# list_alerts

Use this as the primary tool to list the alerts in a Google Cloud project. An alert is the representation of a violation of an alert policy. This is useful for understanding current and past violations of an alert policy.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `list_alerts`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/list-alerts

## Facts

- Tool: `list_alerts`
- Server: Mcp (`https://monitoring.googleapis.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/https://monitoring.googleapis.com/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade C, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 5 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `filter` | string | no | Optional. An alert is returned if there is a match on any fields belonging to the alert or its subfields. |
| `parent` | string | yes | Required. The name of the project to list alerts for. |
| `orderBy` | string | no | Optional. A comma-separated list of fields in `Alert` to use for sorting. The default sort direction is ascending. To specify descending order for a field, add |
| `pageSize` | integer | no | Optional. The maximum number of results to return in a single response. If not set to a positive number, at most 50 alerts will be returned. The maximum value i |
| `pageToken` | string | no | Optional. If non-empty, `page_token` must contain a value returned as the `next_page_token` in a previous response to request the next set of results. |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

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

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "list_alerts",
    "arguments": {
      "parent": "<parent>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why list_alerts is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries alert information from a Google Cloud project without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is purely informational, allowing visibility into existing alerts and policy violations. This is a standard Read operation with minimal risk if misused by an AI agent, as it only exposes existing alert data without capability to change infrastructure or trigger actions.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name is 'list_alerts' and description states it is used to 'list the alerts' and 'understanding current and past violations of an alert policy.' The verb 'list' and the read-only retrieval of alert data with no modification or side effects clearly…"

## Use case

AI agents call list_alerts 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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Mcp:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "list_alerts": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Mcp (8)

- `get_alert` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/get-alert.md
- `get_alert_policy` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/get-alert-policy.md
- `get_dashboard` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/get-dashboard.md
- `list_alert_policies` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/list-alert-policies.md
- `list_dashboards` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/list-dashboards.md
- `list_metric_descriptors` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/list-metric-descriptors.md
- `list_timeseries` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/list-timeseries.md
- `query_range` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-monitoring-mcp/query-range.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`

---

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