Merge reviewed polling write repairs on release/v6.5

Change-source: pulse-maintainer

docs/AUDIT_LOGGING.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Pulse automatically captures the following events:
 | `agent_profile_assigned` | Agent profile assignments | Profile `production` assigned to agent |
 | `agent_profile_unassigned` | Agent profile removals | Profile removed from agent |
 | `user_roles_updated` | RBAC role assignments changed | Updated roles for user jane: [operator] |
-| `agent_config_fetch` | Agent configuration retrieval attempts | Agent config fetched successfully |
+| `agent_config_fetch` | Every failed agent configuration fetch. A successful fetch is recorded on the agent's first delivery after Pulse starts, when its token or delivered configuration changes, and otherwise once a day; agents poll every minute, so repeat polls are not recorded | `agent_id=… token_id=… config=sha256:… reason=config_changed` |
 
 Each event includes:
 - **Timestamp** (UTC)

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/agent-lifecycle.md

@@ -15,6 +15,24 @@
 
 ## Purpose
 
+### Release-line routine polling write repairs — issues #2319/#2320
+
+A linked Agent-only SMART disk's inherited PVE instance is presentation scope,
+not a PVE inventory observation. Skipped PVE polls require an actual Proxmox
+source before copying a disk into PVE-owned state. Agent source admission,
+identity, collected readings and command authority remain unchanged.
+`TestPhysicalDiskSkippedPollDoesNotPromoteAgentOnlySMARTToPVEInventory` pins
+repeated full/skip cycles; genuine PVE readback retains its existing continuity.
+
+Routine successful agent config fetches are audited on the first delivery
+since startup, a token or desired-config hash change, or after 24 hours since
+the previous audit. Every failed fetch remains audited. Signing, payloads,
+scopes, response delivery and existing security rows are unchanged.
+`TestAgentConfigFetchAuditsNewDeliveriesAndEveryFailure` and the tracker
+regressions in `internal/api/unified_agent_handlers_test.go` cover the rule.
+These are synthetic source controls, not installed field acceptance.
+
+
 ### Import preview lifetime and setup authority
 
 The node credential editor binds each monitored-system impact preview to the

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/api-contracts.md

@@ -20,6 +20,23 @@
 
 ## Purpose
 
+### Successful agent-config audit information — issue #2320
+
+`/api/agents/agent/{id}/config` still signs, scopes and delivers the same config.
+Every failed fetch is audited. A successful fetch is new audit information
+only on first delivery after startup, a different token or desired-config hash,
+or 24 hours after the last audited success. Recorded successes include
+`config=<desiredConfig hash>` and
+`reason=first_since_start|token_changed|config_changed|daily`. Tracking is
+isolated by organization and agent; a nil tracker audits every success.
+Existing security log rows age under retention, never deletion by this repair.
+`TestAgentConfigFetchAuditsNewDeliveriesAndEveryFailure` and
+`TestAgentConfigFetchAuditTrackerRecordsOnlyNewDeliveries` verify runtime
+scope failures and the per-agent/organization/token/config/daily decisions.
+The additional day/restart/concurrency control compares 1,440 unchanged polls
+with one audit event. This is source proof, not a natural installed day.
+
+
 ### Resource maintenance API reference
 
 The canonical and shipped API references document the existing authenticated

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/monitoring.md

@@ -17,6 +17,37 @@
 
 ## Purpose
 
+### No-op identity lists do not create change history — issue #2319 companion
+
+Resource change emission compares hostname/IP/MAC lists order-independently,
+including equivalent nil/empty lists, while scalar machine/DMI/cluster/guest
+identifiers and actual list-member changes remain exact change evidence.
+This carries reviewed main `a5aa881ac530` through this line's existing
+`recordRegistryChanges` List boundary; it does not import main's newer locked-
+generation/clone optimization or change canonical matching, wire fields,
+source authority, collection timing or existing persisted rows.
+`TestResourceChangeIdentityIgnoresSetOrderAndEmptySlices` and
+`TestRegistryListComparisonTreatsIdentityListsAsSets` pin no-op order/nil cases
+and one real new-address row. The serial-bearing SMART guard-removal fixture
+then reports one tags-only row; final guarded full/skip cycles add no rows.
+These are synthetic in-memory journal controls, not installed writes or CPU.
+
+
+### Agent-only SMART readback provenance — issue #2319
+
+A linked Agent SMART disk may inherit its PVE node's instance for presentation.
+That scope must not invent a Proxmox source during a skipped physical-disk poll.
+`physicalDisksForInstanceFromReadState` admits only actual Proxmox observations;
+Agent-only disks remain visible through their Agent source. Explicit failed-
+query Agent fallback still supplies PVE inventory, while permission failures
+retain prior inventory and genuine PVE disks preserve identity and readings.
+No historical rows are deleted and no collection interval is changed.
+`TestPhysicalDiskSkippedPollDoesNotPromoteAgentOnlySMARTToPVEInventory` pins
+three empty-inventory/full-skip cycles with no new journal rows, and the
+existing source-identity, SMART-enrichment and failed-query controls retain
+provider continuity. Synthetic proof is not the reporter's installed row rate.
+
+
 ### Restored disk alerts and persisted operator policy — issues #2237/#2112
 
