# Alation MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > Alation MCP for AI Agents. Connect your Alation data catalog to your AI client to find tables, audit metadata, and trace data lineage in seconds. Stop hunting through documentation and let your agent navigate your data governance for you. ## Overview - **Category:** brain-trust - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** data-catalog, data-governance, metadata-management, data-discovery, sql-querying, data-intelligence ## Description This Connector lets you treat your Alation data catalog like a searchable knowledge base for your AI agent. Instead of manually hunting for table schemas or digging through documentation to find out where a specific metric comes from, you can just ask your agent. It handles the heavy lifting of navigating your catalog, pulling out logical and physical metadata, and checking governance tags. You'll spend less time asking "where is this data?" and more time actually analyzing it. When you're looking for specific SQL queries or need to see the results of a previous run in Alation Compose, your agent pulls that info instantly. It's a way to make your enterprise data actually accessible without leaving your chat interface. By adding this to your setup via the Vinkius marketplace, you turn a complex governance tool into a conversational data discovery engine. You can audit your custom fields, check your stewards, and trace how data flows from source to dashboard without ever clicking through a UI. It works by letting the agent traverse your data sources, schemas, and tables to find the exact columns you need for a report or a new project. This means you can verify data provenance or check if a table is endorsed by the right team without needing to be an expert in the Alation interface. Your agent becomes a data librarian that knows every corner of your catalog. ## Tools ### get_object_metadata Retrieve detailed metadata for any catalog object. It pulls descriptions, stewards, and tags. ### list_saved_queries See your list of saved SQL queries. This lets you quickly find previous work. ### get_query_results Pull the cached results for a specific query. It saves you from re-running long executions. ### get_lineage Trace the data lineage of your assets. It shows you the flow from source to destination. ### search_catalog Search for specific data assets using keywords. It helps you find the right tables quickly. ### list_data_sources Get a list of all data sources in your catalog. This provides a bird's-eye view of your environment. ### list_schemas List all schemas within a specific data source. Use this to narrow down your search area. ### list_tables See all tables in a given schema. It makes it easy to browse available datasets. ### list_columns View the columns for a specific table. This helps you understand the data structure at a glance. ### list_custom_fields List your custom governance fields. This helps you audit your catalog's specific rules. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Search my Alation catalog for tables containing 'Customer ROI'. ``` **Response:** ``` I've searched your catalog. I found 3 tables related to 'Customer ROI', including 'ROI_Analysis_2025' and 'Customer_Success_Metrics'. Would you like to see the schema details for any of them? ``` **Prompt:** ``` List the last 5 SQL queries I saved in Alation. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved your recent queries. Your last 5 saved SQL items include 'Monthly Churn Report', 'Revenue by Region', and 'Active User Audit'. Would you like me to fetch the cached results for the Churn Report? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show the lineage for table 'Orders_Main' in the 'Production' schema. ``` **Response:** ``` I've retrieved the lineage data for Orders_Main. This table is populated from the 'Raw_Staging' schema and feeds into 2 downstream dashboards: 'Global Sales' and 'Finance Forecast'. Would you like the technical details of the transformation logic? ``` ## Capabilities ### Find data assets Search for schemas, tables, and sources using keywords. ### Audit metadata Pull descriptions, stewards, and tags for any catalog object. ### Trace data lineage See exactly where your data comes from and where it goes. ### Fetch saved queries Retrieve your list of saved SQL items instantly. ### View query results Get the cached output of your previous SQL executions. ### Manage governance fields List and check your custom catalog attributes. ## Use Cases ### Finding specific metrics An analyst asks for tables with a specific metric. The agent uses search_catalog to find three matching tables and offers to show their schemas. ### Checking query history A BI lead needs to see the "Monthly Churn Report." The agent uses list_saved_queries to find the SQL and get_query_results to show the latest numbers. ### Impact analysis An engineer wants to know what happens if they change a source table. The agent uses get_lineage to identify two downstream dashboards that will be affected. ### Metadata auditing A data governor needs to ensure all tables have a steward. The agent uses get_object_metadata to check tags across a list of schemas. ## Benefits - Stop hunting for tables: Use search_catalog to find exactly what you need in seconds instead of clicking through folders. - Instant lineage checks: Use get_lineage to see how data flows from raw staging to your final dashboards without manual tracing. - Faster query retrieval: Access your history with list_saved_queries and get_query_results to avoid rewriting SQL. - Simplified auditing: Use list_custom_fields and get_object_metadata to check governance compliance across hundreds of objects. - Better data discovery: Use list_schemas and list_tables to give your agent a map of your entire data environment. - Accurate schema knowledge: Use list_columns to let your agent understand the data types and names before it writes any code. ## How It Works The bottom line is you turn your data catalog into a conversational interface for your team. 1. Subscribe to the Alation MCP on Vinkius. 2. Provide your Alation Instance URL and API Access Token. 3. Start asking your AI client to find tables or trace lineage. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can the Alation MCP help my team find data faster?** Yes, it lets your agent search for tables and schemas using plain English. This means your team can find the right data assets without manual searching. **Does this Connector support data lineage?** It uses the lineage tool to show you exactly where your data comes from and where it flows. This helps with impact analysis and data provenance. **Can I see my saved SQL queries?** Yes, your agent can list your saved queries and even pull cached results from Alation Compose. It's a great way to quickly access previous work. **How does this help with data governance?** It allows you to audit metadata, stewards, and custom governance fields across your catalog. You can check compliance across hundreds of objects in seconds. **Can my agent understand my table schemas?** Yes, it can list columns and get object metadata to understand your data structure. This helps your agent write more accurate SQL for your reports. **Is this for searching my live database?** No, this is for searching your Alation data catalog and metadata, not for running live SQL on your production database. **How do I find my Alation API Access Token?** Log in to Alation, click on your user avatar, and go to **Account Settings** > **Authentication**. You can generate a Refresh Token there, which can then be used to obtain short-lived Access Tokens for the API. **Can I search for specific table types?** Yes! The `search_catalog` tool allows you to apply filters by object type (otype), such as `table`, `schema`, or `attribute`. This ensures your search results are highly relevant. **Does this support viewing data lineage?** Yes, the `get_lineage` tool retrieves technical metadata describing the relationships and data flow between different assets in your catalog.