fix: agent-health-check gateway leg — deterministic probe-failed reporting

Per defect report 1154.msg (agent-health-gateway-leg-flap-20260913):
1. Add _ssh_retry() helper with one retry at longer timeout (25s)
2. Name probe target explicitly: ssh {user}@{host} <command>
3. Print probe-failed when first attempt fails, then retry
4. Only declare gateway-down after retry fails
5. Make Koby report-only explicit in output

Changes:
- check_agents(): all gateway probes now use _ssh_retry()
- All output lines name the probe target (ssh host:port)
- Koby's report-only status is explicit in output
- Never print bare "gateway down" — always name target and failure kind

Verified: koonimo shows "probe-failed" on first attempt (transient SSH),
retries at 25s, succeeds, reports ✅ koonimo: gw=running

infrastructure-monitoring.prose.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ description: >
   ⚠️ This contract is target-state aspirational — but GPU export + alerting
      are now as-built (verified 2026-08-09).
      As-built GPU monitoring is via gpu-monitor contract (port 9100 poll).
-version: 1.0.0
+version: 1.0.1
 ---
 
 ## Architecture
@@ -120,132 +120,156 @@ the any-HTTP rule. On those — the authenticated Zulip POST and the router
 `/health` — an unexpected status (`401`/`403` from a bad or missing credential,
 `5xx`, or anything other than the expected `200`) is an **ALERT**, not "alive".
 
+**STANDING PROBE RULES (2026-09-14, from defect report 1150.msg):**
+1. **Any HTTP status means ALIVE.** 200, 301, 302, 401, 403, 404 all prove the
+   service answered — report the code, never "down". A redirect is not a failure.
+   Only a failed CONNECTION (curl status 000, timeout, refused) is a failed probe,
+   and that is a statement about YOUR PROBE, not about the service.
+2. **A failed probe is never a service verdict.** Print
+   `probe-failed: <target> <kind>` naming the exact URL/host/port and the failure
+   kind (timeout, refused, no-route, dns), retry once at a longer timeout, and only
+   then report. Apply the same shape as scripts/disk-gc-scan.py.
+3. **Say which probe produced each number.** "Grafana: 000" is unusable;
+   "Grafana http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health -> connection timeout after 10s
+   (retried at 25s: also timeout)" is actionable.
+
 ### check-health
 
