Now let me add a practical example showing how machine capabilities affect operations and command suggestions. I'll add this as a new section showing real-world scenarios.


Great, let's use that so claude knows which machine I'm on when executing actions, and also so claude can inventory or track OS or Tool specific differences between machines.  That way it knows not to run Windows commands on the Mac, or Mac commands on Windows.  It'll also know or be able to determine which MCPs to call, or skills.


Edit

### Benefits of Failure Logging System

**1. Self-Improving System:**
- Each failure makes the system smarter
- Patterns identified automatically
- Insights generated without manual documentation

**2. Reduced User Friction:**
- User doesn't have to keep correcting same mistakes
- Claude learns environmental constraints once
- Suggestions are environmentally aware from start

**3. Institutional Knowledge Capture:**
- All environmental quirks documented in database
- Survives across sessions and Claude instances
- Queryable: "What are known issues with D2TESTNAS?"

**4. Proactive Problem Prevention:**
- Environment Context Agent prevents failures before they happen
- Suggests compatible alternatives automatically
- Warns about known limitations

**5. Audit Trail:**
- Every failure tracked with full context
- Resolution history for troubleshooting
- Pattern analysis for infrastructure planning

---

### Benefits of Failure Logging System

**1. Self-Improving System:**
- Each failure makes the system smarter
- Patterns identified automatically
- Insights generated without manual documentation

**2. Reduced User Friction:**
- User doesn't have to keep correcting same mistakes
- Claude learns environmental constraints once
- Suggestions are environmentally aware from start

**3. Institutional Knowledge Capture:**
- All environmental quirks documented in database
- Survives across sessions and Claude instances
- Queryable: "What are known issues with D2TESTNAS?"

**4. Proactive Problem Prevention:**
- Environment Context Agent prevents failures before they happen
- Suggests compatible alternatives automatically
- Warns about known limitations

**5. Audit Trail:**
- Every failure tracked with full context
- Resolution history for troubleshooting
- Pattern analysis for infrastructure planning

---

## Machine-Aware Operations

**Core Principle:** Command suggestions and operations are tailored to the capabilities of the current machine.

### Real-World Scenarios

#### Scenario 1: VPN-Required Client Work

**User on Main Laptop (has VPN):**
```
User: "/msp" → selects Dataforth

Machine Detection Agent returns:
- Machine: ACG-M-L5090 (Main Laptop)
- VPN access: ✓ (dataforth, grabb, internal)
- Capabilities: Full toolset

Main Claude:
"MSP Mode: Dataforth | Machine: Main Laptop (VPN: ✓) | Started: 3:45 PM"

User: "SSH to D2TESTNAS and check WINS status"

Environment Context Agent:
- Current machine: Main Laptop (has VPN: dataforth)
- Target: D2TESTNAS (requires VPN to 192.168.0.9)
- ✓ VPN check passed

Main Claude suggests:
"ssh root@192.168.0.9 'ps aux | grep nmbd'"
```

**User on Travel Laptop (NO VPN):**
```
User: "/msp" → selects Dataforth

Machine Detection Agent returns:
- Machine: Travel-Laptop
- VPN access: ✗ (none configured)
- Capabilities: Limited toolset

Main Claude:
"⚠ MSP Mode: Dataforth | Machine: Travel Laptop (VPN: ✗) | Started: 3:45 PM"
"Warning: Dataforth infrastructure requires VPN access. Travel-Laptop has no VPN configured."
"Some operations may be unavailable. Switch to Main Laptop for full access."

User: "SSH to D2TESTNAS"

Environment Context Agent:
- Current machine: Travel-Laptop (no VPN)
- Target: D2TESTNAS (requires VPN to 192.168.0.9)
- ✗ VPN check FAILED

Main Claude responds:
"Cannot access D2TESTNAS from Travel-Laptop (no VPN connection to 192.168.0.0/24)."
"Options:"
"  1. Switch to Main Laptop or Desktop (have VPN access)"
"  2. Configure VPN on this machine (I can help)"
"  3. Work on different client/task"
```