 Alerts can restore before the resource registry and persisted operator state

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/storage-recovery.md

@@ -21,6 +21,22 @@
 
 ## Purpose
 
+### Polling-write repair preserves recovery evidence — issues #2319/#2320
+
+Routine successful agent config polling no longer creates one security-audit
+row per minute: first delivery after startup, token/config changes and daily
+access remain recorded, as does every failure. Recovery actions keep their
+existing action audits, receipts and verification. No audit or change-history
+rows are removed. Skipped PVE disk readback requires an actual Proxmox source;
+Agent-only SMART presentation scope is not source-owned inventory or recovery
+state. Storage targets, samples, health, restore and command authority are
+unchanged. `internal/api/host_agent_removal_lifecycle_integration_test.go`
+verifies config delivery/failure auditing and
+`internal/monitoring/physical_disk_roundtrip_test.go` verifies unchanged disk
+identity and no fabricated journal changes. Native/installed acceptance is
+separate from these synthetic controls.
+
+
 ### Independent physical disk temperature
 
 Disk Overview displays a finite positive reported temperature even when the

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/unified-resources.md

@@ -23,6 +23,22 @@ and sort the complete canonical change table while startup and ingestion wait.
 
 ## Purpose
 
+### No-op identity lists do not create change history — issue #2319 companion
+
+Resource change emission compares hostname/IP/MAC lists order-independently,
+including equivalent nil/empty lists, while scalar machine/DMI/cluster/guest
+identifiers and actual list-member changes remain exact change evidence.
+This carries reviewed main `a5aa881ac530` through this line's existing
+`recordRegistryChanges` List boundary; it does not import main's newer locked-
+generation/clone optimization or change canonical matching, wire fields,
+source authority, collection timing or existing persisted rows.
+`TestResourceChangeIdentityIgnoresSetOrderAndEmptySlices` and
+`TestRegistryListComparisonTreatsIdentityListsAsSets` pin no-op order/nil cases
+and one real new-address row. The serial-bearing SMART guard-removal fixture
+then reports one tags-only row; final guarded full/skip cycles add no rows.
+These are synthetic in-memory journal controls, not installed writes or CPU.
+
+
 ### Release-line PBS retention revocation — 30 September 2026
 
 PBS drawer host-target retention is bound to the unchanged identity evidence

frontend-modern/public/docs/AUDIT_LOGGING.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Pulse automatically captures the following events:
 | `agent_profile_assigned` | Agent profile assignments | Profile `production` assigned to agent |
 | `agent_profile_unassigned` | Agent profile removals | Profile removed from agent |
 | `user_roles_updated` | RBAC role assignments changed | Updated roles for user jane: [operator] |
-| `agent_config_fetch` | Agent configuration retrieval attempts | Agent config fetched successfully |
+| `agent_config_fetch` | Every failed agent configuration fetch. A successful fetch is recorded on the agent's first delivery after Pulse starts, when its token or delivered configuration changes, and otherwise once a day; agents poll every minute, so repeat polls are not recorded | `agent_id=… token_id=… config=sha256:… reason=config_changed` |
 
