remote-system-maintenance

Remote System Maintenance

Structured procedures for diagnosing and maintaining remote Linux systems via SSH/tmux.

Installation

/plugin install remote-system-maintenance@2389-research

What This Plugin Provides

Structured guidance for system diagnostics and maintenance on remote Linux systems, with emphasis on Ubuntu/Debian platforms.

Key Features

• Three-phase diagnostic approach: baseline diagnostics, log review, package assessment
• Seven-stage cleanup sequence: apt, journal, snap revisions, and more
• Documentation templates: structured logs with quantified results
• Real-world metrics: expect 2+ GB recovery in comprehensive sessions

When to Use

• Performing system maintenance on remote Linux servers
• Recovering disk space on Ubuntu/Debian systems
• Running diagnostics on remote systems
• Cleaning up package caches, journals, or snap revisions

Quick Example

# Phase 1: Initial diagnostics
hostname && df -h && free -h && uptime
ps aux | head -20
ps aux | awk '$8 ~ /Z/ {print}'  # Zombie detection
Phase 2: Log review
journalctl -p err -n 50
journalctl --disk-usage
Phase 3: Cleanup sequence
apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt autoremove -y && apt clean
journalctl --vacuum-time=7d
Snap cleanup (biggest wins!)
snap list --all | awk '/disabled/{print $1, $3}'
snap remove package-name --revision=123
Document: hostname, before/after disk, MB freed per category

Three-Phase Approach

Phase 1: Initial Diagnostics

Capture baseline system state:

• Hostname and system identification
• Resource utilization (disk, memory, CPU)
• Process status and load
• Zombie process detection

Phase 2: System Log Review

Examine system health indicators:

• Recent error messages in system logs
• Journal disk consumption analysis
• Critical service status
• Authentication and security events

Phase 3: Package Assessment

Identify maintenance opportunities:

• Upgradable packages
• Orphaned configurations
• Unused dependencies
• Package cache size

Ubuntu/Debian Cleanup Sequence

Execute these seven stages in order:

1. Package Cache Refresh - apt update

2. System Upgrades - apt upgrade

3. Orphan Removal - apt autoremove

4. Cache Purging - apt clean

5. Journal Pruning - journalctl --vacuum-time=7d

6. Snap Revision Cleanup - Remove disabled snap revisions

7. Temporary Directory Assessment - Review /tmp and /var/tmp

Snap Revision Cleanup

Snap keeps old revisions by default. Big space savings here:

# List all disabled snap revisions
snap list --all | awk '/disabled/{print $1, $3}'
Remove specific revision
snap remove  --revision=

Important: Requires explicit removal by revision number.

Expected Results

Real-world recovery examples:

• Journal vacuuming: 300-600 MB
• Snap revision cleanup: 500 MB to 2 GB (!)
• Package cache purging: 100-500 MB
• Total potential: 2+ GB in comprehensive sessions

Documentation Requirements

All maintenance sessions must generate structured logs:

1. System Identification: hostname, OS version, kernel, operator

2. Resource States: initial/final disk/memory/CPU usage

3. Actions Taken: commands executed, MB/GB freed per category

4. Follow-up Recommendations: remaining issues, future needs

Time Commitment

Typical maintenance session: 15-30 minutes including diagnostics, cleanup, and documentation.

Documentation

See skills/SKILL.md for complete maintenance procedures.

Philosophy

Structure ad-hoc operational work with checklists and documentation. Quantify everything.