# gcp_compute_start_instance

Start a stopped VM instance

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `gcp_compute_start_instance`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-start-instance

## Facts

- Tool: `gcp_compute_start_instance`
- Server: GCP MCP Server (`ahmedselimmansor-ctrl/gcp_mcp_server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl/GCP_MCP_server
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "gcp_compute_start_instance",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why gcp_compute_start_instance is rated High

Starting a VM instance triggers external compute operations whose effects depend on which instance is specified as an argument. This is not merely querying data (Read), creating reversible configuration (Write), or irreversibly deleting resources (Destructive).

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'gcp_compute_start_instance' and description 'Start a stopped VM instance' indicate execution of an infrastructure state change operation on a compute resource."

## Use case

AI agents invoke gcp_compute_start_instance to trigger actions in GCP MCP Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches GCP MCP Server:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "gcp_compute_start_instance": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "gcp_compute_start_instance_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on GCP MCP Server (294)

- `gcp_agent_delete_app` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-app.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_data_store` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-data-store.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_endpoint` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-endpoint.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_model` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-model.md
- `gcp_agent_delete_reasoning_engine` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-agent-delete-reasoning-engine.md
- `gcp_appengine_delete_service` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-appengine-delete-service.md
- `gcp_appengine_delete_version` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-appengine-delete-version.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_package` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-package.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_repository` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-repository.md
- `gcp_ar_delete_version` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-ar-delete-version.md
- `gcp_bq_delete_dataset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-bq-delete-dataset.md
- `gcp_bq_delete_table` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-bq-delete-table.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_disk` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-disk.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_instance` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-instance.md
- `gcp_compute_delete_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-delete-snapshot.md
- `gcp_compute_detach_disk` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-compute-detach-disk.md
- `gcp_dns_delete_managed_zone` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-dns-delete-managed-zone.md
- `gcp_dns_delete_record_set` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-dns-delete-record-set.md
- `gcp_firestore_delete_document` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-firestore-delete-document.md
- `gcp_functions_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-functions-delete.md
- `gcp_gke_delete_cluster` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-gke-delete-cluster.md
- `gcp_gke_delete_node_pool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-gke-delete-node-pool.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_custom_role` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-custom-role.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_service_account` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-service-account.md
- `gcp_iam_delete_service_account_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-delete-service-account-key.md
- `gcp_iam_remove_iam_binding` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-iam-remove-iam-binding.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_backend_service` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-backend-service.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_forwarding_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-forwarding-rule.md
- `gcp_lb_delete_target_pool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-lb-delete-target-pool.md
- `gcp_logging_delete_log` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server/gcp-logging-delete-log.md
- …and 264 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/ahmedselimmansor-ctrl-gcp-mcp-server