Enforcement Modes
SatGate has three enforcement modes. Every deployment starts in Observe and progresses when you're ready.
👁
Observe
Log everything, block nothing. See every tool call and its computed cost in the Shadow Report. Agents run unimpeded.
✓ Free · No risk · Start here
🎚
Control
Set budgets and get alerts. Two sub-modes:
- Alert — warn when budget exhausted, agent continues
- Enforce — block tool calls when budget exhausted (HTTP 402)
⚡
Charge
Monetize your tools. Agents pay per call via L402 (Lightning micropayments) or Fiat402 (enterprise credits).
Coming for MCP tools
The progression
The progression is designed to be zero-risk:
- Start in Observe — connect agents, see tool calls in the MCP Monitor, review the Shadow Report. No budgets needed. This alone gives you visibility you didn't have before.
- Set tool costs — in the MCP Cost Profile, assign credit costs to each tool. The Shadow Report will show what agents would have spent.
- Create budgets — delegate tokens with budgets. Still in Observe — budgets are tracked but not enforced.
- Switch to Control (Alert) — get notifications when agents approach or hit budget limits. Agents still run.
- Switch to Control (Enforce) — agents get HTTP 402 when budget is exhausted. This is real enforcement.
How to change modes
Go to MCP Cost Profile in the dashboard. The enforcement mode selector is at the top of the page. Changes take effect immediately.
What agents see
| Scenario | Observe | Control (Alert) | Control (Enforce) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool call within budget | ✓ Pass | ✓ Pass | ✓ Pass |
| Budget exhausted | ✓ Pass (logged) | ✓ Pass (alert sent) | ✗ 402 Blocked |
| No budget set | ✓ Pass | ✓ Pass | ✓ Pass |