snow_collect_metric · Serac MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What snow_collect_metric does on Serac

AI agents invoke snow_collect_metric to trigger actions in Serac. 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.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why snow_collect_metric needs a policy

This tool actively triggers an execution of a platform collector process and writes new data (a measurement point) to the system. It is not a passive read — it causes a side-effectful operation (running MetricBaseCollector and writing data). Writing a measurement point is reversible in principle, but the primary action is executing a platform process, making Execute the most accurate category.

From the tool's definition 'runs the platform MetricBaseCollector against a metric_definition sys_id to write a fresh measurement point'

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

snow_collect_metric Rate-limited

snow_collect_metric stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "snow_collect_metric": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "snow_collect_metric_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Serac, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about snow_collect_metric

What does the snow_collect_metric tool do? +

Sample a defined metric on-demand: runs the platform MetricBaseCollector against a metric_definition sys_id to write a fresh measurement point. Companion to snow_create_metric. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Serac MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on snow_collect_metric? +

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

What risk level is snow_collect_metric? +

snow_collect_metric is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit snow_collect_metric? +

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

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

snow_collect_metric is provided by the Serac MCP server (serac-labs/serac). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.