list_instances

List information about instances in a project. The request requires the 'parent' field to be set in the format 'projects/{project}'. Example: { "parent": "projects/my-project" }

SERVERMcp SOURCEhttps://bigtableadmin.googleapis.com/mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 21 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/com-googleapis-bigtableadmin-mcp/list-instances.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_instances does on Mcp

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`parent`	string	Yes	Required. The unique name of the project for which a list of instances is requested. Values are of the form `projects/{project}`.
`pageToken`	string	—	DEPRECATED: This field is unused and ignored.

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why list_instances is rated Low

This tool retrieves metadata about Bigtable instances scoped to a specific project. It performs a read-only query operation with no capability to modify, delete, or execute arbitrary code. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an attacker gains visibility into instance configuration but cannot alter or destroy resources. Classification as 'Read' is appropriate.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'list_instances' and description 'List information about instances in a project' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects. The operation queries and returns data without modifying, creating, or deleting resources.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_instances safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For list_instances, this is the rule to start with:

list_instances Allowed

list_instances is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_instances": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp, apply this rule, and every list_instances call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about list_instances

What does the list_instances tool do? +

List information about instances in a project. The request requires the 'parent' field to be set in the format 'projects/{project}'. Example: { "parent": "projects/my-project" }. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does list_instances accept? +

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

How do I enforce a policy on list_instances? +

Register the MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for list_instances: 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 Mcp. Nothing to install.

What risk level is list_instances? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_instances? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the list_instances 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 list_instances completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for list_instances. 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 list_instances? +

list_instances is provided by the MCP server (https://bigtableadmin.googleapis.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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