How to Perform Automation Testing for Unix Batch Job: Users of Linux and Unix can schedule the execution of commands or scripts using Cron. You can set up scripts to run regularly. One of the most helpful tools in an operating system like Linux or UNIX is called Cron. It is typically employed for administrator tasks like backing up data or cleaning the /tmp/ directories, among others. The cron service (daemon) continuously scans the /etc/crontab file and the /etc/cron.*/ folders while running in the background. Additionally, the directory /var/spool/cron/ is checked.
What is a cron?
Cron is a tool for scheduling jobs found on Unix-like systems. The cron daemon runs in the background and makes the cron effective. To run predefined scripts, the cron reads the crontab (cron tables). You can set up a cron job to schedule scripts or other tasks to execute automatically by utilizing a specified syntax.
How to Use Crontab Command for Cron Jobs?
Use the crontab command to edit/create, install, deinstall, or list the cron tasks in Vixie Cron. Although they are files under /var/spool/cron/crontabs. They have not meant to directly modified and each user can have their crontab file. You must use the crontab command to edit or create your own cron jobs.
Types of Cron Configuration Files:
1. The UNIX / Linux system crontab
Used typically by system services and important tasks requiring root-level privileges. The name of the user of the command should run as entered in the sixth field. The system crontab can now execute instructions using any user thanks to this.
2. User Crontabs
With the use of the crontab command, users can set up their cron jobs. The command to run has entered in the sixth field, and all commands have executed by the user who created the crontab.
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What is Slurm?
Automated tests aid in ensuring the reliability and consistency of your scripts and help you identify issues early on. Running and fixing automated tests is simple thanks to the Slurm automation framework. Additionally, it offers certain practical features, such as an interactive shell. Similar to how Slurm does, it reports CPU and memory consumption. This is crucial when multiple applications are running on different compute nodes.
The chance of a bus mistake or a particular performance decrease increases when multiple apps are running simultaneously. To avoid these issues, Slurm is excellent at flushing kernel and Lustre caches after each task step. Slurm can used to automate testing if you’ve already created a script that executes on a system. A single computing node or a large number of them can operate it. This will make it easier for you to keep track of how many jobs have planned at a given moment. Every second, Slurm executes one job.
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How to Set up a Cron Job
- We’ll take a look at a cron job example that schedules a straightforward script.
- Create the date script. the sh script, which prints the current time and date on the system and appends it to a file. Following is the script:
- Give the script execution rights to make it usable.
- Using crontab -e, add the script to the crontab.
- Here, it is set to run once per minute.
- Examine the date-out.txt file’s output. The system date has supposed to printed to this file every minute, per the script.
How to Troubleshoot crons?
While very beneficial, crons may not always function exactly as intended. Fortunately, there are a few efficient techniques you may apply to fix problems.
1. Check the schedule
You could start by attempting to confirm the cron schedule that has been set. With the syntax you saw in the earlier sections, you can do that.
2. Check Cron Logs
You must first determine whether the cron has executed at the specified time or not. The cron logs in var/log/cron can used to confirm this. Logs can be found at /var/log/Syslog in various distributions. If an item appears in these logs at the appropriate time, the cron has executed by the schedule you specified. The logs from our cron job example have shown below. Pay attention to the timestamp in the first column. At the end of the line, the script’s path is also provided.
Conclusion
Automated services can rely upon more simply, have more dependable, take up less time, and cost less money. For creating the best-automated software testing services for improved site experience, rapid performance, and comprehension of the program from the user’s point of view. People can simply instructed on how to run automation tests for UNIX batch jobs.
