# snow_test_connection

Smoke-test the current ServiceNow connection: authenticates and fetches one sys_user row. Returns the resolved instance URL on success; use as a quick liveness/credentials check before running other tools.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `snow_test_connection`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-test-connection

## Facts

- Tool: `snow_test_connection`
- Server: Serac (`serac-labs/serac`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/serac-labs/serac
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

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

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

## Why snow_test_connection is rated Low

This tool performs a simple authentication test and retrieves a single read-only data row from ServiceNow. It has no capability to modify, delete, execute arbitrary code, or cause destructive changes. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—at worst, it could expose connection status or reveal the existence of a user record, but cannot alter system state or trigger unintended operations.

From the tool's own definition: "The tool 'smoke-test[s] the current ServiceNow connection: authenticates and fetches one sys_user row.' It retrieves data (one sys_user row) with no side effects, making it a read operation."

## Use case

AI agents call snow_test_connection to retrieve information from Serac 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 Serac:

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

## Other tools on Serac (431)

- `snow_cleanup_test_artifacts` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-cleanup-test-artifacts.md
- `snow_delete_attachment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-delete-attachment.md
- `snow_inbound_email_action` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-inbound-email-action.md
- `snow_pa_indicator_manage` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-pa-indicator-manage.md
- `snow_rollback_deployment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-rollback-deployment.md
- `snow_workflow_transition` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-workflow-transition.md
- `enterprise_tool_execute` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/enterprise-tool-execute.md
- `snow_auto_resolve_incident` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-auto-resolve-incident.md
- `snow_automate_threat_response` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-automate-threat-response.md
- `snow_batch_request` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-batch-request.md
- `snow_change_manage` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-change-manage.md
- `snow_cicd_deploy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-cicd-deploy.md
- `snow_collect_metric` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-collect-metric.md
- `snow_confirm_script_execution` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-confirm-script-execution.md
- `snow_convert_es6_to_es5` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-convert-es6-to-es5.md
- `snow_convert_to_es5` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-convert-to-es5.md
- `snow_create_mobile_action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-create-mobile-action.md
- `snow_create_vulnerability_scan` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-create-vulnerability-scan.md
- `snow_custom_api` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-custom-api.md
- `snow_elevate_role` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-elevate-role.md
- `snow_employee_offboarding` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-employee-offboarding.md
- `snow_employee_onboarding` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-employee-onboarding.md
- `snow_execute_atf_test` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-execute-atf-test.md
- `snow_execute_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-execute-script.md
- `snow_execute_security_playbook` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-execute-security-playbook.md
- `snow_execute_transform` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-execute-transform.md
- `snow_fluent_build` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-fluent-build.md
- `snow_fluent_install` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-fluent-install.md
- `snow_fluent_transform` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-fluent-transform.md
- `snow_github_deploy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/serac/snow-github-deploy.md
- …and 401 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/serac.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=serac · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/serac