 Each event includes:
 - **Timestamp** (UTC)

internal/api/agent_config_fetch_audit.go

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// agentConfigFetchAuditInterval re-records an unchanged successful config
+// delivery at most this often per agent, so the audit trail still shows
+// continued access.
+const agentConfigFetchAuditInterval = 24 * time.Hour
+
+// maxAgentConfigFetchAudits bounds remembered deliveries. Beyond it, entries
+// older than agentConfigFetchAuditInterval are dropped; they would be
+// re-recorded on their next fetch anyway.
+const maxAgentConfigFetchAudits = 4096
+
+// agentConfigFetchAuditTracker decides which successful agent config fetches
+// are audit events. Agents poll their config every minute, and recording each
+// poll made agent_config_fetch over 99.9% of audit rows (about 1,440 a day per
+// agent), burying the logins and failures the log exists to show. Failed
+// fetches are always audited and never pass through here.
+type agentConfigFetchAuditTracker struct {
+	mu   sync.Mutex
+	last map[agentConfigFetchAuditKey]agentConfigFetchAuditEntry
+}
+
+type agentConfigFetchAuditKey struct {
+	orgID   string
+	agentID string
+}
+
+type agentConfigFetchAuditEntry struct {
+	tokenID    string
+	configHash string
+	auditedAt  time.Time
+}
+
+func newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker() *agentConfigFetchAuditTracker {
+	return &agentConfigFetchAuditTracker{last: make(map[agentConfigFetchAuditKey]agentConfigFetchAuditEntry)}
+}
+
+// observe records a successful delivery and reports whether it is new audit
+// information, with the reason: the agent's first delivery since startup, a
+// different token or delivered config, or an unchanged delivery last audited
+// at least agentConfigFetchAuditInterval ago. A nil tracker audits every
+// delivery.
+func (t *agentConfigFetchAuditTracker) observe(orgID, agentID, tokenID, configHash string, now time.Time) (string, bool) {
+	if t == nil {
+		return "", true
+	}
+	key := agentConfigFetchAuditKey{orgID: orgID, agentID: agentID}
+	entry := agentConfigFetchAuditEntry{tokenID: tokenID, configHash: configHash, auditedAt: now}
+
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+	previous, seen := t.last[key]
+	reason := ""
+	switch {
+	case !seen:
+		reason = "first_since_start"
+	case previous.tokenID != tokenID:
+		reason = "token_changed"
+	case previous.configHash != configHash:
+		reason = "config_changed"
+	case now.Sub(previous.auditedAt) >= agentConfigFetchAuditInterval:
+		reason = "daily"
+	default:
+		return "", false
+	}
+	if !seen && len(t.last) >= maxAgentConfigFetchAudits {
+		for staleKey, stale := range t.last {
+			if now.Sub(stale.auditedAt) >= agentConfigFetchAuditInterval {
+				delete(t.last, staleKey)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	t.last[key] = entry
+	return reason, true
+}

internal/api/agent_ingest.go

@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ type UnifiedAgentHandlers struct {
 	// server upgrade on their next report instead of their next hourly update
 	// check. Empty (the default) omits it from acks.
 	serverVersion string
+
+	configFetchAudits *agentConfigFetchAuditTracker
 }
 
 // SetServerVersion supplies the running server version to include on report
@@ -63,7 +65,10 @@ func trimUnifiedAgentRoutePath(path string) string {
 
 // NewUnifiedAgentHandlers constructs a new handler set for Pulse Unified Agent ingest.
 func NewUnifiedAgentHandlers(mtm *monitoring.MultiTenantMonitor, m *monitoring.Monitor, hub *websocket.Hub) *UnifiedAgentHandlers {
-	return &UnifiedAgentHandlers{baseAgentHandlers: newBaseAgentHandlers(mtm, m, hub)}
+	return &UnifiedAgentHandlers{
+		baseAgentHandlers: newBaseAgentHandlers(mtm, m, hub),
+		configFetchAudits: newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker(),
+	}
 }
 
 // HandleReport ingests Pulse Unified Agent reports.
@@ -607,8 +612,18 @@ func (h *UnifiedAgentHandlers) handleGetConfig(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 		return
 	}
 
