Overview

This guide explains how to set up a connection from a client into Pulse using an MCP connection. Based on the available product context, Pulse MCP connectivity uses an API key authentication pattern, and Pulse itself must already be reachable and correctly configured.

Note: MCP connectivity is available from Pulse v8 onwards.

If you meant a specific client such as Arc Assistant, Claude Desktop, Cursor, or a custom MCP client, the exact configuration format will differ slightly. The core prerequisites and validation steps below still apply.

What You Need Before You Start

A running and accessible Pulse environment
The Pulse MCP server URL or endpoint provided by your team
A valid API key for Pulse MCP authentication
Network connectivity from the client host to the Pulse endpoint
A user or service account with the right level of access in Pulse, where applicable

Known implementation context: Pulse MCP authentication uses an API key sent as a Bearer token in the request authorization header.

Recommended Setup Flow

Confirm Pulse is running and reachable
Obtain the MCP endpoint URL
Obtain the API key securely
Add the Pulse MCP server to your client configuration
Restart or refresh the client
Validate tool discovery and connection health

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Confirm Pulse is Available

Before configuring MCP, make sure the Pulse environment itself is operational. If this is a new Pulse environment, complete the normal Pulse setup first, including server connection and activation steps.

Verify you can open the Pulse URL in a browser
Confirm the target Pulse environment is the correct one for your work
Check that Pulse monitoring and documentation are functioning if the environment was recently deployed

If Pulse is newly installed, it is a good practice to verify that instance activation and documentation runs have completed successfully before layering MCP access on top.

2. Gather Connection Details

You will typically need the following values:

Server name: a friendly label such as Pulse Prod or Pulse UAT
MCP URL: the full Pulse MCP endpoint, typically http(s)://<your-pulse-server>/mcp
Auth method: add an Authorization header using the API key as a Bearer token
Credential: the API key value or a secure reference to it

Store the API key in your approved secret store where possible rather than hardcoding it in plain text.

3. Generate an API Key in Pulse

Pulse API keys are generated from the user profile area in Pulse. The screenshots below show the API key generation flow.

Open Pulse and sign in with the user account that will own the API key.
Open the user menu or profile area.
Go to the API key section and choose the option to generate a new API key.
Copy the generated key immediately and store it in your approved secret store. Treat it like a password.
Use the key in MCP client configuration by sending it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.

Do not paste the generated API key into documentation or screenshots. If a key is exposed, revoke or rotate it.

Note: By default, generated API keys cannot be deleted. If your organisation wants users or administrators to be able to delete API keys, this can be enabled in the Pulse configuration by setting AllowApiKeyDeletion.

4. Add Pulse to the MCP Client Configuration

The exact config depends on the client. In all cases, the API key is sent to the Pulse MCP endpoint as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.

mcpServers:
  pulse:
    displayName: "Pulse"
    url: "https://<your-pulse-server>/mcp"
    headers:
      Authorization: "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

If your client supports credential references, prefer a secret reference instead of embedding the key directly.

Example using an environment variable reference pattern:

mcpServers:
  pulse:
    displayName: "Pulse"
    url: "https://<your-pulse-server>/mcp"
    headers:
      Authorization: "Bearer ${PULSE_MCP_API_KEY}"

Do not commit API keys into source control, shared config repositories, screenshots, or documentation pages.

5. Save and Reload the Client

After updating configuration:

Save the config file

Restart the MCP client or application host

Refresh the tool registry if your client supports manual refresh

Confirm the Pulse server appears as connected

6. Validate the Connection

A successful setup usually shows one or more of the following:

The Pulse MCP server appears with a healthy status Connected
Pulse tools are listed by the client
No authentication or transport errors appear in logs
The client can successfully invoke a simple Pulse MCP tool call

Validation Checklist

Check	Expected Result	What to Do if It Fails

Check	Expected Result	What to Do if It Fails
Pulse URL reachable	Browser or client can reach the service	Check DNS, firewall, proxy, or endpoint URL
API key accepted	Authentication succeeds	Regenerate key or verify it was copied correctly
MCP server discovered	Server appears in client configuration	Review config syntax and restart client
Tools visible	Pulse tools are listed	Check server health, permissions, and discovery logs
Tool invocation works	Client receives a valid response	Review client logs and Pulse-side logs for request failures

Common Issues and Fixes

Authentication Failure

Check that the auth type is set to api_key
Confirm there are no extra spaces or hidden characters in the key
Make sure the key is still valid and has not been rotated
Verify the client is sending the key in the format expected by the Pulse MCP service

Connection Refused or Timeout

Confirm the endpoint URL is correct
Check firewalls, outbound rules, VPN, proxy, and TLS inspection layers
Verify the Pulse MCP service is actually running on the target host

No Tools Discovered

Restart the client to force discovery
Check whether tool discovery happens at startup only
Verify the connected API key or user scope allows access to tools
Review logs for discovery or schema errors

Pulse Environment Is Reachable but MCP Still Fails

This usually means the base Pulse web application is up, but the MCP endpoint, API key, or client configuration is incorrect. Treat web access and MCP access as separate validation checks.

Security Best Practices

Use a dedicated service credential or scoped API key where possible
Store credentials in a secret manager or environment variable
Rotate API keys periodically
Avoid sharing keys between environments such as dev, test, and prod
Restrict network access to trusted clients only
Review logs for repeated authentication failures or unexpected access patterns

Operational Recommendations

Use clear names such as pulse-dev, pulse-uat, and pulse-prod
Keep one configuration entry per environment
Document ownership of each endpoint and secret
Define a fallback behavior in the client if Pulse is unavailable
Log connection health without blocking application startup where possible

Example Configuration Patterns

Minimal

mcpServers:
  pulse:
    url: "https://<your-pulse-server>/mcp"
    headers:
      Authorization: "Bearer ${PULSE_MCP_API_KEY}"

Recommended Named Configuration

mcpServers:
  pulse_prod:
    displayName: "Pulse Production"
    url: "https://<your-pulse-server>/mcp"
    enabled: true
    headers:
      Authorization: "Bearer ${PULSE_MCP_API_KEY}"

When to Escalate

Escalate to the Pulse or platform owner if:

You do not have the MCP endpoint URL
You do not have an API key
The endpoint is reachable but returns repeated authentication or discovery failures
You suspect a server-side defect rather than a client configuration issue

If you want a client-specific version of this page, provide the client name and I can convert this into exact setup instructions for Arc, Claude Desktop, Cursor, or a custom app.

Setting Up an MCP Connection into Pulse