Partition tool with console UI (as in server installation)?

Aha. Re-reading your post I see you mention what you think is the name of the utility, *parted_server*. A little googling for terms like 'parted_server, ubuntu server, ubuntu install partition program' and eventually I turn up this ancient page. It says the Ubuntu 6.10 installer uses partman. One google later I find partman is still the de facto Ubuntu installer partitioner, and is inextricably bundled with the ubiquity package. A reluctant apt-get install ubiquity later and partman is ready to run. It takes several seconds for partman to start, and I don't know how stable it is running outside of the install environment.

I downloaded the source for ubiquity thinking maybe I could yoink partman out. Haven't gotten very far, but I haven't tried too hard either. (Not a programmer, just a former slacker.)

Sounds like you know what you're doing, but thought I'd link to the Maverick manual partitioning guide for less experienced eyes.