Title: Design and implementation of an automation service system based on CRONTAB

Authors: Yi-Hsing Chang, Cheng-Jung Lee, Binshan Lin

Addresses: Department of Information Management, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, No.1, Nantai Street, Yung-Kang City, Tainan 710, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, No.1, Nantai Street, Yung-Kang City, Tainan 710, Taiwan. ' Louisiana State University, One University Place, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA

Abstract: In this paper, an Automation Service System (AUSS) based on CRONTAB is proposed. This AUSS system provides an efficient framework that automatically processing a series of functions such as transmitting data across homogeneous or heterogeneous platforms, capturing or generating data for both normal processing and exceptions and processing smoothly with flexible capabilities. The features of AUSS are flexibility, scalability, speed, accuracy, automatic importing or self-generation, and thus it can reduce the workload of MIS staff. Taking the school affairs system at the Southern Taiwan University of Technology as an example, we developed an AUSS that can automatically compare databases after integrating cross-department systems, execute period end operations and schedule a sequence of jobs. This system not only simplifies users| and administrators| routines and eliminates errors, but also directly enhances their working efficiency and reduces operating costs.

Keywords: CRONTAB; automation service system; shell; scheduling; UNIX; Linux; Cron table; job scheduler; job sequencing; working efficiency; cost reduction; data tranmission; data capture; data generation; flexibility; period end operations; cross-department systems integration; automatic services; Taiwan; university departments.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2006.008733

International Journal of Services and Standards, 2006 Vol.2 No.2, pp.203 - 214

Published online: 18 Jan 2006 *

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