deploy_workflow · Respan MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What deploy_workflow does on Respan MCP Server

AI agents invoke deploy_workflow to trigger actions in Respan MCP Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why deploy_workflow needs a policy

Deployment is an active operation that triggers execution of workflows in a live environment, affecting downstream systems and processes. While not destructive (can be rolled back) or financial, it crosses the threshold from Write (modifying data) to Execute (triggering external operations).

From the tool's definition Tool 'deploy_workflow' deploys a committed workflow/pipeline version as the active (live) version via POST /api/workflows/{id}/deployments/.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

deploy_workflow Rate-limited

deploy_workflow stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "deploy_workflow": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "deploy_workflow_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Respan MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about deploy_workflow

What does the deploy_workflow tool do? +

Deploy a committed workflow/pipeline version as the active (live) version. Calls POST /api/workflows/{id}/deployments/ (the correct platform endpoint — different from the SDK. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Respan MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on deploy_workflow? +

Register the Respan MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for deploy_workflow: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Respan MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is deploy_workflow? +

deploy_workflow is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit deploy_workflow? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the deploy_workflow rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block deploy_workflow completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for deploy_workflow. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides deploy_workflow? +

deploy_workflow is provided by the Respan MCP Server MCP server (respanai/respan-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.