Unattended execution.
WHAT SCHEDULING MECHANISMS EXIST
The Unix scheduler The Windows task scheduler Platform and framework schedulers Container orchestration schedules
WHAT TO PROVIDE IN ANY SCHEDULED TASK
Absolute paths, always An explicit environment Logging of what happened Failure signalled clearly
WHY ABSOLUTE PATHS
Scheduled tasks run with a minimal environment, and relative paths resolve unexpectedly.
WHAT THAT CAUSES
Scripts working when run manually and failing when scheduled.
WHAT THE COMMONEST CAUSE IS
An assumption about the environment or the working directory.
WHAT TO PREVENT
Overlapping runs, where one has not finished before the next starts.
HOW
A lock, released on completion.
WHAT TO ALERT ON
Failure A task not running at all
WHY THAT SECOND ONE
A scheduled task silently ceasing is a classic failure, invisible for months.
WHAT TO RECORD
Start and end times, and the outcome.
WHAT TO REVIEW
The logs, periodically, rather than assuming success.
