The Linux Cron Policy allows administrators to schedule tasks on Linux devices using cron. These scheduled tasks can include reboots, cleanup operations, updates, or any maintenance commands required by your organization.
Swif.ai applies these cron tasks automatically across all selected devices, making it easy to enforce consistent automated behavior for both BYOD and company-owned Linux systems.
Requirements
Linux device enrolled in Swif.ai
What This Policy Does
This policy enables you to centrally:
Configure cron jobs on Linux devices
Automate administrative tasks (restarts, updates, scripts, backups)
Apply consistent job schedules across your device fleet
Control timezones per cron task
Use predefined Command Types to simplify common actions
All cron tasks are managed and maintained by Swif.ai—end users cannot override or disable them.
Configuration Options
Under Cron Tasks, you can add one or more scheduled operations. Each task includes:
1. Command Type
This specifies what action the cron job will perform.
Swif.ai currently supports:
Command Type: REBOOT
Automatically restarts the device at the scheduled time.
Command Type: SHUTDOWN
Automatically shuts down the device at the scheduled time.
2. Cron Job (Schedule Expression)
The schedule for the cron job, using standard cron syntax:
* * * * *
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └─ Day of week (0–6)
│ │ │ └── Month (1–12)
│ │ └──── Day of month (1–31)
│ └────── Hour (0–23)
└──────── Minute (0–59)
3. Timezone
Specifies the timezone in which the cron job should run.
Example:
+00(UTC)-08(Pacific Time)+05(New Delhi)
This ensures cron tasks run at the correct local time regardless of device location.
Example Use Case: Scheduled Device Restart
One of the most common uses of the Linux Cron Policy is to schedule automatic device reboots in organizations.
Reference: Scheduled Restart Policy
Example: Restart device weekly at 3:00 AM (Sunday)
Command Type:
REBOOT
Cron Job:
0 3 * * 0
Timezone:
+00 (or select your local time)
This ensures devices reboot consistently without user interruption.
Additional Examples
Daily restart at midnight
0 0 * * *
Restart every Monday at 4:30 AM
30 4 * * 1
Restart every day at 2:15 AM in Pacific Time
Cron Job:
15 2 * * *
Timezone:
-08
How Cron Tasks Are Applied
When you deploy the policy:
Swif.ai writes the cron job into a managed cron configuration on the device
The cron daemon triggers the scheduled command at the defined time
Swif.ai re-applies the configuration when updated or removed
End users cannot override managed cron entries
Troubleshooting
Cron job did not run
Check:
Device was online
Cron daemon (
cronorcrond) is runningTimezone matches your expectation
Cron syntax is valid
Device rebooted at the wrong time
Confirm device's system time and timezone
Verify policy’s timezone field
Ensure no conflicting cron entries exist locally
Best Practices
✔ Use clear, consistent scheduling (e.g., early morning maintenance windows)
✔ Test cron expressions using online validators
✔ Keep all maintenance tasks outside normal working hours
✔ Use UTC (+00) when managing globally distributed devices
Summary
The Linux Cron Policy provides a simple, scalable way to automate tasks on Linux devices. Whether you want to schedule restarts, run scripts, or enforce routine maintenance, this policy ensures consistent device automation across your entire fleet—without requiring manual SSH or per-device setup.