ODBC MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that enables LLM tools like Claude Desktop to query databases via ODBC connections. This server allows Claude and other MCP clients to access, analyze, and generate insights from database data while maintaining security and read-only safeguards.

Features

• Connect to any ODBC-compatible database
• Support for multiple database connections
• Flexible configuration through config files or Claude Desktop settings
• Read-only safeguards to prevent data modification
• Easy installation with UV package manager
• Detailed error reporting and logging

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher
• UV package manager
• ODBC drivers for your database(s) installed on your system
• For Sage 100 Advanced: ProvideX ODBC driver

Installation

git clone https://github.com/tylerstoltz/mcp-odbc.git
cd mcp-odbc
uv venv
.venv\Scripts\activate # On Mac / Linux: source .venv/bin/activate (untested)
uv pip install -e .

Configuration

The server can be configured through:

1. A dedicated config file
2. Environment variables
3. Claude Desktop configuration

General Configuration Setup

Create a configuration file (.ini) with your database connection details:

[SERVER]
default_connection = my_database
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 30

[my_database]
dsn = MyDatabaseDSN
username = your_username
password = your_password
readonly = true

SQLite Configuration

For SQLite databases with ODBC:

[SERVER]
default_connection = sqlite_db
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 30

[sqlite_db]
dsn = SQLite_DSN_Name
readonly = true

Sage 100 ProvideX Configuration

ProvideX requires special configuration for compatibility. Use this minimal configuration for best results:

[SERVER]
default_connection = sage100
max_rows = 1000
timeout = 60

[sage100]
dsn = YOUR_PROVIDEX_DSN
username = your_username
password = your_password
company = YOUR_COMPANY_CODE
readonly = true

Important notes for ProvideX:

• Use a minimal configuration - adding extra parameters may cause connection issues
• Always set readonly = true for safety
• The company parameter is required for Sage 100 connections
• Avoid changing connection attributes after connection is established

Claude Desktop Integration

To configure the server in Claude Desktop:

1. Open or create claude_desktop_config.json:

   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "odbc": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "C:\\path\\to\\mcp-odbc",
        "run",
        "odbc-mcp-server",
        "--config", 
        "C:\\path\\to\\mcp-odbc\\config\\your_config.ini"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Usage

Starting the Server Manually

# Start with default configuration
odbc-mcp-server

# Start with a specific config file