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Vendia

Free Tier Setup Guide

This guide walks you through setting up Vendia’s MCP as a Service Free Tier to work with AI applications, enabling them to access your S3 data and use the included Demo Vendia Connection.

For more information about Free Tier features, limitations, and frequently asked questions, see the MCP as a Service Free Tier FAQ.

Demo Vendia Connection

Every Free Tier account includes a Demo Vendia Connection with sample data and ready-to-use prompts:

  1. Copy Your MCP Server URL: In the Vendia Free Tier console, copy your MCP server URL
  2. Configure Your AI Application: Add the MCP server URL to your AI application (see Step 2: Configure Your AI Application below)
  3. Use Ready-to-Use Prompts: Access the sample prompts in the Demo Vendia Connection

Prerequisites

To use the Demo Vendia Connection (included with Free Tier):

  • MCP-Compatible AI Application such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Mistral AI: Le Chat (free plan supported)

To connect your own Amazon S3 buckets:

  • Amazon S3 bucket(s) with the data you want to make accessible to AI applications
  • AWS account access to create cross-account IAM roles
  • MCP-Compatible AI Application such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Mistral AI: Le Chat (free plan supported)

Setup Steps

Step 1: Get Your MCP Server URL

Your MCP server URL is provided in the Vendia Free Tier console. Copy this URL - you’ll need it for your AI application.

Step 2: Configure Your AI Application

Add your MCP server URL to your AI application by following the detailed instructions in the Getting Started Guide.

Quick links for specific AI applications:

Step 3: Authenticate

When you first try to use the Vendia integration in your AI application:

  1. First Use: You’ll be directed to authenticate with your Vendia credentials
  2. OAuth Flow: Complete the OAuth authentication flow in your browser
  3. Return to AI App: Return to your AI application to start using your Vendia data

For more information about authentication methods, see the Authentication Methods guide.

Step 4 (Optional): Add API Catalogs

Add OpenAPI/Swagger specifications to enable AI applications to discover and interact with your APIs. See API Catalogs for details.

Verify Your Connection

After setup, verify the connection by:

  • Asking your AI application to list available files in your connected S3 buckets
  • Testing file access by requesting content from a specific file
  • Checking that storage connections are working properly

For a complete list of available tools and capabilities, see Free Tier Overview - MCP Tools.

Troubleshooting

”Vendia” Option Not Appearing

  • Ensure you’ve completely restarted your AI application (e.g., Claude)
  • Verify your MCP Server URL is correct
  • Check that the MCP Server URL is accessible from your network

Authentication Issues

  • Verify your Vendia Free Tier credentials are correct
  • Check that popup blockers aren’t preventing the authentication window
  • Ensure you’re logged into the correct Vendia account

For more information about authentication methods, see the Authentication Methods guide.

Connection Errors

  • Confirm the MCP Server URL is correct and accessible
  • Verify your network connection allows access to the Vendia servers
  • Check if corporate firewalls are blocking the connection

Storage Connection Issues

  • Verify your cross-account IAM role has the correct S3 permissions
  • Check that your storage connection configuration is correct
  • Ensure your S3 bucket contains accessible files

For detailed troubleshooting, see Storage Connections - Troubleshooting.

Next Steps

Now that you have Vendia MCP Server configured with your AI application, you can:

  1. Set Up Storage Connections: Configure access to your S3 buckets using the Storage Connections guide
  2. Explore Your Files: Ask your AI application to list and access files in your connected S3 buckets
  3. Analyze and Create Content: Use your AI application to read, analyze, and work with existing text, image, and PDF files, or create new files
  4. Monitor Usage: Track file access and usage through the Vendia Free Tier console

Advanced Connection Methods

Need alternative connection methods beyond direct remote MCP? See the Advanced Connection Methods guide for:

  • Local proxy connections (for legacy MCP clients)
  • Programmatic access with service credentials
  • Custom token exchange implementations

Need Help?

The Vendia team is here to help you make the most of AI-powered access to your distributed data!