Frequently Asked Questions about Amazon Redshift MCP Server on UBOS

Q: What is an MCP Server? A: MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open protocol that standardizes how applications provide context to LLMs. An MCP Server acts as a bridge, allowing AI models to access and interact with external data sources and tools.

Q: What is the Amazon Redshift MCP Server? A: The Amazon Redshift MCP Server, available on the UBOS Asset Marketplace, allows you to connect to Amazon Redshift data from Claude Desktop through CData JDBC Drivers. It enables natural language queries for live data – no SQL knowledge is needed!

Q: What is UBOS? A: UBOS is a full-stack AI Agent Development Platform focused on bringing AI Agents to every business department. It helps you orchestrate AI Agents, connect them with your enterprise data, build custom AI Agents with your LLM model, and create Multi-Agent Systems.

Q: Is the Amazon Redshift MCP Server read-only? A: This specific project builds a read-only MCP server. However, a free (beta) read/write server is available at https://www.cdata.com/solutions/mcp.

Q: What data sources does this MCP Server support? A: The Amazon Redshift MCP Server supports Amazon Redshift data. The broader CData MCP server technology supports connections to dozens of data sources, including databases, CRMs, marketing automation platforms, and more. See the full list in the documentation.

Q: Do I need to know SQL to use this server? A: No! The primary benefit is that it allows you to query your Amazon Redshift data using natural language, eliminating the need to write SQL queries directly.

Q: How do I set up the Amazon Redshift MCP Server? A: The setup process involves cloning the repository, building the server, downloading and licensing the CData JDBC Driver, configuring the connection to Amazon Redshift, and creating a .prp file. Refer to the detailed setup guide in the project documentation.

Q: What is a .prp file? A: A .prp file is a configuration file that contains the necessary properties for connecting to your Amazon Redshift data source. It includes information such as the driver path, driver class, JDBC URL, and table names.

Q: How do I configure the connection string? A: You can use the Connection String utility provided by CData to configure the connection string. This utility allows you to easily specify the connection parameters and test the connection before saving it to the .prp file.

Q: How do I use the server with Claude Desktop? A: You need to create or modify the claude_desktop_config.json file to add the new MCP server. The documentation provides examples of the required JSON format for both Windows and Linux/Mac.

Q: Where do I find the claude_desktop_config.json file? A: The location of the claude_desktop_config.json file depends on your operating system. The documentation provides the correct paths for Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Q: What do I do if I can’t see my CData MCP Server in Claude Desktop? A: Make sure you have fully quit Claude Desktop and restarted it. On Windows, use the Task Manager; on Mac, use the Activity Monitor.

Q: What do I do if Claude Desktop is unable to retrieve data? A: Ensure you have configured your connection properly. Use the Connection String builder to create the connection string and copy it into the property (.prp) file.

Q: Where can I get help if I have trouble connecting to my data source? A: Contact the CData Support Team at https://www.cdata.com/support/submit.aspx.

Q: Where can I get help using the MCP server or provide feedback? A: Join the CData Community at https://community.cdata.com.

Q: What is the license for this MCP server? A: This MCP server is licensed under the MIT License. This means you are free to use, modify, and distribute the software, subject to the terms and conditions of the MIT License.