-	LogAuditEventForTenant(GetOrgID(r.Context()), "agent_config_fetch", auth.GetUser(r.Context()), GetClientIP(r), r.URL.Path, true,
-		fmt.Sprintf("agent_id=%s token_id=%s", agentID, tokenID(record)))
+	configHash := ""
+	if signedConfig.DesiredConfig != nil {
+		configHash = signedConfig.DesiredConfig.Hash
+	}
+	orgID := GetOrgID(r.Context())
+	if reason, audit := h.configFetchAudits.observe(orgID, agentID, tokenID(record), configHash, time.Now()); audit {
+		details := fmt.Sprintf("agent_id=%s token_id=%s config=%s", agentID, tokenID(record), configHash)
+		if reason != "" {
+			details += " reason=" + reason
+		}
+		LogAuditEventForTenant(orgID, "agent_config_fetch", auth.GetUser(r.Context()), GetClientIP(r), r.URL.Path, true, details)
+	}
 }
 
 func tokenID(record *config.APITokenRecord) string {

internal/api/host_agent_removal_lifecycle_integration_test.go

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/internal/models"
 	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/internal/monitoring"
 	agentshost "github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/pkg/agents/host"
+	"github.com/rcourtman/pulse-go-rewrite/pkg/audit"
 )
 
 type hostRemovalLifecycleHTTPRuntime struct {
@@ -647,3 +648,73 @@ func TestHostAgentRenameKeepsCommandGateAlignedWithChannelAdmission(t *testing.T
 		t.Fatal("channel admission admitted a different agent ID on a matching hostname")
 	}
 }
+
+// Agents poll their config every minute. Only deliveries that tell an auditor
+// something new are recorded, while every failed fetch still is.
+func TestAgentConfigFetchAuditsNewDeliveriesAndEveryFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	capture := &auditCaptureLogger{}
+	prevLogger := audit.GetLogger()
+	prevManager := GetTenantAuditManager()
+	audit.SetLogger(capture)
+	SetTenantAuditManager(nil)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		audit.SetLogger(prevLogger)
+		SetTenantAuditManager(prevManager)
+	})
+
+	handler, monitor := newUnifiedAgentHandlers(t, nil)
+	hostID := seedUnifiedAgentHost(t, monitor)
+	monitorState(t, monitor).UpsertHost(models.Host{ID: hostID, Hostname: "node-1", TokenID: "runtime-token"})
+	fetch := func(scopes ...string) int {
+		t.Helper()
+		req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/agents/agent/"+hostID+"/config", nil)
+		attachAPITokenRecord(req, &config.APITokenRecord{ID: "runtime-token", Scopes: scopes})
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		handler.HandleConfig(rec, req)
+		return rec.Code
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		if code := fetch(config.ScopeAgentConfigRead, config.ScopeAgentReport); code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("config fetch %d status = %d, want 200", i, code)
+		}
+	}
+	commandsEnabled := true
+	if err := monitor.UpdateHostAgentConfig(hostID, &commandsEnabled); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("UpdateHostAgentConfig: %v", err)
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		if code := fetch(config.ScopeAgentConfigRead, config.ScopeAgentReport); code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("config fetch after change %d status = %d, want 200", i, code)
+		}
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		if code := fetch(config.ScopeMonitoringRead); code == http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("config fetch with only %s succeeded", config.ScopeMonitoringRead)
+		}
+	}
+
+	capture.mu.Lock()
+	events := append([]audit.Event(nil), capture.events...)
+	capture.mu.Unlock()
+	var successes []string
+	failures := 0
+	for _, event := range events {
+		if event.EventType != "agent_config_fetch" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if event.Success {
+			successes = append(successes, event.Details)
+		} else {
+			failures++
+		}
+	}
+	if len(successes) != 2 ||
+		!strings.Contains(successes[0], "reason=first_since_start") ||
+		!strings.Contains(successes[1], "reason=config_changed") {
+		t.Fatalf("successful fetch audit events = %q, want the first delivery and the config change", successes)
+	}
+	if failures != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("failed fetch audit events = %d, want every failure", failures)
+	}
+}

