troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring

Triage smartctl disk health signals via Netdata MCP queries.

1|Updated Apr 17, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/netdata/skills --skill troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring
Source: https://github.com/netdata/skills/tree/main/skills/troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/netdata/skills --skill troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Diagnosing unexpected storage hardware issues by distinguishing gradual degradation, sudden failures, interface/transport problems, and thermal damage using SMART evidence.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • MCP-based smartctl triage: Queries Netdata via MCP to pull the smartctl (S.M.A.R.T. Disk Health) health signals for a specific host and device.
  • Operator playbook diagnostic tree: Routes a coding agent through failure archetypes and the matching remediation path used by the Netdata operator playbook.
  • Verification-first workflow: Re-runs targeted MCP verification queries to confirm signals return to expected bands before considering the issue resolved.

Quick Start

Use the MCP-backed triage path for the incident by telling the AI: Diagnose my smartctl (S.M.A.R.T. Disk Health) alerts for the host <host> and recommend remediation using Netdata MCP and the operator playbook.

Frequently Asked Questions about troubleshoot-smartctl-disk-monitoring

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I diagnose smartctl S.M.A.R.T. disk health alerts using Netdata MCP?▼

Diagnose smartctl S.M.A.R.T. alerts by querying Netdata MCP-exposed signals to triage disk health. The Skill routes through an operator playbook diagnostic tree to identify failure archetypes like gradual media degradation, sudden mechanical failure, or SSD wear-out, matching each with a remediation path.

What types of storage failures can smartctl monitoring distinguish?▼

Smartctl monitoring distinguishes gradual media degradation, sudden mechanical failure, SSD wear-out cliffs, interface/transport failures, and thermal damage. It uses S.M.A.R.T. evidence pulled via Netdata MCP queries to classify the specific failure archetype affecting the disk.

How do I troubleshoot anomalous disk behavior outside expected performance envelopes?▼

Troubleshoot anomalous disk behavior outside expected envelopes by running MCP queries like find_anomalous_metrics and query_metrics over smartctl contexts. Optional correlation queries help pinpoint whether the cause is thermal damage, interface failure, or mechanical degradation before applying playbook remediation.

Do I need Netdata MCP queries to triage disk health with smartctl signals?▼

Yes, you need Netdata MCP queries to triage disk health with smartctl signals. The Skill requires MCP queries including list_nodes, query_metrics, and find_anomalous_metrics over smartctl contexts to pull the S.M.A.R.T. health data needed for the diagnostic tree.

How does the verification workflow confirm a smartctl disk issue is resolved?▼

The verification workflow confirms a smartctl disk issue is resolved by re-running targeted MCP verification queries. It checks that the S.M.A.R.T. signals return to their expected bands before considering the remediation complete and the issue closed.