CData Connect Cloud MCP Server

CData Connect Cloud MCP Server – Overview

The CData Connect Cloud MCP Server bridges the gap between AI assistants and enterprise data by exposing a CData‑powered data catalog as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) endpoint. It enables Claude and other AI agents to query, retrieve, and transform data from any source that CData Connect Cloud supports—whether it’s a relational database, cloud storage, or a SaaS application—without requiring the user to write custom connectors or manage credentials manually.

At its core, the server translates MCP requests into CData’s REST API calls. When a user asks an AI assistant to fetch sales figures for the last quarter, the MCP client forwards that intent to this server. The server authenticates using a Personal Access Token (PAT), looks up the appropriate connection name, and executes the query against the underlying data source. The results are returned in a structured JSON payload that Claude can incorporate directly into its response, complete with context and metadata. This workflow eliminates the need for developers to embed raw SQL or SDK calls in their prompts, streamlining data access and reducing security risk.

Key capabilities include:

• Unified connection management – a single configuration file maps multiple CData connections, allowing the same AI workflow to switch between databases or services effortlessly.
• Secure credential handling – PATs and user credentials are supplied via environment variables, ensuring that sensitive information never travels in plain text.
• Rich data types – the server preserves CData’s type information, enabling AI assistants to format dates, currencies, and other domain‑specific values correctly.
• Extensibility – developers can add custom prompts or sampling strategies to tailor responses for business contexts such as finance, marketing, or operations.

Typical use cases span real‑world scenarios: a sales analyst asks Claude to generate a quarterly revenue report that pulls data from Salesforce and Snowflake simultaneously; an HR manager requests a headcount snapshot across multiple cloud services; or a compliance officer needs to audit access logs stored in an on‑premises database. In each case, the MCP server handles authentication, query translation, and result formatting, allowing developers to focus on business logic rather than integration plumbing.

By integrating seamlessly with existing AI workflows—whether through the Claude Desktop app, a custom chatbot, or an internal tooling pipeline—the CData Connect Cloud MCP Server provides a scalable, secure, and developer‑friendly gateway to heterogeneous data environments. Its open‑source nature means teams can audit the code, contribute enhancements, or adapt it to other data connectors, giving organizations full control over how AI assistants interact with their critical data assets.