CRON: Enable A Specific User To Run Scripts

[Karl Balsmeier]

How does one, say, authorize the "N" account to be able use cron scripts on the server?

Is there a specific file to edit? Do I put them in the wheel group?

We run most of the enterprise databases, and developers are always asking for this in one form or another so they can tell when certain jobs have run with success.

Any help is much appreciated!

[John Dvorchak · Accepted solution]

You can add that user to /var/adm/cron/cron.allow and then they can create their own scripts to use with the crontab -e command.

man crontab

As far as being able to run scrips? The permission of the script in question would determine if it is executable for a given user:group

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Karl,

Entering the user's username in /var/adm/cron/cron.allow will allow that user to use cron.

HTH,
Jeff

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Karl:

Allowing (and/or disallowing) users to run cron jobs is controlled in '/var/adm/cron/cron.allow' and '/var/adm/cron/cron.deny' as described in the 'crontab' man pages.

The same mechanism applies for the use of 'at' or 'batch' jobs using '/var/adm/cron/at.allow' and '/var/adm/cron/at.deny'.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Rodney Hills]

Just remember, the task will run as the user. Not as "root".

HTH

-- Rod Hills

[Karl Balsmeier]

Do the change to cron.allow take place in real time, meaning no reboot, etc.?

Thanks for all of your help! Mucho points!

[Michael Tully]

Yes the access is allowed mmediately after the changes have been made.

One further note. Try to avoid the use of 'crontab -e'

Use this method:
$ crontab -l >/tmp/work
make your changes and then save the file and submit it.
$ crontab /tmp/work