Control Plane

Query Distributed Traces

query_traces

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search distributed traces (Tempo TraceQL), newest first, to find slow, failing, or specific requests. Filter with structured params (gvc, workload, location, httpMethod, requestId, errorsOnly, minDuration) OR a raw traceql query, which REPLACES them and must embed every filter. Span attributes: resource.gvc, resource.workload, resource.location, span.http.method, span.http.url (the full URL), span.http.status_code (a string, e.g. "503"), span."guid:x-request-id". Traces exist only where tracing is enabled (spec.tracing on the GVC via update_gvc, or on the org) and only for requests sampled after that. Returns trace IDs with root span, requests seen, start time, and duration. traceId returns that one trace instead: the span tree with each span's duration, service, kind (server: a request the workload received; client: a call it made), method, path, and status; the request ids to match in access and request logs; and the error spans with their messages, to pinpoint WHERE latency or failures sit. A very large trace shows its first spans in tree order and always lists its error spans.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`to`	No	Absolute end time (exclusive, ISO 8601).
`gvc`	No	Filter traces to one GVC (matches the `resource.gvc` span attribute).
`org`	No	Organization slug.
`from`	No	Absolute start time (inclusive, ISO 8601). Overrides `since`. Must be earlier than `to`.
`limit`	No	Maximum traces to return (default: 20, max: 100).
`since`	No	Lookback window as relative duration (default: "1h"). Examples: "30m", "2h", "1d".
`traceId`	No	A trace ID from search results: returns that trace instead of searching.
`traceql`	No	Raw TraceQL, e.g. `{ resource.gvc = "prod" && span.http.url =~ "./checkout." }`. REPLACES the structured params, so it must embed every filter.
`location`	No	Filter traces to one location (e.g., "aws-us-east-1").
`workload`	No	Filter traces to one workload (matches the `resource.workload` span attribute).
`requestId`	No	Only the trace of this request: the x-request-id in access and request logs.
`errorsOnly`	No	Only return traces containing at least one error span.
`httpMethod`	No	Only traces with a request of this HTTP method, e.g. "POST".
`minDuration`	No	Only return traces slower than this total duration (e.g., "500ms", "2s") — the slow-request finder.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`ok`	Yes
`data`	No	The full result. Read this, not only the summary.
`details`	No
`summary`	Yes
`nextSteps`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 22, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / traceId

Added value: +{
+  "description": "A trace ID from search results: returns that trace instead of searching.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

Changed26 schema fields changedSep 30, 2026

removedInput schema / $schema

Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"

removedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -false
```
removedInput schema / properties / from / maxLength
```
Removed value: -40
```
removedInput schema / properties / gvc / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```

addedInput schema / properties / httpMethod

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Only traces with a request of this HTTP method, e.g. \"POST\".",
+  "type": "string"
+}

removedInput schema / properties / location / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```
removedInput schema / properties / minDuration / pattern
```
Removed value: -"^\\d+(\\.\\d+)?(ns|us|ms|s|m|h)$"
```

changedInput schema / properties / org / description

Previous value: -"Organization slug (lowercase kebab-case). NEVER guess — if the user has not named one, ask. On org-not-found, stop and ask; do not retry variants."New value: +"Organization slug."

removedInput schema / properties / org / maxLength
```
Removed value: -63
```
removedInput schema / properties / org / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```

removedInput schema / properties / org / pattern

Removed value: -"^[a-z0-9]([a-z0-9-]{0,61}[a-z0-9])?$"

addedInput schema / properties / requestId

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Only the trace of this request: the x-request-id in access and request logs.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

removedInput schema / properties / since / maxLength
```
Removed value: -20
```
removedInput schema / properties / to / maxLength
```
Removed value: -40
```

changedInput schema / properties / traceql / description

Previous value: -"Raw TraceQL query (e.g. `{ resource.workload = \"api\" && status = error }`). REPLACES the structured params entirely, so it must embed ALL filters itself. Span attributes available: resource.gvc, resource.workload, resource.location."New value: +"Raw TraceQL, e.g. `{ resource.gvc = \"prod\" && span.http.url =~ \".*/checkout.*\" }`. REPLACES the structured params, so it must embed every filter."

removedInput schema / properties / traceql / maxLength
```
Removed value: -500
```
removedInput schema / properties / traceql / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```
removedInput schema / properties / workload / minLength
```
Removed value: -1
```
removedInput schema / required
```
Removed value: -[
-  "org"
-]
```

removedOutput schema / $schema

Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"

removedOutput schema / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -false
```

changedOutput schema / properties / data / description

Previous value: -"The full machine-readable result — list rows, the resource object, query results. Read THIS, not just the summary."New value: +"The full result. Read this, not only the summary."

addedOutput schema / properties / details
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

removedOutput schema / properties / nextSteps / description

Removed value: -"Recommended follow-up actions for this task, in order."

removedOutput schema / properties / ok / description
```
Removed value: -"Whether the call succeeded."
```
removedOutput schema / properties / summary / description
```
Removed value: -"One-line summary of the result."
```

AddedAug 14, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare a safe, idempotent read, but the description adds substantial context: newest-first ordering, span attribute names usable in TraceQL, the sampling/tracing-enablement caveat, and truncation behavior for very large traces (first spans in tree order, error spans always listed). That is exactly the kind of behavior an agent needs before invoking.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Dense but front-loaded: purpose first, then filter modes, then preconditions, then return shape. Most sentences carry unique information, though the long span-attribute enumeration and return-value recap are heavy given an output schema already exists.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Covers the two call modes, filter interplay, enabling/sampling prerequisites, and truncation semantics, so an agent can call it correctly even though the output schema handles return shape. No significant gaps remain.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds real meaning: it maps filters to concrete span attributes (resource.gvc, span.http.status_code as a string, span."guid:x-request-id") and clarifies that `traceql` replaces and must subsume the structured params. This helps agents author correct queries beyond what the schema says.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ("Search distributed traces (Tempo TraceQL)") and immediately distinguishes the two modes: search vs. single-trace detail via `traceId`. It is clearly separable from siblings like query_metrics and query_audit_events.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives clear use cases (slow, failing, or specific requests) and a critical precondition: traces only exist where `spec.tracing` is enabled and only for requests sampled after that. It also states the `traceql`-vs-structured-params rule. It doesn't explicitly name sibling alternatives for non-trace questions, keeping it just shy of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Control Plane tools Inspect

Try in Browser

One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.