internal/api/unified_agent_handlers_test.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"reflect"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 	"unsafe"
@@ -552,3 +553,85 @@ func TestUnifiedAgentHandlers_HandleLinkUnlink(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unlink status = %d, want 200: %s", unlinkRec.Code, unlinkRec.Body.String())
 	}
 }
+
+func TestAgentConfigFetchAuditTrackerRecordsOnlyNewDeliveries(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker()
+	start := time.Date(2026, 9, 24, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	for _, step := range []struct {
+		name   string
+		token  string
+		hash   string
+		at     time.Duration
+		reason string
+		audit  bool
+	}{
+		{"first delivery", "tok-a", "sha256:1", 0, "first_since_start", true},
+		{"unchanged poll", "tok-a", "sha256:1", time.Minute, "", false},
+		{"config change", "tok-a", "sha256:2", 2 * time.Minute, "config_changed", true},
+		{"unchanged after change", "tok-a", "sha256:2", 3 * time.Minute, "", false},
+		{"token rotation", "tok-b", "sha256:2", 4 * time.Minute, "token_changed", true},
+		{"just under a day", "tok-b", "sha256:2", 4*time.Minute + agentConfigFetchAuditInterval - time.Second, "", false},
+		{"a day since last audit", "tok-b", "sha256:2", 4*time.Minute + agentConfigFetchAuditInterval, "daily", true},
+	} {
+		reason, audit := tracker.observe("default", "agent-1", step.token, step.hash, start.Add(step.at))
+		if audit != step.audit || reason != step.reason {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: audit=%v reason=%q, want audit=%v reason=%q", step.name, audit, reason, step.audit, step.reason)
+		}
+	}
+	if reason, audit := tracker.observe("other-org", "agent-1", "tok-b", "sha256:2", start.Add(5*time.Minute)); !audit || reason != "first_since_start" {
+		t.Fatalf("same agent ID in another org: audit=%v reason=%q, want its own first delivery", audit, reason)
+	}
+	var unset *agentConfigFetchAuditTracker
+	if _, audit := unset.observe("default", "agent-1", "tok-a", "sha256:1", start); !audit {
+		t.Fatal("a handler without a tracker must audit every delivery")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAgentConfigFetchAuditTrackerDayRestartAndConcurrency(t *testing.T) {
+	tracker := newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker()
+	start := time.Date(2026, 10, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	recorded := 0
+	for minute := 0; minute < 1440; minute++ {
+		if _, audit := tracker.observe("org", "agent", "token", "sha256:config", start.Add(time.Duration(minute)*time.Minute)); audit {
+			recorded++
+		}
+	}
+	if recorded != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("1,440 unchanged minute polls recorded %d audits, want 1", recorded)
+	}
+	if reason, audit := tracker.observe("org", "agent", "token", "sha256:config", start.Add(24*time.Hour)); !audit || reason != "daily" {
+		t.Fatalf("daily access audit = %v %q, want daily", audit, reason)
+	}
+	if reason, audit := tracker.observe("org", "agent", "token", "sha256:config", start.Add(23*time.Hour)); audit || reason != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("a backwards clock recorded unchanged access: %v %q", audit, reason)
+	}
+	restarted := newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker()
+	if reason, audit := restarted.observe("org", "agent", "token", "sha256:config", start.Add(24*time.Hour)); !audit || reason != "first_since_start" {
+		t.Fatalf("restart audit = %v %q, want first_since_start", audit, reason)
+	}
+
+	// Concurrent deliveries must atomically share the same remembered success.
+	concurrent := newAgentConfigFetchAuditTracker()
+	results := make(chan bool, 32)
+	var workers sync.WaitGroup
+	for i := 0; i < cap(results); i++ {
+		workers.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer workers.Done()
+			_, audit := concurrent.observe("org", "agent", "token", "sha256:config", start)
+			results <- audit
+		}()
+	}
+	workers.Wait()
+	close(results)
+	concurrentAudits := 0
+	for audit := range results {
+		if audit {
+			concurrentAudits++
+		}
+	}
+	if concurrentAudits != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("32 concurrent identical deliveries recorded %d audits, want 1", concurrentAudits)
+	}
+	t.Logf("unchanged minute polls=1440 recorded=%d; concurrent polls=32 recorded=%d; daily and restart access preserved", recorded, concurrentAudits)
+}

internal/monitoring/monitor.go

@@ -854,6 +854,13 @@ func physicalDisksForInstanceFromReadState(readState unifiedresources.ReadState,
 		if disk == nil || disk.Instance() != instance {
 			continue
 		}
+		// A linked host Agent's SMART disk inherits the PVE instance for
+		// presentation, but that does not make it a PVE inventory record.
+		// Feeding it back into State.PhysicalDisks invents a PVE source and
+		// alternates tags/history whenever the real disks/list is empty.
+		if _, observedByPVE := disk.SourceStatus(unifiedresources.SourceProxmox); !observedByPVE {
+			continue
+		}
 		out = append(out, physicalDiskFromReadStateView(disk))
 	}
 	return out

