Lab Activity
Schedule Cron Job and Download Package on Remote Host
Learn how to schedule a cron job to automate the downloading of packages from a URL on remote hosts.
Overview
In this lab, you will learn how to automate repetitive tasks on remote hosts using cron jobs and manage package downloads via Ansible. This hands-on exercise focuses on practical use cases of task scheduling and package management to streamline system administration tasks across multiple systems.
Learning Outcomes
- Set up cron jobs on remote hosts using Ansible.
- Transfer scripts to remote systems using scp.
- Download and store packages on remote systems using Ansible playbooks.
- Verify and manage scheduled tasks and downloaded content.
Key Concepts
- Cron Jobs
- A cron job is a scheduled task in Unix-like operating systems that runs at specific times or intervals.
- Useful for automating routine tasks such as system maintenance, backups, or script execution.
- Allows scheduling of tasks to run at specified intervals.
- Example: Automating script execution or backups.
- scp Command
- Secure Copy Protocol (scp) is a command-line utility that allows you to securely transfer files between a local machine and a remote host, or between two remote hosts.
- Transfers files between local and remote systems securely.
- Syntax:
scp <source> <destination>
- Syntax:
- Ansible Playbooks
- Playbooks are YAML-based files that define a series of tasks to automate configuration, deployment, and other operations on remote hosts.
- Key modules used:
- cron: For managing cron jobs.
- get_url: For downloading files from the internet.
- Package Downloading
- Automate downloading and storing packages using Ansible.
- Ensures consistent setup across multiple hosts.
Why This Lab is Important:
- Efficient Automation: Reduces manual effort by automating repetitive system tasks, freeing up time for more critical activities.
- Consistency: Ensures uniform task scheduling and package installations across all systems in your infrastructure, minimizing discrepancies.
- Time Management: Saves time by automating routine setups, such as scheduling tasks and downloading necessary files.
- Centralized Management: Enables centralized control over multiple remote systems through Ansible, simplifying system administration and improving overall efficiency.