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Overview

All MCP servers in this repository can be deployed using Docker, providing consistent environments and simplified dependency management. This guide covers building, running, and configuring Docker-based MCP servers.

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Building Docker Images

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Oracle MCP Server

docker build -t mochoa/mcp-oracle -f src/oracle/Dockerfile .

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MySQL MCP Server

docker build -t mochoa/mcp-mysql -f src/mysql/Dockerfile .

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MikroTik MCP Server

docker build -t mochoa/mcp-mikrotik -f src/mikrotik/Dockerfile .
All builds should be run from the repository root directory, as the Dockerfiles reference source code paths relative to the root.

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Running MCP Servers

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Oracle Database Server

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With Connection String

docker run -i --rm \
  -e ORACLE_USER=myuser \
  -e ORACLE_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-oracle \
  host.docker.internal:1521/freepdb1

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Without Connection String

docker run -i --rm \
  -e ORACLE_USER=myuser \
  -e ORACLE_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-oracle
When run without a connection string, use the orcl-connect tool to establish a connection.

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MySQL Database Server

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Basic Usage

docker run -i --rm \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  host.docker.internal:3306/mydb

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With Performance Schema

For optimal performance monitoring with the mysql-awr tool: 
docker run -i --rm \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  host.docker.internal:3306/mydb
Ensure your MySQL server has Performance Schema enabled: 
[mysqld]
performance_schema = ON

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MikroTik RouterOS Server

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Plain TCP Connection

docker run -i --rm \
  -e MK_USER=admin \
  -e MK_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-mikrotik \
  192.168.88.1 \
  false

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SSL/TLS Connection

docker run -i --rm \
  -e MK_USER=admin \
  -e MK_PASSWORD=mypassword \
  mochoa/mcp-mikrotik \
  192.168.88.1 \
  true
The second argument (true/false) determines whether to use SSL/TLS. MikroTik uses port 8728 for plain connections and 8729 for secure connections.

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Docker Networking

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Connecting to Host Services

When running Docker on macOS and connecting to services on the host machine (like a local database), use host.docker.internal instead of localhost:
# Correct for macOS
docker run -i --rm \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=pass \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  host.docker.internal:3306/mydb

# Incorrect - will not connect
# localhost:3306/mydb
On Linux, you can use --network host to access host services:
docker run -i --rm --network host \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=pass \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  localhost:3306/mydb
Or use the host gateway IP:
docker run -i --rm \
  --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=pass \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  host.docker.internal:3306/mydb
On Windows with Docker Desktop, use host.docker.internal:
docker run -i --rm \
  -e MYSQL_USER=root \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=pass \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql \
  host.docker.internal:3306/mydb

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Client Integration

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Claude Desktop

Add Docker-based servers to claude_desktop_config.json: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", 
        "-i", 
        "--rm",
        "-e", "MYSQL_USER=myuser",
        "-e", "MYSQL_PASSWORD=mypassword",
        "mochoa/mcp-mysql",
        "host.docker.internal:3306/mydb"
      ]
    },
    "oracle": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", 
        "-i", 
        "--rm",
        "-e", "ORACLE_USER=scott",
        "-e", "ORACLE_PASSWORD=tiger",
        "mochoa/mcp-oracle",
        "host.docker.internal:1521/freepdb1"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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VS Code

Configure in .vscode/mcp.json: 
{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "mysql_user",
      "description": "MySQL username"
    },
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "mysql_password",
      "description": "MySQL password",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "mysql": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e", "MYSQL_USER=${input:mysql_user}",
        "-e", "MYSQL_PASSWORD=${input:mysql_password}",
        "mochoa/mcp-mysql"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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Docker Run Options

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Essential Flags

  • -i - Keep STDIN open for MCP protocol communication
  • --rm - Automatically remove container when it exits
  • -e - Set environment variables for credentials

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Additional Options

1

Volume Mounts

Mount configuration or data files if needed:
docker run -i --rm \
  -v /path/to/config:/config \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql
2

Resource Limits

Set memory and CPU limits:
docker run -i --rm \
  --memory="512m" \
  --cpus="0.5" \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql
3

Network Configuration

Specify custom networks:
docker run -i --rm \
  --network my-network \
  mochoa/mcp-mysql

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Environment Variables Reference

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Oracle MCP Server

VariableRequiredDescription
ORACLE_USERConditionalUsername (required if connecting on startup)
ORACLE_PASSWORDConditionalPassword (required if connecting on startup)

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MySQL MCP Server

VariableRequiredDescription
MYSQL_USERConditionalUsername (required if connecting on startup)
MYSQL_PASSWORDConditionalPassword (required if connecting on startup)

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MikroTik MCP Server

VariableRequiredDescription
MK_USERConditionalUsername (required if connecting on startup)
MK_PASSWORDConditionalPassword (required if connecting on startup)
All environment variables are optional if you plan to use runtime connection tools like orcl-connect, mysql-connect, or mk-connect.

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Troubleshooting Docker Issues

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Connection Refused

# Check if the database is accessible from the Docker network
docker run --rm -it alpine nc -zv host.docker.internal 3306

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Permission Issues

# Some systems may require running with --user flag
docker run -i --rm --user $(id -u):$(id -g) mochoa/mcp-mysql

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Image Pull Issues

# Pull the image explicitly
docker pull mochoa/mcp-mysql

# Check available images
docker images | grep mochoa

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Best Practices

  1. Never hardcode credentials in Dockerfiles or scripts - use environment variables
  2. Use --rm flag to prevent container accumulation
  3. Keep images updated with security patches
  4. Test connectivity from the container before configuring clients
  5. Use secrets management for production deployments
  6. Monitor container logs for connection issues

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