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ChatOps for network configs: ask rConfig from Slack or Microsoft Teams

Put an AI agent connected to rConfig's MCP server behind a Slack or Teams bot, so engineers can ask about devices, changes and compliance without leaving chat.

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ChatOps for network configs: ask rConfig from Slack or Microsoft Teams

Your team already lives in Slack or Teams. rConfig already posts events there one way. ChatOps adds the other direction: an engineer asks “what changed on lon-edge-02 last night?” in a channel, and a bot answers from rConfig.

Best for: on-call and NOC channels, quick lookups during incidents, people who don’t use rConfig every day. Tools: rConfig, a chat bot (n8n or a small service), an AI agent. rConfig tools used: all seven, read-only.

How it flows

sequenceDiagram
    participant U as Engineer in Slack / Teams
    participant B as Bot (n8n or service)
    participant A as AI agent
    participant R as rConfig MCP
    U->>B: "@rconfig what changed on lon-edge-02 last night?"
    B->>A: Question + channel context
    A->>R: get_devices, get_config_history, get_config_diff
    R-->>A: Versions and diff
    A-->>B: Short answer
    B-->>U: Reply in thread

Two ways to build the bot

n8n Your own bot service
Shape Slack or Teams trigger, AI Agent node with the rConfig MCP Client Tool, reply node A Slack (Bolt) or Teams bot that runs an agent with rConfig connected
Effort An afternoon A few days
Control Good for most teams Full: per-user tokens, custom approvals, audit logging
Guide n8n with rConfig Which AI agents can connect?

Slack also has an official MCP server, but it does the opposite job: it lets an agent read and post in Slack. To answer people in Slack, you need a bot in front of the agent, as above.

Whose access the bot uses

This is the decision that matters most.

  • One service user (simplest). The bot holds one rConfig token. Everyone who can message the bot sees what that user sees. Give it a narrow role, and put the bot only in channels whose members should see those devices.
  • Per-user tokens (strongest). A custom bot maps each chat user to their own rConfig MCP token, so answers follow each person’s role. More work, but the rConfig activity log then shows who asked.

Keep answers chat-sized

Put this in the agent’s instructions:

Answer in under 100 words. Use rConfig for facts and quote backup times.
Never paste a full configuration; quote at most 10 lines.
If the question needs a long answer, summarise and say where to look in rConfig.
You are read-only. If asked to change something, say what you'd change and stop.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask rConfig questions from Slack or Teams?

Yes, with a bot that passes questions to an AI agent connected to rConfig's MCP server. n8n's chat and Slack triggers are the quickest way to build one; a small bot service gives you more control.

Whose rConfig access does the bot use?

The bot's token belongs to one rConfig user, so everyone who can message the bot sees what that user sees. Use a dedicated user with a narrow role, and limit who can reach the bot.

Doesn't rConfig already post to Slack and Teams?

It does, one way: rConfig's webhooks post events such as config changes to a channel. ChatOps adds the other direction, letting people ask questions and get answers.

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