internal/monitoring/physical_disk_roundtrip_test.go

@@ -179,6 +179,64 @@ func TestPhysicalDiskSkippedPollPreservesSourceIdentity(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// An agent disk may inherit its linked PVE node's instance for presentation,
+// even when the PVE disks/list endpoint did not report that disk. The skipped
+// poll must not turn that presentation scope into a PVE inventory observation:
+// an empty PVE inventory on the next full poll would then remove the invented
+// observation and record spurious configuration changes on every cycle (#2319).
+func TestPhysicalDiskSkippedPollDoesNotPromoteAgentOnlySMARTToPVEInventory(t *testing.T) {
+	state := models.NewState()
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+	state.UpdateNodesForInstance("pve", []models.Node{{
+		ID: "pve-node", Name: "node", Instance: "pve", LinkedAgentID: "agent",
+		Status: "online", LastSeen: now,
+	}})
+	state.UpsertHost(models.Host{
+		ID: "agent", Hostname: "node", LinkedNodeID: "pve-node",
+		Status: "online", LastSeen: now,
+		Sensors: models.HostSensorSummary{SMART: []models.HostDiskSMART{{
+			// A stable serial keeps the canonical identity unchanged; without
+			// the source guard, the false PVE observation produces exactly the
+			// tags-only change reported in #2319 rather than a tags+identity row.
+			Device: "sda", Serial: "disk-serial", Type: "sata", Health: "PASSED",
+		}}},
+	})
+	store := unifiedresources.NewMemoryStore()
+	adapter := unifiedresources.NewMonitorAdapter(unifiedresources.NewRegistry(store))
+	monitor := &Monitor{
+		state: state, resourceStore: adapter,
+		lastPhysicalDiskPoll: map[string]time.Time{"pve": now},
+	}
+	for cycle := 0; cycle < 3; cycle++ {
+		// A successful full PVE inventory read found no disks on this node.
+		state.UpdatePhysicalDisks("pve", nil)
+		adapter.PopulateFromSnapshot(state.GetSnapshot())
+		disks := adapter.PhysicalDisks()
+		if len(disks) != 1 || disks[0].Instance() != "pve" {
+			t.Fatalf("cycle %d: linked Agent SMART disk missing from presentation: %+v", cycle, disks)
+		}
+		if _, hasPVE := disks[0].SourceStatus(unifiedresources.SourceProxmox); hasPVE {
+			t.Fatalf("cycle %d: Agent-only disk unexpectedly has PVE source", cycle)
+		}
+		before, err := store.GetRecentChanges(disks[0].ID(), time.Time{}, 100)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		monitor.maybePollPhysicalDisksAsync(context.Background(), "pve", &config.PVEInstance{}, nil, nil, nil, nil)
+		adapter.PopulateFromSnapshot(state.GetSnapshot())
+		after, err := store.GetRecentChanges(disks[0].ID(), time.Time{}, 100)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if len(after) != len(before) {
+			t.Fatalf("cycle %d: unchanged SMART disk emitted %d new history rows: %+v", cycle, len(after)-len(before), after)
+		}
+		if got := state.GetSnapshot().PhysicalDisks; len(got) != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("cycle %d: Agent-only disk was written into PVE inventory: %+v", cycle, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPhysicalDiskReadbackSourceIDFallback(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, resource := range []unifiedresources.Resource{
 		{ID: "canonical"},

internal/unifiedresources/change_emission.go

@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ func resourceChangedFields(before, after Resource) []string {
 	if before.CustomURL != after.CustomURL {
 		changed = append(changed, "customUrl")
 	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(before.Identity, after.Identity) {
+	if !resourceIdentityEquivalent(before.Identity, after.Identity) {
 		changed = append(changed, "identity")
 	}
 	if (isAvailabilityOwnedResource(before) || isAvailabilityOwnedResource(after)) &&
@@ -489,6 +489,20 @@ func changeSourceAdapterForDataSource(source DataSource) ChangeSourceAdapter {
 	}
 }
 
