What platforms does this skill target?

Ubuntu and Debian-based Linux systems accessed remotely via SSH and tmux.

Is root or sudo access required?

Yes, many cleanup and upgrade steps require elevated privileges; ensure appropriate permissions before starting.

How are maintenance results documented?

Sessions produce structured logs detailing System Identification, Resource States, Actions Taken, and Follow-up Recommendations.

remote-system-maintenance

Scanned

npx machina-cli add skill aiskillstore/marketplace/remote-system-maintenance --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

3.1 KB

Remote System Maintenance

Purpose

Structured guidance for diagnosing and maintaining remote Linux systems through SSH/tmux sessions, with emphasis on Ubuntu/Debian platforms.

Applicable Scenarios

System maintenance tasks
Disk space recovery
Package updates
Health diagnostics
Cleanup operations on remote servers

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:

Package Cache Refresh - apt update to sync package lists
System Upgrades - apt upgrade for security and bug fixes
Orphan Removal - apt autoremove to clean unused dependencies
Cache Purging - apt clean to reclaim package cache space
Journal Pruning - journalctl --vacuum-time=7d to limit log retention
Snap Revision Cleanup - Remove disabled snap revisions (see below)
Temporary Directory Assessment - Review /tmp and /var/tmp for cleanup opportunities

Snap Revision Cleanup Technique

Snap keeps old revisions by default. To identify and remove:

# List all disabled snap revisions
snap list --all | awk '/disabled/{print $1, $3}'

# Remove specific revision
snap remove <package-name> --revision=<revision-number>

Important: Requires explicit removal by revision number, not simple package uninstallation.

Documentation Requirements

All maintenance sessions must generate structured logs recording:

System Identification
- Hostname
- OS version
- Kernel information
- Operator identity
Resource States
- Initial disk/memory/CPU usage
- Final disk/memory/CPU usage
- Quantified improvements
Actions Taken
- Specific commands executed
- MB/GB freed per category
- Packages upgraded/removed
Follow-up Recommendations
- Remaining issues
- Future maintenance needs
- Monitoring suggestions

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

Time Commitment

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

Source

git clone https://github.com/aiskillstore/marketplace/blob/main/skills/2389-research/remote-system-maintenance/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Provides structured, three-phase guidance for diagnosing and maintaining remote Linux hosts via SSH/tmux, with a focus on Ubuntu/Debian. It helps ensure system health, frees disk space, and keeps packages up to date.

How This Skill Works

It operates over SSH/tmux to guide you through a three-phase checklist: Phase 1 collects baseline host data (hostname, OS, kernel, resources, processes, zombie state); Phase 2 reviews system logs, journal usage, service status, and security events; Phase 3 assesses packages for upgrades, orphaned configurations, unused dependencies, and cache size. After assessment, it executes the Ubuntu/Debian cleanup sequence (seven stages) and logs all actions with quantified results.

When to Use It

System maintenance tasks on remote servers
Disk space recovery and cleanup
Package updates and security fixes
Health diagnostics for Linux hosts
Cleanup operations on remote servers

Quick Start

Step 1: Connect to the remote host via SSH and start a tmux session.
Step 2: Run Phase 1–3 diagnostics to capture baseline metrics and health indicators.
Step 3: Execute the seven-stage Ubuntu/Debian cleanup sequence and generate structured logs.

Best Practices

Always start with a baseline capture: hostname, OS version, kernel, and current resource usage.
Review logs and journal consumption before performing cleanup to avoid missing issues.
Follow the seven-stage Ubuntu/Debian cleanup sequence in order (update, upgrade, autoremove, clean, journal prune, snap cleanup, tmp review).
Document actions with quantified outcomes (MB/GB freed, packages upgraded or removed).
Identify and remove old Snap revisions explicitly using revision numbers, not by package uninstall.

Example Use Cases

Journal vacuuming: 300-600 MB reclaimed.
Snap revision cleanup: 500 MB to 2 GB recovered.
Package cache purging: 100-500 MB freed.
Total potential cleanup: 2+ GB in comprehensive sessions.
Typical maintenance session: 15-30 minutes including diagnostics and documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Add this skill to your agents