Inconsistent Table Distribution Policy (DISTRIBUTED BY) displayed in DBeaver

Products

• VMware Tanzu Data Suite
• VMware Tanzu Greenplum
• VMware Tanzu Greenplum / Gemfire

Issue/Introduction

Users may observe inconsistent DDL definitions for the same table when using database management tools like DBeaver.

Specifically, one user may see the correct distribution policy (e.g., DISTRIBUTED BY (col1, col2)), while another user sees the table defined as DISTRIBUTED RANDOMLY.

Symptoms:

• DDL output varies between different user accounts.
• The issue may be isolated to GUI clients (DBeaver) while command-line tools (PSQL) show correct metadata.
• Access paths and search paths are identical for the affected users.

Resolution

If the issue is observed in a specific client like DBeaver, perform the following steps:

1. Validate via PSQL: Run \d+ <table_name> or SELECT pg_catalog.pg_get_table_distributedby('OID') to confirm the source of truth from the database catalog.
2. Verify Permissions: Ensure the user has sufficient permissions to access the catalog tables that define distribution policies.
3. Client Refresh: Disconnect and reconnect the DBeaver session or clear the metadata cache to ensure the client is not displaying stale or cached information.
4. Version Consistency: Ensure the database driver used by the client is compatible with the database version.