tags=tag1

When query strings or parameters are supplied, an LLM-free Knowledge Graph resolution layer (using DynamicToolOrchestrator) matches query intents against known tool tags, names, or descriptions, with safe fallback and automated 24-hour background cache refreshing.

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MCP Configuration Examples

> Install the slim [mcp] extra. All examples install tunnel-manager[mcp] — the > MCP-server extra that pulls only the FastMCP / FastAPI tooling (agent-utilities[mcp]). > It deliberately excludes the heavy agent runtime (pydantic-ai, the epistemic-graph > engine, dspy, llama-index), so uvx / container installs are far smaller. Use the > full [agent] extra only when you need the integrated Pydantic AI agent.

stdio Transport (local IDEs — Cursor, Claude Desktop, VS Code)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tunnel-manager-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "--from",
        "tunnel-manager[mcp]",
        "tunnel-manager-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_TOOL_MODE": "condensed",
        "FILETOOL": "True",
        "HOSTTOOL": "True",
        "INGESTTOOL": "True",
        "INVENTORYTOOL": "True",
        "OPERATIONSTOOL": "True",
        "REMOTETOOL": "True",
        "SECURITYTOOL": "True",
        "SYSTEMTOOL": "True",
        "TUNNEL_CERTIFICATE": "",
        "TUNNEL_IDENTITY_FILE": "~/.ssh/id_ed25519",
        "TUNNEL_INVENTORY": "",
        "TUNNEL_INVENTORY_GROUP": "all",
        "TUNNEL_KG_INGEST": "true",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_AGGREGATE_S": "3600",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_INGEST": "true",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_NOTIFY_URL": "",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HOSTS": "r510,r710,r820,rw710",
        "TUNNEL_MAX_THREADS": "6",
        "TUNNEL_PARALLEL": "False",
        "TUNNEL_PASSWORD": "",
        "TUNNEL_PROXY_COMMAND": "",
        "TUNNEL_REMOTE_HOST": "",
        "TUNNEL_REMOTE_PORT": "22",
        "TUNNEL_USERNAME": "",
        "XDG_CONFIG_HOME": ""
      }
    }
  }
}

Streamable-HTTP Transport (networked / production)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tunnel-manager-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "--from",
        "tunnel-manager[mcp]",
        "tunnel-manager-mcp",
        "--transport",
        "streamable-http",
        "--port",
        "8000"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TRANSPORT": "streamable-http",
        "HOST": "0.0.0.0",
        "PORT": "8000",
        "MCP_TOOL_MODE": "condensed",
        "FILETOOL": "True",
        "HOSTTOOL": "True",
        "INGESTTOOL": "True",
        "INVENTORYTOOL": "True",
        "OPERATIONSTOOL": "True",
        "REMOTETOOL": "True",
        "SECURITYTOOL": "True",
        "SYSTEMTOOL": "True",
        "TUNNEL_CERTIFICATE": "",
        "TUNNEL_IDENTITY_FILE": "~/.ssh/id_ed25519",
        "TUNNEL_INVENTORY": "",
        "TUNNEL_INVENTORY_GROUP": "all",
        "TUNNEL_KG_INGEST": "true",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_AGGREGATE_S": "3600",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_INGEST": "true",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_NOTIFY_URL": "",
        "TUNNEL_MANAGER_HOSTS": "r510,r710,r820,rw710",
        "TUNNEL_MAX_THREADS": "6",
        "TUNNEL_PARALLEL": "False",
        "TUNNEL_PASSWORD": "",
        "TUNNEL_PROXY_COMMAND": "",
        "TUNNEL_REMOTE_HOST": "",
        "TUNNEL_REMOTE_PORT": "22",
        "TUNNEL_USERNAME": "",
        "XDG_CONFIG_HOME": ""
      }
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, connect to a pre-deployed Streamable-HTTP instance by url:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tunnel-manager-mcp": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8000/tunnel-manager-mcp/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Deploying the Streamable-HTTP server via Docker:

