DevOpstacle Course

We're interested to see how you perform under pressure - so try to get through as many as you can. That said, this is not a strict pass/fail test, and we're more interested in good solutions than fast ones.

Instructions:
# ssh to `purgatory.doloreslabs.com` using the identity provided to you in-person. Your username is `virgil` - you have full sudo power.
# Copy the contents of this gist into a new *private* gist of your own. Add your answers and notes inline to your new gist.
# Don't worry about messing up our machine - this is a game.
# Feel free to use the web or anything else as a reference.
# Please take notes - we're interested in what you tried as much as what you did.
# You have 90 minutes - complete as many of the following as you can, in any order.

Trials:
# Get the server under 50% disk utilization
# The CPU is pegged. Can you fix it?
# You may have noticed that our server starts swapping every fifteen minutes or so. Can you fix it?
# Please change the motd to something more cheery... and make sure it stays that way.
# The user `beatrice` is experiencing a lot of lag when trying to log in. Can you fix it?
# The 'csv_master' cronjob which converts file formats is failing. Can you fix it?

Q & A:
# Where is the server physically located?
# Which network services are running on this server?
# What can you tell us about /dev/sda1 and its performance characteristics?
# If you were asked to add one more trial above, what would it be?
# What else can you tell us about the machine or how it was built/configured?

* please note: all commands sent to `purgatory.doloreslabs.com` are logged.