1
Add it to Claude Code
claude mcp add -e "SSH_HOST=${SSH_HOST}" -e "SSH_USER=${SSH_USER}" linux-mcp-server -- uvx linux-mcp-serverRequired:
SSH_HOSTSSH_USER+ 1 optional2
Make your agent remember this setup
linux-mcp-server's config, env vars, and the gotchas you hit — recalled in every future Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex session.
npx conare@latestFree · one command · indexes the sessions already on disk. Set up in the browser instead →
What it does
- Read-only operations for safe diagnostics
- Remote SSH execution with key-based authentication
- Multi-host management capabilities
- Comprehensive system diagnostics including services and logs
- Optimized for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and systemd
Tools 4
execute_commandExecutes a read-only command on the remote Linux host via SSH.get_system_infoRetrieves general system information from the remote host.list_servicesLists the status of systemd services on the remote host.read_logReads a specific log file from the remote host.Environment Variables
SSH_HOSTrequiredThe hostname or IP address of the remote RHEL server.SSH_USERrequiredThe username for SSH authentication.ALLOWED_LOGSA comma-separated list of log files accessible by the server.Try it
→Check the status of the httpd service on the remote server.
→What is the current system load and memory usage on the RHEL host?
→Read the last 50 lines of the /var/log/messages file.
→List all currently running processes on the remote system.
Original README from rhel-lightspeed/linux-mcp-server
Linux MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for read-only Linux system administration, diagnostics, and troubleshooting on RHEL-based systems.
Features
- Read-Only Operations: All tools are strictly read-only for safe diagnostics
- Remote SSH Execution: Execute commands on remote systems via SSH with key-based authentication
- Multi-Host Management: Connect to different remote hosts in the same session
- Comprehensive Diagnostics: System info, services, processes, logs, network, and storage
- Configurable Log Access: Control which log files can be accessed via environment variables
- RHEL/systemd Focused: Optimized for Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems
Installation and Usage
For detailed instructions on setting up and using the Linux MCP Server, please refer to our official documentation:
- Installation Guide: Detailed steps for
pip,uv, and container-based deployments. - Usage Guide: Information on running the server, configuring LLM clients, and troubleshooting.
- Cheatsheet: A reference for what prompts to use to invoke various tools.