There is only one security issue: There isn't any

We had the IRC server not do any relaying (don't want everyone in the world getting our messages). The IRC server was also networked on a separate subnet operating on it's own IP set without any way of forwarding information out of that subnet.

And perhaps most important of all, physical and network access to these machines is limited to a small number of people that are themselves financially responsbile for the system (these are our own machines). Hence you can figure out: we had no ability to use this system remotely (from home, or the other labs etc.).

I wouldn't recommend IRC for any level of remote administration. But there are better chat systems out there. The idea is to convert administration tasks into conversations with intelligent agents and having support agents that mine those conversations for data.

And of course using PERL for all of this...

-- termix