docker run -d \
  --name tunnel-manager-mcp-mcp \
  -p 8000:8000 \
  -e TRANSPORT=streamable-http \
  -e HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e PORT=8000 \
  -e MCP_TOOL_MODE=condensed \
  -e FILETOOL=True \
  -e HOSTTOOL=True \
  -e INGESTTOOL=True \
  -e INVENTORYTOOL=True \
  -e OPERATIONSTOOL=True \
  -e REMOTETOOL=True \
  -e SECURITYTOOL=True \
  -e SYSTEMTOOL=True \
  -e TUNNEL_CERTIFICATE="" \
  -e TUNNEL_IDENTITY_FILE=~/.ssh/id_ed25519 \
  -e TUNNEL_INVENTORY="" \
  -e TUNNEL_INVENTORY_GROUP=all \
  -e TUNNEL_KG_INGEST=true \
  -e TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_AGGREGATE_S=3600 \
  -e TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_INGEST=true \
  -e TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_NOTIFY_URL="" \
  -e TUNNEL_MANAGER_HOSTS=r510,r710,r820,rw710 \
  -e TUNNEL_MAX_THREADS=6 \
  -e TUNNEL_PARALLEL=False \
  -e TUNNEL_PASSWORD="" \
  -e TUNNEL_PROXY_COMMAND="" \
  -e TUNNEL_REMOTE_HOST="" \
  -e TUNNEL_REMOTE_PORT=22 \
  -e TUNNEL_USERNAME="" \
  -e XDG_CONFIG_HOME="" \
  knucklessg1/tunnel-manager:mcp

Auto-generated from the code-read env surface (MCP_TOOL_MODE + package vars) — do not edit.

Additional Deployment Options

tunnel-manager can also run as a local container (Docker / Podman / uv) or be consumed from a remote deployment. The Deployment guide has full, copy-paste mcp_config.json for all four transports — stdio, streamable-http, local container / uv, and remote URL:

• Local container / uv — launch the server from mcp_config.json via uvx,

docker run, or podman run, or point at a local streamable-http container by url.

• Remote URL — connect to a server deployed behind Caddy at

http://tunnel-manager-mcp.arpa/mcp using the "url" key.

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Inventory

tunnel-manager works from a single shared YAML inventory that maps short host aliases (e.g. r820) to their SSH connection details. Every ecosystem surface reads the same file — the HostManager API, the tunnel-manager CLI, the MCP server, container-manager-mcp (its cm_* host aliases), and the ssh-bootstrap skill — so you define your fleet once.

• Location — ~/.config/agent-utilities/inventory.yml (.yml preferred). A legacy

inventory.yaml at the same path is still read when no .yml exists, so existing installs keep working. Override with TUNNEL_INVENTORY.

• Manage it with the inventory subcommand:

``bash tunnel-manager inventory init # write a commented inventory.yml template (--force to overwrite) tunnel-manager inventory doctor # validate hosts/groups; --fix migrates legacy .yaml -> .yml tunnel-manager inventory show # print the resolved path + host/group summary ``

Full schema, every host field, the copy-paste template, and override options live in the [Inventory guide](docs/inventory.md).

