> So, we have an internal debate at Puryear IT about how to best setup
> cronjobs. First, let's assume Linux here. Every UNIX flavor has some
> unique trick it likes to use, but Linux is a good example of several
> ways to do cronjobs.
>
> So, with most Linux installs, you have these options:
>
> 1. normal use of crontabs
> 2. creating a crontab-like entry in a file in /etc/cron.d/
> 3. creating symlinks to your scripts in /etc/cron.hourly/,
> /etc/cron.daily/, etc. (I'll just say /etc/cron.daily to be short.)
> 4. /etc/crontab for the root user being able to run cron jobs as any
> user, unlike /etc/cron.d/ and /etc/cron.daily/.
>
> The question here isn't one of technical correctness (they are all
> correct), but one of consistency both internally and, potentially,
> with
> other people messing with cronjobs on the same box.
>
> The debate started when I logged into a server and didn't see our jobs
> in root's crontab or as symlink under /etc/cron.daily/. They were in
> /etc/cron.d/. Fine. Except I never do that. I usually use a user's
> crontab or /etc/cron.daily/. So, immediately, we have a internal
> consistency issue, which could, conceivably, cause me to create a
> duplicate cronjob. (Let's ignore documentation and change management.)
>
> The problem I have with /etc/cron.d/ is that most people DON'T USE IT.
> Sure, system scripts that come with the distro often do, but, really,
> how many sysadmins create their cronjobs there? Not many in my
> experience. Yet, there is a certain cleanness to /etc/cron.d/. :)
>
> /etc/crontab has the unique benefit of letting centralize your
> cronjobs,
> but then you have a single file that everyone has to muck with. Yuck.
> Oh, and trouble..
>
> So, what are your thoughts? How do you handle this?
>
> --
> Puryear Information Technology, LLC
> Baton Rouge, LA * 225-706-8414
>
http://www.puryear-it.com>
> Author, "Best Practices for Managing Linux and UNIX Servers"
>
http://www.puryear-it.com/pubs/linux-unix-best-practices
>
> Identity Management, LDAP, and Linux Integration