How are gc/ syslog/ kernel logs are special and not sent to central logging? Ad-hoc logs (such as thread dumps etc.) can also be triggered via safe application end points from restricted locations.

> "Is it never necessary to run ad hoc commands on your production systems?"

Ad-hoc commands in production AS ROOT should be exception, not norm, and reserved for on-call members, not every developer working on team.

Even the most competent people, sysadmin or developer, can make a mistake.

I did not say no commands should ever be run on production, there could be non-root read-only accounts. I am opposed to everyone having root on production. I have seen enough data loss incidents or full blown outages because of mistakes.

Well done you, I guess? Nothing to disagree with. I'm just amazed this can be actual reality :)

It takes a while to get there - and a lot of discipline of those involved.

In an ideal world, you wouldn‘t need that. But most systems never matured to be considered being in an ideal state / world.