Retrieve the virtualization engine information for a virtual machine to identify its hypervisor or platform. Use it to check VM engine details before managing or configuring the server.
Virtualization engine information (vm/get_engine).
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.0.1Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds nothing beyond restating the API endpoint in parentheses — no scope, freshness, or content of the engine data — so it contributes almost no behavioral context.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
A single short sentence with the endpoint reference in parentheses; front-loaded and waste-free. It is terse rather than padded, though the parenthetical adds little for an agent.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a zero-argument read-only tool with no output schema, the description is minimally viable but does not say what the engine information comprises, leaving the agent unable to predict the response. Adequate but with a clear gap.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool takes zero parameters, so there is nothing to document and the baseline of 4 applies. The description neither helps nor hurts here.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States the resource ('virtualization engine information') but the verb is weak and it never says what information is returned, nor distinguishes it from the closest sibling get_vm_stats. An agent can tell it is a read of VM engine data, but not what that data is.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No when-to-use guidance and no mention of alternatives among the many VM/console siblings (get_vm_stats, get_vnc_console, etc.). Usage must be inferred entirely from the name.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.