Verify Datadog SSI on Kubernetes Without Touching Code

Where this fits

You just ran enable-ssi on your Kubernetes cluster, restarted your application pods, and Datadog says the operator is active. But are your services really sending traces? Manually poking at pod annotations, checking the Datadog agent logs, and cross-referencing tracer versions is tedious. This skill steps in right after enable-ssi to confirm that Single Step Instrumentation (SSI) is working end-to-end — without you writing a single line of code or digging through YAML.

Why agents benefit

• Resolves context before acting: The skill forces the agent to fill in cluster name, namespace, and service names before running any checks, preventing half-baked verification.
• Inspects pod state and annotations: It queries Kubernetes to confirm the SSI injector is present and that pods carry the expected instrumentation labels.
• Validates tracer health: The agent can check tracer logs, agent connectivity, and whether trace data is actually flowing to Datadog.
• Distinguishes failure modes: It tells you whether the problem is SSI not enabled, pods not instrumented, or tracer misconfiguration — so you don't waste time on the wrong fix.
• Works as a gate: After enable-ssi, this skill gives a clear pass/fail signal, so you can confidently move to load testing or production rollout.

Practical scenarios

Confirming a rollout after a cluster upgrade

You upgraded your Kubernetes version and want to ensure SSI still works. The agent runs verify-ssi, checks that the injector is compatible, and verifies that all newly restarted pods are instrumented.

Debugging missing traces for a specific service

Your payment service shows no traces in Datadog. Instead of guessing, the agent inspects that service's pods, compares tracer versions, and reports whether SSI is applied or if you need the troubleshoot-ssi skill.

CI gate for pre-production environments

Before promoting a new deployment, you add a step: run verify-ssi. The agent confirms instrumentation is active, giving your pipeline a green light only when telemetry is verified.

Add it to your agent workflow

Install the skill with:

npx skills add datadog-labs/agent-skills --skill verify-ssi

Then ask your agent: "Verify SSI is working on the production cluster after the last restart." The agent will resolve required variables (cluster, namespace, service) and run the verification steps defined in the skill. For a full breakdown of what it checks, see the skill page on OpenAgentSkill.

Compare before adopting

Before adding verify-ssi, compare it with alternatives like manually inspecting pod annotations or using Datadog's own CLI tools. Check the skill's GitHub repository for recent commits and issue resolution speed — it's part of datadog-labs/agent-skills (165 stars), which shows active maintenance. Also consider whether your agent workflow already has a similar verification step; if not, this skill fills a clear gap.

Why it is worth tracking

This skill solves a real pain point: confirming invisible instrumentation works. Its quality signals are strong — official Datadog lab authorship, a focused scope, and a clear dependency on enable-ssi. As SSI becomes more common, having a repeatable verification step will save hours of debugging. Track this skill if you run Kubernetes with Datadog APM, and revisit it when the underlying SSI features evolve or when you add new services to your cluster.