MIR is not a replacement for every adjacent AI infrastructure category. It is the execution-control layer that composes model serving, protocols, gateways, workflow systems, identity, storage, and isolation around a governed run.
Key takeaways
- Protocols define communication; the runtime defines authority and lifecycle.
- Gateways manage traffic; MIR manages task state and side effects.
- Observability records operations; evidence explains a run to users and reviewers.
MCP placement patterns
MCP standardizes how a host discovers and invokes tools, resources, and prompts. It can be placed locally, behind a gateway, inside an isolated runtime, or across a managed boundary. The host remains responsible for consent, authorization, lifecycle, validation, and evidence. Source: MCP specification
Agent interoperability
A2A targets communication between independently built agent systems. In a MIR design, incoming agent messages are untrusted requests that need identity, policy, scope, budgets, and evidence. A protocol can carry a task or artifact; it cannot establish organizational trust by itself. Source: A2A project
Adjacent systems
| Category | Primary contribution | MIR integration concern |
|---|---|---|
| AI gateway | Model routing, quotas, traffic policy | Run identity, task budget, evidence correlation |
| Model server | Inference, batching, cache, hardware | Capability contract, model version, uncertainty |
| Workflow engine | Durable deterministic transitions | Stochastic validation and context governance |
| Identity provider and vault | Authentication and secret issuance | Dynamic least privilege for each action |
| Memory stores | Vector, graph, relational, event persistence | Scope, provenance, consent, correction, deletion |
| Sandbox or microVM | Process and filesystem isolation | Image trust, egress, cleanup, artifact capture |
| OpenTelemetry | Traces, metrics, logs, semantic conventions | User-facing evidence and privacy overlays |
Selection questions
- Which component owns identity and the final authorization decision?
- Where is runtime state durable, and who can resume it?
- How are tool schemas, permissions, and versions distributed?
- What evidence survives provider or framework replacement?
- Can the organization stop, isolate, export, and delete a run?
Source record
References
- Model Context Protocol Specification — 2025-11-25 Primary source
Model Context Protocol project. Model Context Protocol. Published 2025-11-25; last reviewed 2026-06-24 UTC. Protocol specification.
- A2A Protocol Specification Primary source
A2A Project. Linux Foundation. Published Current specification; last reviewed 2026-06-24 UTC. Protocol specification and reference implementation.
OpenTelemetry project. Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Published Current specification repository; last reviewed 2026-06-24 UTC. Official specification.
- ONNX Runtime Documentation Primary source
Microsoft and ONNX Runtime contributors. ONNX Runtime. Published Current documentation; last reviewed 2026-06-20 UTC. Official documentation.
- vLLM Documentation Primary source
vLLM project. vLLM. Published Current documentation; last reviewed 2026-06-20 UTC. Official documentation.