+// Identity addresses, hostnames and MACs are sets, not ordered observations.
+// Registry merges can reorder them or turn a nil slice into an empty one while
+// the actual identity remains unchanged; those differences must not create
+// configuration-history rows on every poll.
+func resourceIdentityEquivalent(a, b ResourceIdentity) bool {
+	return a.MachineID == b.MachineID &&
+		a.DMIUUID == b.DMIUUID &&
+		a.ClusterName == b.ClusterName &&
+		a.ProxmoxGuestKey == b.ProxmoxGuestKey &&
+		sameStringSet(a.Hostnames, b.Hostnames) &&
+		sameStringSet(a.IPAddresses, b.IPAddresses) &&
+		sameStringSet(a.MACAddresses, b.MACAddresses)
+}
+
 func sameStringSet(a, b []string) bool {
 	if len(a) != len(b) {
 		return false

internal/unifiedresources/change_emission_test.go

@@ -483,6 +483,36 @@ func TestBuildResourceChange_ClassifiesConfigUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestResourceChangeIdentityIgnoresSetOrderAndEmptySlices(t *testing.T) {
+	before := Resource{
+		ID: "disk-1", Type: ResourceTypePhysicalDisk, Status: StatusOnline,
+		Identity: ResourceIdentity{
+			MachineID: "serial-1", Hostnames: []string{"node", "node.example"},
+		},
+	}
+	after := before
+	after.Identity = ResourceIdentity{
+		MachineID: "serial-1", Hostnames: []string{"node.example", "node"},
+		IPAddresses: []string{}, MACAddresses: []string{},
+	}
+	if change := buildResourceChange(before, true, after, true, time.Now().UTC(), nil, SourcePulseDiff, ""); change != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unchanged identity set emitted history: %+v", change)
+	}
+
+	after.Identity.MachineID = "serial-2"
+	change := buildResourceChange(before, true, after, true, time.Now().UTC(), nil, SourcePulseDiff, "")
+	if change == nil || !sameStringSet(mustChangedFields(t, change), []string{"identity"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("real identity change not recorded: %+v", change)
+	}
+
+	after.Identity.MachineID = before.Identity.MachineID
+	after.Identity.IPAddresses = []string{"192.0.2.10"}
+	change = buildResourceChange(before, true, after, true, time.Now().UTC(), nil, SourcePulseDiff, "")
+	if change == nil || !sameStringSet(mustChangedFields(t, change), []string{"identity"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("new identity set member not recorded: %+v", change)
+	}
+}
+
 func mustChangedFields(t *testing.T, change *ResourceChange) []string {
 	t.Helper()
 	raw, ok := change.Metadata["changedFields"]

internal/unifiedresources/registry_test.go

@@ -6604,3 +6604,36 @@ func TestIssue2076USBLinkedDiskAmbiguity(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRegistryListComparisonTreatsIdentityListsAsSets(t *testing.T) {
+	store := NewMemoryStore()
+	now := time.Date(2026, 9, 29, 17, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	entry := IngestRecord{
+		SourceID: "disk-1",
+		Resource: Resource{Type: ResourceTypePhysicalDisk, Name: "disk", Status: StatusOnline, LastSeen: now},
+		Identity: ResourceIdentity{MachineID: "serial-1", Hostnames: []string{"node", "node.example"}},
+	}
+	before := NewRegistry(store)
+	before.IngestRecords(SourceAgent, []IngestRecord{entry})
+
+	reordered := entry
+	reordered.Identity = ResourceIdentity{
+		MachineID: "serial-1", Hostnames: []string{"node.example", "node"},
+		IPAddresses: []string{}, MACAddresses: []string{},
+	}
+	after := NewRegistry(store)
+	after.IngestRecords(SourceAgent, []IngestRecord{reordered})
+	recordRegistryChanges(store, before.List(), after.List(), now.Add(time.Minute), nil, SourcePulseDiff, "")
+	if len(store.changes) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("equivalent identity lists emitted %d history rows: %+v", len(store.changes), store.changes)
+	}
+
+	changed := reordered
+	changed.Identity.IPAddresses = []string{"192.0.2.10"}
+	later := NewRegistry(store)
+	later.IngestRecords(SourceAgent, []IngestRecord{changed})
+	recordRegistryChanges(store, after.List(), later.List(), now.Add(2*time.Minute), nil, SourcePulseDiff, "")
+	if len(store.changes) != 1 || !sameStringSet(mustChangedFields(t, &store.changes[0]), []string{"identity"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("real address change not recorded once: %+v", store.changes)
+	}
+}