Does this MCP let me run arbitrary SQL queries?

No. This MCP is designed for discovery and governance. You can list saved SQL queries and retrieve cached results, but you don't execute new, arbitrary queries through the connector.

What kind of data can I find using the search function?

You can search for schemas, tables, and data sources using keywords and advanced filters across the entire catalog. It's designed to locate data assets, not just documents.

Is tracing data lineage limited to certain systems?

No. The agent traces data lineage across your entire catalog, showing the full provenance and impact of your data assets from source to consumption.

Do I need to manually pass credentials to my AI client?

No. Vinkius hosts and manages the connection. You connect your AI client once, and it gets access to the entire Alation catalog through this MCP.

What is the difference between listing tables and listing schemas?

A schema is a container that holds related tables. Listing schemas shows you the groups of data, while listing tables shows you the specific data structures inside one of those groups.

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 capability 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 capability retrieves technical metadata describing the relationships and data flow between different assets in your catalog.

An astronaut overseeing a futuristic data hub

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Connect Alation to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Let your AI agent discover and govern your data assets.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

Waiting for input…

Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 10 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 03

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

01
Get object metadata
Get object details
02
Get query results
Get cached query results
03
List saved queries
List saved SQL queries
04
List data sources
List catalog data sources

Capability set02 / 03

05-07

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

05
List schemas
List schemas in data source
06
Search catalog
Search for data assets
07
List tables
List tables in schema

Capability set03 / 03

08-10

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Alation.

08
List columns
List columns in table
09
List custom fields
List governance fields
10
Get lineage
Trace data lineage

Real work

What teams actually run

Investigating Data Sources

A data analyst needs to know which tables are related to 'Customer ROI'. Instead of browsing, they ask the agent, and it searches the catalog for all relevant assets.

Compliance Auditing

A data governor needs to verify that all sensitive data assets have a 'Steward' assigned. The agent audits the metadata to check for missing governance fields.

Debugging Data Flow

An engineer needs to know where a specific metric, like 'Total Revenue', originates. The agent traces the data lineage to the source tables and transformation logic.

Recreating Old Reports

A BI lead remembers a report from last quarter but can't find the SQL. The agent lists saved queries and retrieves the cached results for immediate review.

Automate a task

Put Alation to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Alation works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Alation to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

878ms average. Fast in production.

Alation is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1061ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 725ms
Slowest day: 1061ms
14-day trend: Improving-8%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 10 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Alation, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Alation. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Alation Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — Alation capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alation-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_8VHGSbAhhvN5kGfdH8a7GkXgqXEw9UGUjyhVqE7B/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Alation in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Alation owners hand off.

This MCP is built for teams that spend time finding, verifying, and documenting data. If your job involves understanding data provenance or ensuring compliance, your agent can handle the heavy lifting. It moves data discovery from a manual, multi-step process to a simple conversation.

01
Data Analysts
Need to quickly find relevant tables and schemas for reporting and analysis without manual searching.
02
Data Governors
Must audit metadata completion and manage custom field values across the entire catalog to maintain compliance.
03
Engineers
Need to trace data lineage and inspect column definitions using simple, conversational commands.
04
Business Intelligence Leads
Need to retrieve saved queries and monitor data asset endorsements to build reliable reports.

FAQ

Questions Alation owners ask.

01
Does this MCP let me run arbitrary SQL queries?
No. This MCP is designed for discovery and governance. You can list saved SQL queries and retrieve cached results, but you don't execute new, arbitrary queries through the connector.
02
What kind of data can I find using the search function?
You can search for schemas, tables, and data sources using keywords and advanced filters across the entire catalog. It's designed to locate data assets, not just documents.
03
Is tracing data lineage limited to certain systems?
No. The agent traces data lineage across your entire catalog, showing the full provenance and impact of your data assets from source to consumption.
04
Do I need to manually pass credentials to my AI client?
No. Vinkius hosts and manages the connection. You connect your AI client once, and it gets access to the entire Alation catalog through this MCP.
05
What is the difference between listing tables and listing schemas?
A schema is a container that holds related tables. Listing schemas shows you the groups of data, while listing tables shows you the specific data structures inside one of those groups.
06
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.
07
Can I search for specific table types?
Yes! The search_catalog capability allows you to apply filters by object type (otype), such as table, schema, or attribute. This ensures your search results are highly relevant.
08
Does this support viewing data lineage?
Yes, the get_lineage capability retrieves technical metadata describing the relationships and data flow between different assets in your catalog.

Explore

More in Brain Trust

Connect Alation to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-04

Get object metadata

Get query results

List saved queries

List data sources

05-07

List schemas

Search catalog

List tables

08-10

List columns

List custom fields

Get lineage

What teams actually run

Investigating Data Sources

Compliance Auditing

Debugging Data Flow

Recreating Old Reports

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

Alation Connector

Claude Desktop

Data Analysts

Data Governors

Engineers

Business Intelligence Leads

Does this MCP let me run arbitrary SQL queries?

What kind of data can I find using the search function?

Is tracing data lineage limited to certain systems?

Do I need to manually pass credentials to my AI client?

What is the difference between listing tables and listing schemas?

How do I find my Alation API Access Token?

Can I search for specific table types?

Does this support viewing data lineage?

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