Grafana Cloud

DataPublisher: Grafana Labs

Route Grafana Cloud MCP traffic through Formal to control and log what AI agents do in Grafana Cloud:

Block tools you don’t want agents to call, such as query_tempo_traces.
Mask sensitive data in tool results, such as secrets and API keys in query_loki_logs responses.
Keep credentials at the Connector, so users and agents never see Grafana Cloud tokens.
Log every tool call with the user, the MCP client and its parameters.

0. Prepare your Connector

The Connector needs an MCP listener and a hostname with wildcard DNS and TLS. Set them up once by following Deploy the Connector. Every MCP server reuses them.

1. Add Grafana Cloud MCP server to your Resources

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Open the Admin Catalog and click Add MCP.
Select the Grafana Cloud template.
Enter a DNS-label Name, such as grafana-cloud.
Choose the Space containing your Connector, such as default.
Configure upstream authentication as described below, then save.

If no Connector is in the selected Space, the Configuration tab shows MCP clients can’t connect directly yet. The reason reads: No Connector is in this server's Space.

Set space_id to the ID of the Space containing your Connector.

resource "formal_resource" "grafana_cloud" {
  name                    = "grafana-cloud"
  technology              = "mcp"
  hostname                = "mcp.grafana.com"
  space_id                = "<SPACE_ID>"
  native_users_v3_enabled = true
  port                    = 443
  tags = {
    "mcp-endpoint" = "/mcp"
  }
}

resource "formal_resource_oauth_settings" "grafana_cloud" {
  resource_id = formal_resource.grafana_cloud.id
}

Set spaceId to the ID of the Space containing your Connector.

import * as formal from "@formalco/pulumi";

const resource = new formal.Resource("mcp", {
  name: "grafana-cloud",
  technology: "mcp",
  hostname: "mcp.grafana.com",
  port: 443,
  spaceId: "<SPACE_ID>",
  tags: { "mcp-endpoint": "/mcp" },
  nativeUsersV3Enabled: true,
});

new formal.ResourceOauthSettings("mcpOAuth", {
  resourceId: resource.id,
});

Create a Resource with the MCP endpoint and its Space ID.

export FORMAL_API_KEY="<YOUR_API_KEY>"
RESOURCE_RESPONSE=$(curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResource \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "name": "grafana-cloud",
    "hostname": "mcp.grafana.com",
    "port": 443,
    "technology": "mcp",
    "spaceId": "<SPACE_ID>",
    "tags": [
      {
        "key": "mcp-endpoint",
        "value": "/mcp"
      }
    ]
  }
JSON
)
RESOURCE_ID=$(printf '%s' "${RESOURCE_RESPONSE}" | jq -r '.resource.id')
curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResourceOAuthSettings \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "resourceId": "${RESOURCE_ID}"
  }
JSON

2. Setup Authentication

Linked Accounts (Recommended)
Shared Credentials
Pass Through

Each user links their own Grafana Cloud account once in the Employee Catalog, and the Connector sends that user’s token to Grafana Cloud.

Linked Accounts selected under How does Formal authenticate to this resource?

Under OAuth app, choose one of the two options.

1. Formal’s App (default)

Grafana Cloud supports Client ID Metadata Documents, so you register nothing. Users see Formal on Grafana Cloud’s consent screen.

2. Your OAuth App

Users see your app’s name on Grafana Cloud’s consent screen.

Set up your own Grafana Cloud OAuth app

See Grafana Cloud OAuth documentation.

Open client registration

In Grafana, open Assistant > Settings > Connectors > MCP clients. Under OAuth clients, click Register client.

Set the callback

Enter a Client name and paste Formal’s Redirect URI into Redirect URLs.

Choose allowed scopes

Under Allowed access, choose Read only, Read and query, or Full access. Prefer Read only.

Retrieve the credentials

Click Register client. Copy Client ID, Client secret, and Scopes under OAuth setup. You can skip the client secret. Formal then authenticates with PKCE alone.

Enter the app in Formal

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Back in the Admin Catalog, enter the Client ID and Client secret, then save. Users then link their accounts on the Grafana Cloud server’s page in the Employee Catalog.

Your OAuth App selected in the Admin Catalog, with the Redirect URI, Client ID and Client secret fields

Use these OAuth settings instead of the ones from step 1.

variable "grafana_cloud_oauth_client_secret" {
  type      = string
  sensitive = true
}

resource "formal_resource_oauth_settings" "grafana_cloud" {
  resource_id              = formal_resource.grafana_cloud.id
  upstream_oauth_mode      = "pre_registered"
  client_id                = "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>"
  client_secret_wo         = var.grafana_cloud_oauth_client_secret
  client_secret_wo_version = 1
}

Use these OAuth settings instead of the ones from step 1. Store the secret with pulumi config set --secret grafanaCloudOauthClientSecret.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";

const config = new pulumi.Config();

new formal.ResourceOauthSettings("mcpOAuth", {
  resourceId: resource.id,
  upstreamOauthMode: "pre_registered",
  clientId: "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>",
  clientSecret: config.requireSecret("grafanaCloudOauthClientSecret"),
});

Use this call instead of the CreateResourceOAuthSettings call from step 1. The OAuth app is fixed at creation.

curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResourceOAuthSettings \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "resourceId": "${RESOURCE_ID}",
    "upstreamOauthMode": "pre_registered",
    "clientId": "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>",
    "clientSecret": "<YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET>"
  }
JSON

Switching between Formal’s App and your OAuth app unlinks every account. Users must link again.

