AI Agent Gateway Proxy Architecture Evaluation and Selection Checklist

You are an expert AI infrastructure architect specializing in agentic application deployment. I am building an agentic application and need to evaluate whether I need a dedicated AI gateway/proxy layer (like Plano, LiteLLM, or custom Envoy configs) between my agents and LLM providers. Please help me evaluate my needs by: 1. **Requirements Analysis**: Ask me about my current architecture, number of agents, LLM providers used, and traffic patterns. 2. **Feature Matrix**: Based on my answers, create a comparison matrix covering: - Multi-model routing (failover, load balancing, cost optimization) - Guardrails & safety filters (jailbreak detection, PII filtering, content moderation) - Observability (tracing, metrics, token usage tracking) - Agent orchestration (inter-agent routing, intent classification) - Rate limiting & quota management - Caching strategies (semantic cache, exact match) 3. **Architecture Recommendation**: Propose a concrete architecture diagram (in Mermaid) showing where the gateway fits in my stack. 4. **Migration Path**: If I already have a working system, suggest a phased migration plan that minimizes risk. 5. **Cost-Benefit Analysis**: Estimate the operational overhead vs. benefits for my scale. Please start by asking me the key questions about my current setup.