redshift_get_tablesLABSCO SUMMARY
A warehouse behind a read-only door.
Three tools — list tables, list columns, run a SELECT — is the smallest surface that lets a model answer real analytical questions, and the query tool executing SELECT only is what makes pointing it at a production warehouse defensible. CData names the alternatives for anyone who needs more: their downloadable MCP server for full write access, and Connect AI for a managed remote endpoint. The build cost is real, and the Tables property is where you decide how much of the warehouse is in scope.
What it is
A local, read-only MCP server from CData that wraps their JDBC driver for Amazon Redshift. The driver exposes Redshift as relational SQL models and the server puts three tools over it, so a model can find the tables, check the columns and run a query without SQL being written by hand.
What you get
redshift_get_tables— the tables available in the data source, returned as CSV with a header rowredshift_get_columns— the columns on a named table, so field names are checked rather than guessedredshift_run_query— executes a SQL SELECT query- Scope control through the
Tablesproperty: blank for everything, or an explicit list of what to expose
Requirements
The CData JDBC Driver for Amazon Redshift, installed and licensed separately — java -jar cdata.jdbc.redshift.jar --license takes your name, email and TRIAL or a licence key. Java to run and Maven to build: mvn clean install produces CDataMCP-jar-with-dependencies.jar. Then a .prp file with Prefix=redshift, a server name and version, the driver path, DriverClass=cdata.jdbc.redshift.RedshiftDriver, the JdbcUrl from the driver's connection-string utility, and Tables. The client runs java with the jar and the .prp path. Transport is stdio, so client and server share a machine. MIT licensed.
Setup effort
Build from source — git clone https://github.com/cdatasoftware/amazon-redshift-mcp-server-by-cdata.git
USE CASES
01
Answering an analytics question without writing SQL
Describe the cut you want and let the model discover the schema and compose the SELECT itself.
02
Exploring an unfamiliar warehouse
List the tables, read the columns on the promising ones, and sample before committing to a query.
03
Restricting what is queryable
Name only the approved tables in the properties file so the rest of the warehouse stays out of reach.
3 tools
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
redshift_get_columnsredshift_run_queryBEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
3 tools named in the project's documentation. Tool names start with the Prefix in your .prp file. The README's sample uses Prefix=redshift, giving redshift_run_query. All three only read (run_query executes SELECT), even though the README's usage section says the tools can write, update and delete.
Where it runs
The documented client runs the server on your machine.
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
You clone and build this one yourself.
Server setup
TERMINAL
git clone https://github.com/cdatasoftware/amazon-redshift-mcp-server-by-cdata.git
cd amazon-redshift-mcp-server-by-cdata
mvn clean installDownload and install the CData JDBC Driver for Amazon Redshift from https://www.cdata.com/drivers/redshift/download/jdbc
License the driver: in the driver's lib folder run java -jar cdata.jdbc.redshift.jar --license, then enter name, email and "TRIAL" (or your license key)
Run java -jar cdata.jdbc.redshift.jar to open the Connection String utility, test the connection and copy the connection string
Create a .prp file with Prefix / ServerName / ServerVersion / DriverPath / DriverClass=cdata.jdbc.redshift.RedshiftDriver / JdbcUrl / Tables
Add the mcpServers entry below to claude_desktop_config.json and restart the client
MCP Clients
Claude Desktop — macOS, Linux
CLAUDE DESKTOP — MACOS, LINUX · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"amazon-redshift": {
"command": "<YOUR_PATH_TO_JAVA>",
"args": [
"-jar",
"<YOUR_PATH_TO_CDATA_MCP_JAR_WITH>",
"<YOUR_PATH_TO_AMAZON_REDSHIFT>"
]
}
}
}