In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Publisher Doug Green interviews David Klebanov, VP of Partner Solutions at Alkira , about the company’s two major announcements — the launch of MCP Server and NIA Copilot — both designed to bring AI integration and natural language interaction to network automation and infrastructure management. Alkira, known for pioneering Network Infrastructure as a Service (NIaaS), delivers global connectivity and security entirely through cloud software. The company’s latest innovations mark a significant step forward in bridging AI applications and network intelligence. The first announcement, MCP Server (Model Context Protocol Server), standardizes communication between AI applications and infrastructure systems. “MCP acts as a highway between AI and the network,” said Klebanov. “It allows AI models to access telemetry and configuration data in a consistent way, enabling smarter automation, faster response, and more intelligent decision-making.” This new capability complements Alkira’s existing automation tools, such as REST APIs and Terraform. MCP provides a third option specifically for AI and agentic environments, allowing developers and DevOps teams to choose the right tool for their workflow — whether they’re building in traditional, cloud-native, or AI-powered contexts. The second announcement, NIA (Network Infrastructure Assistant) Copilot, applies the same AI-driven intelligence directly to the network engineer’s workflow. Integrated into the Alkira portal, NIA allows administrators to interact with their network using natural human language instead of complex code or command-line interfaces. Engineers can simply ask questions, issue commands, or retrieve data in conversational form — “like talking to ChatGPT, but for your network,” Klebanov explained. Both MCP and NIA are designed to work together: MCP connects AI applications to infrastructure externally, while NIA empowers network teams internally. Together, they deliver real-world value by making complex infrastructure management simpler, faster, and more intelligent. Klebanov emphasized that these tools also open new opportunities for the MSP and channel partner community, noting that Alkira is a 100% channel-focused organization. “AI is front and center for enterprises, and our partners now have a way to deliver real, AI-friendly network solutions — not just theory, but technology that provides immediate value.” Learn more about Alkira’s AI-powered network solutions at alkira.com .