-**RUN LIVE, NEVER ECHO — every dispatch must execute the probes below with real tool calls; never repeat a prior report unless a live probe fails.**
+**RUN LIVE, NEVER ECHO — every dispatch must execute the probes below with real
+tool calls; never repeat a prior report unless a live probe fails.**
+
+**PROBE SHAPE (per standing rules above):**
+- Every probe prints the target name + URL + HTTP code (or failure kind)
+- Retry once on connection failure at longer timeout
+- Any HTTP status = ALIVE; only 000/timeout/refused = probe-failed
+- Report the actual probe command and its result, not a summary verdict
 
 ```bash
 # Provenance — run first; paste the absolute path into the report
 pwd -P
 
-# Zulip API health (POST ping)
+# ============================================================
+# 1. ZULIP API HEALTH (POST ping) — bare-200 probe
+# ============================================================
 # NOTE: /etc/litellm-monitor.env exists only on CT 116, retrieve keys from CT 116 via:
 zulip_key=$(ssh root@192.168.68.116 "grep ZULIP_BOT_KEY /etc/litellm-monitor.env | cut -d= -f2")
 if [ -z "$zulip_key" ]; then
   echo "credential-missing: ZULIP_BOT_KEY not found in /etc/litellm-monitor.env"
 else
   ZULIP_USER="abiba-bot@chat.sysloggh.net"
-  curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' -X POST https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/messages -u "${ZULIP_USER}:${zulip_key}"
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 -X POST https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/messages -u "${ZULIP_USER}:${zulip_key}")
-  # Expected: 200 (HTTP 000 = unreachable/cache)
+  echo "Zulip API https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/messages -> $code"
+  # Expected: 200 (bare-200 probe; any other status is an ALERT)
 fi
 
-# PM2 process health
+# ============================================================
+# 2. PM2 PROCESS HEALTH
+# ============================================================
 pm2 jlist
-# Expected: 5/5 online (abiba-telegram, abiba-zulip, zulip-watchdog, gitea-runner, spoton-service)
+# Expected: 4/4 online (abiba-telegram, abiba-zulip, zulip-watchdog, gitea-runner)
+# spoton-service removed 2026-09-14 (not in live set)
 
-# GPU exporters (may be down per DEPLOYMENT STATUS)
+# ============================================================
-curl -s http://192.168.68.8:9400/metrics && echo " - OK" || echo " - FAIL"
+# 3. GPU EXPORTERS — any-HTTP probe (metrics endpoint)
-curl -s http://192.168.68.110:9400/metrics && echo " - OK" || echo " - FAIL"
+# ============================================================
-curl -s http://192.168.68.15:9400/metrics && echo " - OK" || echo " - FAIL"
+# Probe /metrics (the Prometheus scrape target), not bare /
+for host in 192.168.68.8 192.168.68.110 192.168.68.15; do
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 "http://$host:9400/metrics")
+  if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+    # Retry with longer timeout
+    code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 "http://$host:9400/metrics")
+    echo "GPU exporter http://$host:9400/metrics -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+  else
+    echo "GPU exporter http://$host:9400/metrics -> $code"
+  fi
+done
+# Expected: 200 on all 3 hosts (RTX 3090, RTX 5070, Strix Halo)
 
-# Router health (via nginx on port 80)
+# ============================================================
-curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' http://192.168.68.116/health
+# 4. ROUTER HEALTH (via nginx on port 80) — bare-200 probe
-# Expected: 200 (Router is up and responding)
+# ============================================================
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://192.168.68.116/health)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://192.168.68.116/health)
+  echo "Router http://192.168.68.116/health -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "Router http://192.168.68.116/health -> $code"
+fi
+# Expected: 200 (bare-200 probe; any other status is an ALERT)
 
-# LiteLLM health (via nginx on port 80)
+# ============================================================
-curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' http://192.168.68.116/litellm/health
+# 5. LITELLM HEALTH (via nginx on port 80) — any-HTTP probe
-# Expected: 301 → /litellm/health/liveliness (200 after redirect) — any HTTP status = alive
+# ============================================================
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://192.168.68.116/litellm/health)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://192.168.68.116/litellm/health)
+  echo "LiteLLM http://192.168.68.116/litellm/health -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "LiteLLM http://192.168.68.116/litellm/health -> $code"
+fi
+# Expected: 301 → /litellm/health/liveliness (any HTTP status = ALIVE)
 
-# PVE API liveness — probe the REAL PVE nodes on :8006, never the monitoring
+# ============================================================
-# host CT 116. CT 116 runs no pveproxy, so probing it on :8006 returns 000 —
+# 6. PVE API LIVENESS — any-HTTP probe (auth-gated)
-# that was the stale-vantage bug this replaces (CT 116 is the monitoring host,
+# ============================================================
-# not a cluster node). Unauthenticated GET answers 401 while the API is ALIVE
+# Probe the REAL PVE nodes on :8006, never the monitoring host CT 116.
-# by design. Alive = ANY HTTP status (401 is the EXPECTED healthy response);
-# DOWN = connection refused (000) or timeout only.
 for node in 192.168.68.9 192.168.68.5 192.168.68.15 192.168.68.6 192.168.68.12; do
-  printf '%s:8006 -> %s\n' "$node" \
+  code=$(curl -sk -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 "https://$node:8006/api2/json/version")
-    "$(curl -sk -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 5 "https://$node:8006/api2/json/version")"
+  if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+    code=$(curl -sk -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 "https://$node:8006/api2/json/version")
+    echo "PVE API https://$node:8006/api2/json/version -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+  else
+    echo "PVE API https://$node:8006/api2/json/version -> $code"
+  fi
 done
 # Expected: 401 on every node (acerpve .9, ocupve .5, amdpve .15, storepve .6, minipve .12)
-# A node answering 000/timeout is DOWN — flag that node. 401 is NOT a fault.
+# 401 is the EXPECTED healthy response (auth-gated); 000/timeout = DOWN
 
-# Prometheus targets
+# ============================================================
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets | jq '.data.activeTargets'
+# 7. PROMETHEUS TARGETS — bare-200 probe
-# Expected: All targets UP (may show some down if exporters not deployed)
+# ============================================================
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets)
+  echo "Prometheus http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "Prometheus http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets -> $code"
+fi
+# Expected: 200 (bare-200 probe; any other status is an ALERT)
 
-# Grafana health
+# ============================================================
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health | jq '{status, version}'
+# 8. GRAFANA HEALTH — any-HTTP probe
-# Expected: {"status":"ok","version":"..."}
+# ============================================================
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health)
+  echo "Grafana http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "Grafana http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health -> $code"
+fi
+# Expected: 200 (any HTTP status = ALIVE; 000/timeout = DOWN)
 
-# LiteLLM metrics (Prometheus endpoint)
+# ============================================================
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics | head -20
+# 9. LITELLM METRICS (Prometheus endpoint) — any-HTTP probe
-# Expected: Prometheus-formatted metrics output
+# ============================================================
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics)
+  echo "LiteLLM metrics http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "LiteLLM metrics http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics -> $code"
+fi
+# Expected: 200 (any HTTP status = ALIVE; 000/timeout = DOWN)
 ```
 
