More handy hacks (not ready for prime time)

More handy hacks (not ready for prime time)

These are some hacks which are not ready to be distributed via handy-hacks.html yet for one reason or another. If something looks interesting, let me know and I'll try to clean it up enough for general use.

  • cache-clean
    Finds netscape cache files on structure specified, sorts them by date, then starts removing them (oldest first) until disk space is up to specified level.

  • check-aliases-vs-users
    Compares the list of aliases to the list of valid users and prints out a warning for aliases which are also valid users. An exception mechanism exists for users which *should* have aliases in /etc/aliases. (Sometimes some of my users come back after I set up mail bouncing...)

  • check-tape-usage
    Scans RUBS backup log files to give total tape usage from each log file. When "-v" is specified, lists individual partitions and their estimated tape usage.

  • check-exports
    Ensures that all hosts to which local filesystems are exported exist and that the local host is not included. (It's a security risk to export a filesystem to yourself.)

  • check-ftp
    Ensure that all publicly writable files/directories under ~ftp are properly hidden. (You're opening yourself up to abuse by software pirates if they're not. See my anonymous ftp page.)

  • clear-mounts-from-host
    Attempts to clear bogus rmtab entries on remote hosts by mounting and unmounting the partition that host thinks this host is mounting. (Useful when receiving unneeded shutdown warnings.)

  • cshbigfiles
    A simple csh template shell script showing how to process a file having so many lines that a simple
        foreach FILE ( `cat filename` )
    
    produces an error like "Arguments too long" or "Too many words from".

  • dig-for-host
    Uses dig command to begin at the root of the DNS and follow downward to determine who answers authoritatively for a hostname or IP address and what the results are.

  • easter
    Determines the date of Easter for year supplied (or the current year).

  • find-gateways-on
    Finds gateways (hostnames of the form *-gw) on one (or a common gateway on two) subnet.

  • find-processes-holding-open-nonexistent-files-on
    Uses lsof, find, and ps to determine what process(es) are holding open files on ( and possibly filling) a specified partition.

  • h2h
    Executes host command to translate hostname to IP address, then to result to convert back to hostname again (or vice versa).

  • hps
    Reorganizes output of ps so child PIDs appear indented under parents.

  • install-patches
    Installs (or backs out of) a given list of Solaris patches. Takes care of uncompressing and untaring patch files. Can do a crude job of backing out of previously installed versions of patches if you're tight on space.

  • kill-processes-of-user
    Fast way to kill off all processes owned by a user on the machine. Can take an optional process name to kill off only processes containing that word by that user.

  • reserve-machine
    Waits until specified user is on machine, then sets nologin until user logs off or optionally specified time has expired.

  • sd-decode
    Translates the old 4.1.x "sd" notation to the Solaris "cwtxdy" notation. (There's some confusion with iostat whether sd0 and sd3 are switched or not.) For Solaris 2.6 or later, use "iostat -xn".

  • share-cd-with
    automates starting nfsd, mountd, sharing and unsharing of a CD when using a remote CD drive on a machine which normally does not export filesytems.

  • share-directory-with-group
    makes it easier to correct protections on a directory which is supposed to be shared with a group by changing the group and adding read or read/write access for all files/directories owned by user within specified directory.

  • watch-net
    For a (currently hardcoded) list of hosts, this script resolves the IP address, pings the host, and optionally saves the output of a traceroute (so you can tell recent successful routes as well as where the route is currently breaking down) and checks packet lossage.

  • watch-structure
    Does a repeating df of the filesytem(s) specified. Alternate sleep time can be specified. Also, in "delta" mode, prints the amount and percentage of increase/decrease of usage of the structure.

  • whatson
    Lists all hosts on a particular subnet. (Currently assumes netmask 255.255.255.0.)

  • whois
    Simple script to recurse on whois requests when referred to another server.


    This page last updated March 14, 2004.