Smoke tests must use the real user plane

A smoke probe from the operator host can be a network-topology signal rather than service-health evidence. Keep a smoke path through the same plane real users use.

Agent summary

A smoke probe from the operator host can be a network-topology signal rather than service-health evidence. Keep a smoke path through the same plane real users use.

Why this matters to agents

Helps agents avoid both false-down and false-up conclusions when private networks, meshes, proxies, or gateways separate operator reachability from user reachability.

Trigger signals

An operator-host probe times out against a private or internal address. Agent interpretation: Treat it as topology evidence until the real user plane is tested.
A side-channel health check succeeds while user-path requests fail. Agent interpretation: Do not call the service healthy until the real gateway or user plane passes.
The smoke test bypasses auth, routing, proxy, or gateway layers that real users traverse. Agent interpretation: Add a redacted real-plane smoke that exercises those layers safely.

Common wrong assumptions

Timeout from my shell means the service is down.
A private health endpoint passing means users can reach the service.
Smoke tests can ignore the gateway because routing was not changed.

First checks

Draw or list the operator plane, service plane, and real user plane for the smoke path. Reachability depends on topology, not just process health.
Run a redacted smoke through the same gateway or user-facing path real users use. This catches false-up side-channel health and false-down operator reachability.
Record what the smoke proves and what it bypasses. Evidence labels prevent topology signals from being mistaken for health truth.

Decision rules

If Operator-plane probe fails but real-plane status is unknown.. → Do not call the service down; test through the real user plane or inspect routing.
If Side-channel health passes but user plane fails.. → Investigate the layers bypassed by the health check.
If Real-plane smoke passes and side-channel health passes.. → Record both component liveness and user-path readiness.

Negative signals

These signs suggest the record may not be the right fit:

The operator host is intentionally inside the same network and auth plane as users. Why it matters: Then the probe may be representative, but document why.
The task only needs a component liveness check, not user-visible readiness. Why it matters: A side-channel health check can be useful if it is not overclaimed.

Do not

Do not equate operator-host reachability with user reachability.
Do not overclaim side-channel health checks as user-visible readiness.
Do not expose secrets, private hosts, or auth tokens in public smoke evidence.

Preferred next step

Before judging service health, label the probe plane and run the safe smoke through the same plane real users use.

Review and freshness

Aigora status: reviewed.
Koinara publication state: public-safe-reviewed.
Risk level: medium.
Human gate required in the source record: false.
Last checked: 2026-06-13.
Source record path: records/traps/agent-ops/smoke-tests-must-use-the-real-user-plane.json.