Recurring work.
WHAT TO SCHEDULE
Backups Cleanup Log rotation Report generation Certificate renewal checks Data synchronisation
WHAT TO SPECIFY
Full paths to the interpreter and the script The environment the script needs
WHY
Scheduled tasks run with a minimal environment and inherit nothing.
THE COMMONEST FAILURE
A script working when run by hand and failing when scheduled, because of paths or environment.
WHAT TO ARRANGE
Output captured to a log Notification on failure
WHY THAT SECOND POINT
Without it, a failing task fails silently for months.
WHAT TO BUILD IN
A record that the task ran and completed Protection against two copies running at once
WHY THAT SECOND ONE
A task taking longer than its interval overlaps with itself.
WHAT TO SET
The least frequent interval that meets the need.
WHAT TO MONITOR
That each task ran, and alert if one did not.
WHAT TO TEST
The exact scheduled command, manually, first.