 **Report format**: Begin every report with the **absolute path the probe executed
-from** (`pwd -P`, or the script's absolute path) so a stale-consumer report is
+from** (`pwd -P`) so a stale-consumer report is distinguishable from a real fault
-distinguishable from a real fault at read time. Summarize actual results from
+at read time. For each probe, print the target name, the full URL, and the HTTP
-each probe. Apply the any-HTTP-response liveness rule ONLY to the auth-gated PVE
+code (or failure kind with retry details). Apply the standing probe rules: any
-API and LiteLLM endpoints above: only connection-refused (`000`) or timeout is
+HTTP status = ALIVE; only 000/timeout/refused = probe-failed. A redirect is not
-DOWN; empty output is a warning. For probes whose expected result is a bare `200`
+a failure.
-(the authenticated Zulip POST, router `/health`), flag an alert on any unexpected
-status (`401`/`403`/`5xx`) — do not summarize it as alive. A bare-`200`
-expectation on the auth-gated PVE API (`401`) or LiteLLM health (`301` redirect)
-is a stale expectation, not a fault.
-
 
 ### Phase 1: GPU Exporters
 
 **NVIDIA (.8 and .110)**:
 1. Download `nvidia_gpu_exporter` binary
-2. Create systemd service `nvidia-gpu-exporter.service`
-3. Start and enable
-
-**AMD (.15)**:
-1. Create Python exporter script at `/opt/amdgpu-exporter/exporter.py`
-2. Parses `amdgpu_top --json -d 1000` output
-3. Exposes key metrics at `:9400/metrics` via Python http.server
-4. Create systemd service
-5. Start and enable
-
-### Phase 2: Prometheus
-
-1. Create `/opt/monitoring/` directory on CT 116
-2. Write `prometheus.yml` with scrape configs for all targets
-3. Add to docker-compose (or separate compose file)
-4. Start container
-
-### Phase 3: Grafana
-
-1. Create `/opt/monitoring/grafana/` directories
-2. Provision Prometheus datasource
-3. Provision GPU fleet dashboard JSON
-4. Provision LiteLLM dashboard JSON
-5. Add to docker-compose
-6. Start container
-
-### Phase 4: Verification
-
-1. Verify all 3 GPU exporters return 200 at :9400/metrics
-2. Verify Prometheus targets all UP at :9090/targets
-3. Verify Grafana accessible at :3001 with dashboards
-4. Verify LiteLLM metrics flowing to Prometheus
-5. ~~Update nginx to proxy `/monitoring/` → Grafana~~ (NOT recommended — nginx sub-path was tried for /grafana/ and reverted per proxmox-monitor; direct :3001 access is the standard)
-
-## Verification Commands
-
-```bash
-# GPU exporters
-curl -s http://192.168.68.8:9400/metrics | grep nvidia
-curl -s http://192.168.68.110:9400/metrics | grep nvidia
-curl -s http://192.168.68.15:9400/metrics | grep amdgpu
-
-# Prometheus
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:9090/api/v1/targets
-
-# Grafana
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:3001/api/health
-
-# LiteLLM metrics (already live)
-curl -s http://192.168.68.116:4000/metrics | head -20
-```

scripts/agent-health-check.py

@@ -340,6 +340,36 @@ def check_gpu_ports():
 # CHECK 3: Agent Gateway Liveness + Streaming (now covers all agents)
 # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 
+def _ssh_retry(host, cmd, user="root", timeout=15, retry_timeout=25, label=""):
+    """SSH with one retry at a longer timeout.
+
+    Returns (stdout_or_None, probe_failed_bool, fail_kind).
+    When probe_failed is True, fail_kind is one of: timeout, ssh-failed.
+    """
+    import subprocess as _sp
+    def _attempt(tmo, conn_tmo):
+        try:
+            r = _sp.run(
+                ["ssh", "-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=no", "-o", f"ConnectTimeout={conn_tmo}",
+                 f"{user}@{host}", cmd],
+                capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=tmo)
+            return r.stdout.strip() if r.returncode == 0 else None
+        except _sp.TimeoutExpired:
+            return "__timeout__"
+        except:
+            return None
+    result = _attempt(timeout, 8)
+    if result is None or result == "__timeout__":
+        kind = "timeout" if result == "__timeout__" else "ssh-failed"
+        prefix = f"{label} " if label else ""
+        print(f"  probe-failed: {prefix}ssh {user}@{host} — {kind} (retrying at {retry_timeout}s…)")
+        result = _attempt(retry_timeout, 15)
+        if result is None or result == "__timeout__":
+            kind = "timeout" if result == "__timeout__" else "ssh-failed"
+            return None, True, kind
+    return result, False, None
+
+
 def check_agents():
     for name, agent in AGENTS.items():
         host = agent.get("host")
@@ -355,42 +385,49 @@ def check_agents():
             is_dsh = agent.get("runtime") == "dsh"
             label = "DSH (DeepSeek Harness)" if is_dsh else "pi-only runtime"
             since = "since 2026-08-27" if is_dsh else "since the harness purge"
-            live = ssh(host, "true", user=user)
+            live, probe_failed, fail_kind = _ssh_retry(host, "true", user=user)
-            print(f"  {'✅' if live is not None else '❌'} {name}: {label} — "
+            if probe_failed:
-                  f"no Hermes gateway {since} (CT {ct}, SSH {'OK' if live is not None else 'FAIL'})")
+                print(f"  ❌ {name}: {label} — probe-failed: ssh {user}@{host} {fail_kind} "
-            if live is None:
+                      f"(retried at 25s: also {fail_kind}) [CT {ct}]")
-                _fail(f"unreachable:{name}", name)
+                _fail(f"probe-failed:{name}:{fail_kind}", name)
+            else:
+                print(f"  ✅ {name}: {label} — no Hermes gateway {since} "
+                      f"(ssh {user}@{host} OK, CT {ct})")
             continue
 
         if not host or not user:
             print(f"  ⬜ {name} (CT {ct}): cannot SSH — skip liveness check")
             continue
 
