1 Automating System Tasks

In Oracle Linux 10, two utilities that are often used for scheduling system tasks, such as performing periodic backups, monitoring the system, and running custom scripts, are cron and anacron. Both tools automate the running of tasks, also referred to as "jobs," but differ in how those tasks are run. Both utilities automatically run through their respective daemons, so they don't need to be run manually.

Timer unit files for systemd can also be used for scheduling tasks. All the utilities described in this document for task automation can be run in combination.