3. Route Endpoint traffic

Auth is managed at the Connector level when you use Linked Accounts or Shared Credentials, so the Endpoint needs to forward the MCP traffic to it. Laptops and VMs with the Formal Endpoint keep using https://mcp.grafana.com/mcp, and a network rule sends that traffic to the Connector.

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Go to Network Rules and create a rule named grafana-cloud-mcp.
Paste this expression, set the rule to Active, then save:

{
  "condition": {
    "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
    // Every MCP server added to Formal: process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
    "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.grafana.com",
    "post_tls": true
  },
  "outputs": {
    "forward_to_connector": true
  }
}

resource "formal_network_rule" "grafana_cloud_mcp" {
  name        = "grafana-cloud-mcp"
  description = "Forward Grafana Cloud MCP traffic from agents to the Connector"
  status      = "active"

  # Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
  cel_expression = <<-EOT
    {
      "condition": {
        "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
        "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.grafana.com",
        "post_tls": true
      },
      "outputs": {
        "forward_to_connector": true
      }
    }
  EOT
}

import * as formal from "@formalco/pulumi";

new formal.NetworkRule("grafanaCloudMcp", {
  name: "grafana-cloud-mcp",
  description: "Forward Grafana Cloud MCP traffic from agents to the Connector",
  status: "active",
  // Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
  celExpression: `
    {
      "condition": {
        "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
        "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.grafana.com",
        "post_tls": true
      },
      "outputs": {
        "forward_to_connector": true
      }
    }
  `,
});

export FORMAL_API_KEY="<YOUR_API_KEY>"
# Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
CEL_EXPRESSION=$(cat <<'CEL'
{
  "condition": {
    "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
    "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.grafana.com",
    "post_tls": true
  },
  "outputs": {
    "forward_to_connector": true
  }
}
CEL
)
jq -n --arg cel "${CEL_EXPRESSION}" '{
  name: "grafana-cloud-mcp",
  description: "Forward Grafana Cloud MCP traffic from agents to the Connector",
  status: "active",
  celExpression: $cel
}' | curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.DesktopService/CreateDesktopRoutingRule \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @-

The rule matches known agents only. See Identity headers.Cloud agents such as Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor Cloud Agents don’t run the Endpoint. Point them at this server’s Connector address, https://grafana-cloud.<connector-hostname>/mcp. Find it in the Admin Catalog: open Grafana Cloud, then copy Connector address on the Configuration tab.

4. Create policies

Tools

The Admin Catalog lists these tools for Grafana Cloud:

Tool	Description
`search_dashboards`	Search Grafana dashboards.
`get_dashboard_by_uid`	Retrieve a dashboard.
`query_prometheus`	Run a Prometheus query.
`query_loki_logs`	Query Loki logs.
`query_tempo_traces`	Query Tempo traces.
`list_datasources`	List configured data sources.
`list_incidents`	List Grafana incidents.
`get_incident`	Retrieve an incident.
`search_alert_rules`	Search alert rules.

Policies examples

Mask a tool's output

This policy replaces email addresses in results returned by query_loki_logs, query_tempo_traces, and get_incident.

package formal.v2

import future.keywords.if
import future.keywords.in

email_pattern := `[A-Za-z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\.[A-Za-z]{2,}`

response := {
  "action": "rewrite",
  "body": regex.replace(input.http.body, email_pattern, "[REDACTED-EMAIL]"),
  "reason": "Mask emails in Grafana Cloud results",
} if {
  input.resource.name == "grafana-cloud"
  input.mcp.tool_name in {"query_loki_logs", "query_tempo_traces", "get_incident"}
  regex.match(email_pattern, input.http.body)
}

See MCP resources for the input.mcp fields and Rewrite Action for body rewrites.

5. Check the logs

Open Logs and search for resource.name:grafana-cloud. Each Grafana Cloud tool call is one request log with the user, the MCP client and the tool. Open a log to see its tool parameters and the policies it triggered. A masked search shows the rewrite policy.See Logs for search syntax and filters.

Troubleshooting

The agent says Grafana Cloud rejected your credentials

The agent relays: grafana-cloud rejected your credentials. Link or re-link your grafana-cloud account in Formal…Cause: Grafana Cloud no longer accepts the linked token, for example after the user revoked access in Grafana Cloud.Fix: Link Grafana Cloud again from the Employee Catalog.

Laptop traffic doesn't appear in Logs

Cause: The Endpoint isn’t running, or the network rule doesn’t match the client.Fix: Check the Endpoint is connected. The rule above only matches known agents. Other clients, such as a browser, reach Grafana Cloud directly unless the rule also matches them. See Network rules.

MCP clients can't connect directly yet

Cause: The Configuration tab lists the reason, most often No Connector is in this server's Space.Fix: Edit the server and choose the Space containing its Connector.

Getting Started

Example Use Cases

AI Governance

Configuring Formal

Integrations

Configuration

0. Prepare your Connector

1. Add Grafana Cloud MCP server to your Resources

2. Setup Authentication

1. Formal’s App (default)

2. Your OAuth App

3. Route Endpoint traffic

4. Create policies

Tools

Policies examples

5. Check the logs

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

MCP Gateway

All MCP servers

​0. Prepare your Connector

​1. Add Grafana Cloud MCP server to your Resources

​2. Setup Authentication

​1. Formal’s App (default)

​2. Your OAuth App

​3. Route Endpoint traffic

​4. Create policies

​Tools

​Policies examples

​5. Check the logs

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

MCP Gateway

All MCP servers

0. Prepare your Connector

1. Add Grafana Cloud MCP server to your Resources

2. Setup Authentication

1. Formal’s App (default)

2. Your OAuth App

3. Route Endpoint traffic

4. Create policies

Tools

Policies examples

5. Check the logs

Troubleshooting

Next Steps