instabox-mcp

Update a machine

instabox_update_machine

Change a machine's idle auto-pause time and/or labels. Applies immediately in any state. metadata REPLACES all labels ({} clears them). Fields you leave out are unchanged.

Instructions

Change a machine's idle auto-pause time and/or labels. Applies immediately in any state. metadata REPLACES all labels ({} clears them). Fields you leave out are unchanged. Auto-pause is only honoured on accounts with manual lifecycle; the reply shows the effective value.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "id": "<id>"
    },
    "name": "instabox_update_machine"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`id`	Yes	Machine ID (m_...) or its unique name
`name`	No	Rename the machine
`metadata`	No	Replacement labels
`autoSuspendAfterSeconds`	No	120-86400, or 0 to turn idle pause off

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 1, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Excellent disclosure beyond annotations: it warns that `metadata` REPLACES all labels and that `{}` clears them, clarifies partial-update semantics ("Fields you leave out are unchanged"), and notes the account-level constraint that auto-pause is only honoured on manual-lifecycle accounts. It also tells the agent the reply carries the effective value — exactly the operational context annotations cannot convey.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Four dense sentences, each carrying a distinct fact (scope, immediacy, replacement semantics, partial-update, account constraint) with zero filler. Destructive-in-practice metadata behaviour is front-loaded rather than buried.

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?

For a 4-parameter mutation with no output schema, this covers everything an agent needs: which fields change, replacement vs. merge semantics, that changes take effect immediately regardless of state, and one caveat about server-side enforcement. Because there's no output schema, the note that "the reply shows the effective value" usefully sets return expectations.

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 already 100%, so the baseline is 3; the description earns above that by adding semantics the schema lacks — that `metadata` is a full replacement and that `{}` is the clearing idiom, plus the behavioural caveat on the auto-pause value. The only gap is the unmentioned `name` rename parameter, which the description never surfaces.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb and resource plus the exact fields being changed: "Change a machine's idle auto-pause time and/or labels." It omits the `name`/rename capability that exists in the schema, so the stated scope is slightly narrower than reality, but an agent can still distinguish this from siblings like instabox_create_machine or instabox_update_machine_secrets at a glance.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

"Applies immediately in any state" gives useful context for when this is safe/applicable, and the labels/auto-pause framing implies the usage domain. However, there is no explicit when-to-use vs. when-not framing and no named alternative (e.g., rename-vs-relabel guidance) — usage is implied rather than directed.

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