/etc/cron.hourly Directory: Explanation & Insights

Contains tasks executed every hour

The /etc/cron.hourly directory in Linux is an integral part of the cron system, a job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. Cron enables users to schedule jobs (commands or scripts) to run periodically at fixed times, dates, or intervals. The /etc/cron.hourly directory contains scripts that are run every hour. The cron daemon uses the configuration files placed in this directory to execute scripts on an hourly basis.

What does /etc/cron.hourly Contain?

The /etc/cron.hourly directory contains scripts that need to be executed hourly. The scripts themselves are typically shell scripts, though they can technically be in any scripting language, provided the script's interpreter is installed and the script is executable.

For instance, you might have a script in /etc/cron.hourly that backs up certain directories every hour. The scripts in this directory are executed in alphabetical order.

ls /etc/cron.hourly

A typical output of this command might look like:

0anacron  0yum-hourly.cron

How to Use /etc/cron.hourly?

To use the /etc/cron.hourly directory, you simply have to place an executable script in it. For example, if you want to run a script named backup.sh every hour, you would place it in this directory.

sudo cp ~/backup.sh /etc/cron.hourly/

Ensure the script is executable with the following command:

sudo chmod +x /etc/cron.hourly/backup.sh

Now, backup.sh will be executed every hour.

Relation to Other Directories and Commands

The /etc/cron.hourly directory is part of a set of directories that include /etc/cron.daily, /etc/cron.weekly, and /etc/cron.monthly. These directories are used to schedule tasks that should run daily, weekly, and monthly, respectively.

These directories are managed by the run-parts command. The crontab file usually has entries that call run-parts on these directories.

Potential Problems and Pitfalls

A common problem is the script not running as expected. This could be due to:

• The script is not executable. You can fix this with the chmod +x yourscript command.
• The script expects a certain environment which is not present when cron runs it. Remember, cron runs with a minimal environment. If your script depends on environment variables being set, you might have to source them in your script.
• Syntax errors in your script. Test your script by running it manually before placing it in the /etc/cron.hourly directory.

Another potential pitfall is overloading your system by scheduling too many resource-intensive tasks to run at the same time. Make sure your hourly tasks are balanced and not causing high load on your system.

Importance of /etc/cron.hourly

The /etc/cron.hourly directory is important because it allows system administrators to automate tasks that need to be run on an hourly basis. This can include anything from system maintenance tasks, generating reports, checking for updates, and much more. It's a vital tool for efficient system administration.