Alibaba Cloud RDS OpenAPI MCP Server

What does “Alibaba Cloud RDS OpenAPI” MCP Server do?

The Alibaba Cloud RDS OpenAPI MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to facilitate interaction between AI assistants and Alibaba Cloud RDS (Relational Database Service) via the official OpenAPI. By acting as a bridge between AI clients and cloud-based database resources, this server enables streamlined database operations, such as querying and managing RDS instances, through standardized MCP interfaces. Developers and AI agents can leverage the server to automate workflows, manage cloud databases, and integrate database operations into broader AI-driven pipelines, enhancing productivity and reducing manual overhead. The server also supports secure credential management and can be easily integrated into development tools that support MCP standards.

List of Prompts

• RDS MCP prompt template
  • A prompt template is referenced in the documentation for use with the server, but the specific content or templates are not detailed in the repository. Please refer to the Cherry Studio documentation for details.

List of Resources

• No explicit list of MCP resources is provided in the available documentation or repository files.

List of Tools

• No explicit tool definitions are referenced in the documentation or main project files. Tool details may be defined within the source code, but are not listed in the README or setup instructions.

Use Cases of this MCP Server

• Database Operations Automation
  Enables developers to automate common RDS management tasks (e.g., instance start/stop, backup) directly through AI-powered workflows.
• Integrated Cloud Database Management
  Permits seamless integration of RDS management into development environments, reducing context switching and manual operations.
• Secure Credential Handling
  Uses environment variables to securely pass Alibaba Cloud API credentials, supporting best practices in secrets management.
• Multi-Platform Development Support
  Supports integration into various AI development tools (Cherry Studio, Cline) for flexible workflow design.
• Centralized RDS Monitoring
  Provides a unified interface for monitoring and interacting with Alibaba Cloud RDS resources via OpenAPI.

How to set it up

Windsurf

No specific instructions for Windsurf are provided in the repository.

Claude

No specific instructions for Claude are provided in the repository.

Cursor

No specific instructions for Cursor are provided in the repository.

Cline

1. Set your environment variables:

   export SERVER_TRANSPORT=sse;
   export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID=$your_access_id;
   export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET=$your_access_key;
   export ALIBABA_CLOUD_SECURITY_TOKEN=$your_sts_security_token; # optional
   

2. Run the MCP server:

   uvx alibabacloud-rds-openapi-mcp-server@latest
   

3. Verify server startup (look for output indicating that Uvicorn is running).
4. Configure Cline to connect:

   remote_server = "http://127.0.0.1:8000/sse";
   

Example JSON configuration (for Cherry Studio, which can be adapted for other platforms):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rds-openapi": {
      "name": "rds-openapi",
      "type": "stdio",
      "description": "",
      "isActive": true,
      "registryUrl": "",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "alibabacloud-rds-openapi-mcp-server@latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "$your_access_id",
        "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET": "$your_access_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Securing API Keys

Store sensitive credentials in environment variables rather than directly in configuration files. For example, in your JSON config:

"env": {
  "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "$your_access_id",
  "ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET": "$your_access_key"
}

How to use this MCP inside flows

Using MCP in FlowHunt

To integrate MCP servers into your FlowHunt workflow, start by adding the MCP component to your flow and connecting it to your AI agent:

Click on the MCP component to open the configuration panel. In the system MCP configuration section, insert your MCP server details using this JSON format:

{
  "rds-openapi": {
    "transport": "streamable_http",
    "url": "https://yourmcpserver.example/pathtothemcp/url"
  }
}

Once configured, the AI agent is now able to use this MCP as a tool with access to all its functions and capabilities. Remember to change “rds-openapi” to whatever the actual name of your MCP server is and replace the URL with your own MCP server URL.

Overview

Our opinion

The Alibaba Cloud RDS OpenAPI MCP Server offers clear setup instructions for Cherry Studio and Cline, and demonstrates good practices in credential management. However, it lacks detailed documentation on available prompts, resources, and tools, which limits its accessibility for broader developer audiences and advanced use. The project is maintained with a standard open-source license, has a moderate user base, and integrates well with some established tools, but would benefit from more comprehensive documentation and explicit resource/tool listing.

MCP Score