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Environment Variables

Package environment variables

| Variable | Example | Description | |----------|---------|-------------| | HOST | 0.0.0.0 | | | PORT | 8000 | | | TRANSPORT | stdio | options: stdio, streamable-http, sse | | ENABLE_OTEL | True | | | OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT | http://localhost:8080/api/public/otel | | | OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_PUBLIC_KEY | pk-... | | | OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_SECRET_KEY | sk-... | | | OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_PROTOCOL | http/protobuf | | | EUNOMIA_TYPE | none | options: none, embedded, remote | | EUNOMIA_POLICY_FILE | mcp_policies.json | | | EUNOMIA_REMOTE_URL | http://eunomia-server:8000 | | | TUNNEL_IDENTITY_FILE | ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 | | | DEBUG | False | | | PYTHONUNBUFFERED | 1 | | | TUNNEL_REMOTE_HOST | — | default remote host (e.g. 192.168.1.10) | | TUNNEL_REMOTE_PORT | 22 | default SSH port | | TUNNEL_USERNAME | — | default SSH username | | TUNNEL_PASSWORD | — | default SSH password (prefer key-based auth) | | TUNNEL_CERTIFICATE | — | path to an SSH certificate file | | TUNNEL_PROXY_COMMAND | — | SSH ProxyCommand for jump-host/bastion connections | | TUNNEL_INVENTORY | — | path to the inventory file (defaults to XDG config path) | | TUNNEL_INVENTORY_GROUP | all | inventory host group to target | | TUNNEL_PARALLEL | False | run host operations in parallel | | TUNNEL_MAX_THREADS | 6 | max worker threads when TUNNELPARALLEL=True | | XDG_CONFIG_HOME | — | base config dir (defaults to ~/.config) for inventory resolution | | HOSTTOOL | True | Grouped condensed-surface toggles, one per register_tools registrar. | | REMOTETOOL | True | | | INVENTORYTOOL | True | | | OPERATIONSTOOL | True | | | SYSTEMTOOL | True | | | FILETOOL | True | | | SECURITYTOOL | True | | | INGESTTOOL | True | KG-ingest tools (list the SSH inventory into epistemic-graph) | | TUNNEL_KG_INGEST | true | default-on best-effort inventory ingest on list | | TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_INGEST | true | default-on best-effort network-signal trend ingestion | | TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_AGGREGATE_S | 3600 | window (s) over which samples distill to ONE :HealthTrend node/host/signal | | TUNNEL_MANAGER_HOSTS | r510,r710,r820,rw710 | comma-separated inventory aliases to probe/derive over (default: full inventory) | | TUNNEL_MANAGER_HEALTH_NOTIFY_URL | — | best-effort webhook for network-anomaly notifications |

Inherited agent-utilities variables (apply to every connector)

| Variable | Example | Description | |----------|---------|-------------| | MCP_TOOL_MODE | condensed | Tool surface: condensed | verbose | both | | MCP_ENABLED_TOOLS | — | Comma-separated tool allow-list | | MCP_DISABLED_TOOLS | — | Comma-separated tool deny-list | | MCP_ENABLED_TAGS | — | Comma-separated tag allow-list | | MCP_DISABLED_TAGS | — | Comma-separated tag deny-list | | MCP_CLIENT_AUTH | — | Outbound MCP child auth: oidc-client-credentials | basic | none | | OIDC_CLIENT_ID | — | OIDC client id (service-account auth) | | OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET | — | OIDC client secret (service-account auth) | | MCP_BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME | — | HTTP Basic username (MCP_CLIENT_AUTH=basic) | | MCP_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD | — | HTTP Basic password (MCP_CLIENT_AUTH=basic) | | MCP_URL | http://localhost:8000/mcp | URL of the MCP server the agent connects to | | PROVIDER | openai | LLM provider for the agent | | MODEL_ID | gpt-4o | Model id for the agent | | ENABLE_WEB_UI | True | Serve the AG-UI web interface |

38 package + 14 inherited variable(s). Auto-generated from .env.example + the shared agent-utilities set — do not edit.

Every variable the server reads, grouped by purpose. See [.env.example](.env.example) for a copy-paste starting point.

SSH connection & credentials

| Variable | Description | Default | |----------|-------------|---------| | TUNNEL_IDENTITY_FILE | Path to the SSH private key | ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 | | TUNNEL_USERNAME | SSH username | — | | TUNNEL_PASSWORD | SSH password (when not using a key) | — | | TUNNEL_CERTIFICATE | Path to an SSH certificate | — | | TUNNEL_REMOTE_HOST | Default remote host | — | | TUNNEL_REMOTE_PORT | Default remote SSH port | 22 | | TUNNEL_PROXY_COMMAND | SSH ProxyCommand for jump hosts | — |

Inventory & parallelism

| Variable | Description | Default | |----------|-------------|---------| | TUNNEL_INVENTORY | Path to the shared inventory (.yml preferred, .yaml legacy fallback) | ~/.config/agent-utilities/inventory.yml | | TUNNEL_INVENTORY_GROUP | Default inventory host group | — | | TUNNEL_PARALLEL | Run bulk operations in parallel | — | | TUNNEL_MAX_THREADS | Max concurrent SSH worker threads | — | | XDG_CONFIG_HOME | Base config dir used to resolve the inventory | ~/.config |

MCP server / transport

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Source & license

This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: Knuckles-Team
• Source: Knuckles-Team/tunnel-manager
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.