describe_table

Column schema for a table. Accepts bare or schema.table identifiers (e.g. dbo.Users).

Server Mssql Mcp Node mssql-mcp-node
Category Read
Risk class Low
Parameters 21 required

What describe_table does on Mssql Mcp Node

AI agents call describe_table to retrieve information from Mssql Mcp Node without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
dbKey string Database key (lowercased). Optional in single-database mode. Call `list_databases` to discover valid keys.
table string Yes

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

Why describe_table needs a policy

This tool retrieves metadata about table structure (column definitions) without side effects. It is a read-only introspection operation analogous to querying the information schema. No data is modified, deleted, or executed.

From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states it retrieves 'Column schema for a table' with no indication of modification or execution. The name 'describe_table' and the parameter format (`schema.table` identifiers) are consistent with introspection/query operations.

Questions about describe_table

What does the describe_table tool do? +

Column schema for a table. Accepts bare or schema.table identifiers (e.g. dbo.Users). It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mssql Mcp Node MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does describe_table accept? +

describe_table accepts 2 parameters: dbKey, table. Required: table. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on describe_table? +

Register the Mssql Mcp Node MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for describe_table: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Mssql Mcp Node. Nothing to install.

What risk level is describe_table? +

describe_table is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit describe_table? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the describe_table rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block describe_table completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for describe_table. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides describe_table? +

describe_table is provided by the Mssql Mcp Node MCP server (mssql-mcp-node). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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