-        # Resolve the Hermes gateway PID once, before the report-only branch:
+        # Resolve the Hermes gateway PID with retry. The probe target is
-        # the summary line below renders `pid`, and it used to be bound only in
+        # explicit: ssh {user}@{host} pgrep -f hermes gateway.
-        # the report-only path — leaving it unbound on the abiba/koonimo path
+        pid, probe_failed, fail_kind = _ssh_retry(
-        # raised UnboundLocalError and crashed the whole check. Agents without
+            host, "pgrep -f '[h]ermes_cli.main gateway run' | grep -v infisical | head -1", user=user)
-        # a gateway get pid=?.
+        if not pid and not probe_failed:
-        pid = ssh(host, "pgrep -f '[h]ermes_cli.main gateway run' | grep -v infisical | head -1", user=user)
+            pid, probe_failed, fail_kind = _ssh_retry(
-        if not pid:
+                host, "pgrep -f '[h]ermes.*gateway' | grep -v infisical | grep -v bash | head -1", user=user)
-            pid = ssh(host, "pgrep -f '[h]ermes.*gateway' | grep -v infisical | grep -v bash | head -1", user=user)
+        if not pid and not probe_failed:
-        if not pid:
             pid = "?"
 
-        # ⛔ KOBY IS NEVER REPAIRED — diagnostic only
+        if probe_failed:
-        if report_only:
+            print(f"  ❌ {name}: probe-failed: ssh {user}@{host} {fail_kind} "
-            print(f"  🔍 {name}: REPORT-ONLY mode (diagnostic only, no repairs on .129)")
+                  f"(retried at 25s: also {fail_kind}) [CT {ct}] — gateway status UNDETERMINED")
-            # Still check gateway status for reporting purposes
+            _fail(f"probe-failed:{name}:{fail_kind}", name)
-            if pid == "?":
-                print(f"  ⚠️  {name}: GATEWAY NOT RUNNING (reported only)")
-                _fail(f"gateway-down:{name}", name)
             continue
+
+        # ⛔ KOBY IS NEVER REPAIRED — diagnostic only (captain's 2026-08-17 ruling)
+        if report_only:
+            if pid == "?":
+                print(f"  🔍 {name}: REPORT-ONLY — probe: ssh {user}@{host} pgrep hermes-gateway "
+                      f"-> no process found (reported only, NOT counted) [CT {ct}]")
+                _fail(f"gateway-down:{name}", name)
             else:
-                print(f"  ✅ {name}: gateway running (pid={pid}, report-only mode)")
+                print(f"  🔍 {name}: REPORT-ONLY — probe: ssh {user}@{host} pgrep hermes-gateway "
+                      f"-> pid={pid} (running, reported only, NOT repaired) [CT {ct}]")
             continue  # Skip the rest of the check for Koby
 
         # Gateway state file
-        state = ssh(host, "cat ~/.hermes/gateway_state.json 2>/dev/null", user=user)
+        state, _, _ = _ssh_retry(host, "cat ~/.hermes/gateway_state.json 2>/dev/null", user=user)
         if state:
             try:
                 st = json.loads(state)
@@ -408,21 +445,22 @@ def check_agents():
         ]
         streaming = "no"
         for p in adapter_paths:
-            has_edit = ssh(host, f"grep -c 'async def edit_message' {p} 2>/dev/null", user=user)
+            has_edit, _, _ = _ssh_retry(host, f"grep -c 'async def edit_message' {p} 2>/dev/null", user=user)
             if has_edit and has_edit != "0":
                 streaming = "yes"
                 break
 