#### Scenario 2: Docker-Based Development

**User on Main Laptop (has Docker):**
```
User: "Build the GuruRMM container"

Machine Detection Agent: Main Laptop has Docker 24.0 ✓

Main Claude:
"Building GuruRMM container on Main Laptop..."
[executes docker build commands]
```

**User on Travel Laptop (no Docker):**
```
User: "Build the GuruRMM container"

Machine Detection Agent: Travel-Laptop has no Docker ✗

Main Claude:
"Travel-Laptop doesn't have Docker installed."
"Options:"
"  1. Install Docker (I can guide you)"
"  2. Switch to Main Laptop or Desktop (have Docker)"
"  3. Use remote build server (172.16.3.30)"
```

#### Scenario 3: PowerShell Version Differences

**User on Main Laptop (PowerShell 7.4):**
```
User: "Get local users on AD2"

Machine Detection Agent: Main Laptop has PowerShell 7.4 ✓

Main Claude suggests modern cmdlet:
"Get-LocalUser -ComputerName AD2"
```

**User on old Desktop (PowerShell 5.1):**
```
User: "Get local users on AD2"

Machine Detection Agent: Desktop has PowerShell 5.1

Environment Context Agent:
- Desktop: PowerShell 5.1 (no Get-LocalUser remote capability)
- Suggests WinRM or alternative

Main Claude:
"Invoke-Command -ComputerName AD2 -ScriptBlock { Get-LocalUser }"
(or suggests WMI alternative if WinRM not available)
```

#### Scenario 4: Session History Per Machine

**Querying past work:**
```
User: "What did I work on last from this laptop?"

Machine Detection Agent: Current machine = Main Laptop (machine_id: uuid-123)

Historical Search Agent:
Query: SELECT * FROM sessions WHERE machine_id = 'uuid-123' ORDER BY session_date DESC LIMIT 5

Returns:
"Recent sessions from Main Laptop:"
"1. Dataforth - DOS UPDATE.BAT v2.0 (Jan 15, 3.5 hrs)"
"2. Grabb & Durando - DNS migration (Jan 14, 2.0 hrs)"
"3. Internal - GuruRMM container build (Jan 13, 1.5 hrs)"

User: "What about from my desktop?"

Historical Search Agent:
Query: SELECT * FROM sessions WHERE machine_id = (SELECT id FROM machines WHERE friendly_name = 'Desktop')

Returns:
"Recent sessions from Desktop:"
"1. Valley Wide Plastering - M365 migration planning (Jan 12, 2.5 hrs)"
"2. Internal - Infrastructure upgrades (Jan 10, 4.0 hrs)"
```

### Machine-Specific Insights

**Machine capabilities inform command suggestions:**

```sql
-- Before suggesting Docker command
SELECT has_docker FROM machines WHERE id = current_machine_id

-- Before suggesting SSH to client infrastructure
SELECT vpn_profiles FROM machines WHERE id = current_machine_id
-- Check if client's network is in vpn_profiles array

-- Before suggesting PowerShell cmdlets
SELECT powershell_version FROM machines WHERE id = current_machine_id
-- Use PS 2.0 compatible commands if version = "2.0"
```

### Benefits of Machine Tracking

**1. Capability-Aware Suggestions:**
- Never suggest Docker commands on machines without Docker
- Never suggest VPN-required access from non-VPN machines
- Use version-compatible syntax for PowerShell/tools

**2. Session Portability:**
- Know which sessions were done where
- Understand tool availability context for past work
- Resume work on appropriate machine

**3. Troubleshooting Context:**
- "This worked on Main Laptop but not Desktop" → Check tool versions
- Machine-specific environmental issues tracked
- Cross-machine compatibility insights

**4. User Experience:**
- Proactive warnings about capability limitations
- Helpful suggestions to switch machines when needed
- No wasted time trying commands that won't work

**5. Multi-User MSP Team (Future):**
- Track which technician on which machine
- Machine capabilities per team member
- Resource allocation (who has VPN access to which clients)

---