Re: prevent users from running system statistic tools

From: Michael Vilain (vilain_at_spamcop.net)
Date: 08/06/04 

Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 19:34:33 -0700

In article <ulAQc.35125$K53.3252@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
 "John Silver" <SPAMMERSandante@DIEtotaliseALONE.co.uk> wrote:

> With a machine groaning under almost three times its expected user load,
> response was poor and some users insisted on running prstat and other
> routines to see how their jobs were running.
>
> A polite email didn't work, even when it was pointed out that the three CPU
> minutes consumed by those processes today would have helped other jobs to
> complete.
>
> I considered having those routines moved into directories to which the users
> didn't have access.
>
> I considered a script that would issue a talk command to the user.
>
> I considered making the script send wall messages identifying the
> offending user.
>
> I considered a script that would check the machine every 5 minutes for a
> process running such a command and issue a kill command on the session.
>
> I considered modifying the script to renice all the jobs submitted by
> offending users to 100.
>
> I considered modifying the script to kill all their sessions if they were
> running any stat tools.
>
> I considered seventeen ounces of lead wrapped in garden hose applied
> repeatedly behind the left ear until they stopped.
>
>
> I would be glad to hear of any more socially acceptable solutions.
>
> Kind regards
>
> David
>
>
> "M. Spoon" <no@spam.org> wrote in message
> news:411295dc$0$36861$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> > Hello,
> >
> > what would be a good way to prevent users from running tools like sar,
> > iostat, vmstat etc. Of course one could remove the other-execute bit on
> > these binairies, but users would still be able to place the binairies
> > into their home dirs and execute those.
> >
> > Regards,
> > M. Spoon

This isn't really your problem. You run the system. The manager of the
offending users runs them. Have your manager have a chat with their
manager. It's a user-behavior issue. If you can't buy more computing
resources, they're squandering the ones you have. If they won't stop
it, have them work somewhere else. If management won't support you on
this, get over it and find another dragon to slay. 

-- 
DeeDee, don't press that button!  DeeDee!  NO!  Dee...