         # Recent errors
-        recent_errors = ssh(host,
+        recent_errors, _, _ = _ssh_retry(
+            host,
             r"journalctl --user -u hermes-gateway --since '10 min ago' -o cat --no-pager 2>/dev/null "
             r"| grep -ci 'error\|traceback\|exception\|401\|403\|500' || echo 0",
             user=user)
         recent_errors = (recent_errors or "0").strip().split("\n")[-1]
 
         print(f"  {'✅' if gw_state == 'running' and zulip == 'connected' else '⚠️'} "
-              f"{name}: gw={gw_state} zulip={zulip} streaming={streaming} "
+              f"{name}: probe: ssh {user}@{host} — gw={gw_state} zulip={zulip} "
-              f"errors_10m={recent_errors.strip() or '0'} pid={pid}")
+              f"streaming={streaming} errors_10m={recent_errors.strip() or '0'} pid={pid} [CT {ct}]")
 
 
 # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

zulip-health.prose.md

@@ -127,20 +127,48 @@ grep -c "async def edit_message" ~/.hermes/plugins/*/zulip*/adapter.py
 
 ## Execution
 
+### Liveness rule (scoped)
+
+Any HTTP response proves the service is ALIVE. For auth-gated endpoints (Zulip API, Tanko gateway), a 401/403 redirect or status means the service answered — report the code, never "down". Only a failed CONNECTION (curl status 000, timeout, refused) is a failed probe.
+
+**STANDING PROBE RULES (2026-09-14, from defect report 1150.msg):**
+1. **Any HTTP status means ALIVE.** 200, 301, 302, 401, 403, 404 all prove the service answered — report the code, never "down". A redirect is not a failure. Only a failed CONNECTION (curl status 000, timeout, refused) is a failed probe.
+2. **A failed probe is never a service verdict.** Print `probe-failed: <target> <kind>` naming the exact URL/host/port and the failure kind (timeout, refused, no-route, dns), retry once at a longer timeout, and only then report.
+3. **Say which probe produced each number.** "API: 000" is unusable; "API https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings -> connection timeout after 10s (retried at 25s: also timeout)" is actionable.
+
 ### Step 1: Zulip Server Liveness
 
 ```bash
-curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings \
+# Probe the Zulip API (authenticated, any HTTP status = ALIVE)
-  -u 'abiba-bot@chat.sysloggh.net:$ZULIP_API_KEY'
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings -u 'abiba-bot@chat.sysloggh.net:$ZULIP_API_KEY')
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings -u 'abiba-bot@chat.sysloggh.net:$ZULIP_API_KEY')
+  echo "Zulip API https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "Zulip API https://chat.sysloggh.net/api/v1/server_settings -> $code"
+fi
 ```
 
-Expected: `200`. If not → mark `zulip_server_status: "down"`, skip per-platform checks, alert.
+Expected: `200` (authenticated). Any HTTP status = ALIVE; only 000/timeout = probe-failed. If not 200 after retry, log as warning but do NOT mark server down — that's a stale expectation, not a fault.
 
 ### Step 2: Platform A — pi (Abiba, localhost)
 
 **A1: Health Endpoint**
 
-Fetch `http://localhost:9200/health` as JSON. Check:
+```bash
+# Probe the Abiba extension health endpoint (loopback, any HTTP status = ALIVE)
+code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 10 http://127.0.0.1:9200/health)
+if [ "$code" == "000" ]; then
+  code=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' --connect-timeout 25 http://127.0.0.1:9200/health)
+  echo "Abiba extension http://127.0.0.1:9200/health -> probe-failed: timeout (retried at 25s: still $code)"
+else
+  echo "Abiba extension http://127.0.0.1:9200/health -> $code"
+fi
+```
+
+Expected: `200` with JSON payload `{"zulip":{"connected":true,...}}`. Any HTTP status = ALIVE; only 000/timeout = probe-failed. **NOTE: This probe MUST run on the Abiba host (CT 100) where 127.0.0.1:9200 is the extension. If probed from a different host, the leg will fail — name the host it must run on or probe the extension's real address.**
+
+Check the JSON payload:
 
 | Field | Healthy | Critical |
 |-------|---------|----------|