Scheduled Tasks and Windows 2003

Server 2003 has special limitations on the ability of nonadmin users to perform batch tasks. For this reason, scheduled tasks created by the ES install wizard work on Server 2003 only if you perform an additional step.

Microsoft offers two methods to make scheduled tasks work: 1)adding the service user name on the security tab of the cmd.exe file, or 2)adding the Batch group on this same security tab. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/867466/en-us (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/867466/en-us). Both methods suggested by Microsoft are easy and effective.

After you use either method, you should try running each scheduled task manually to make sure they function correctly.

This workaround is not necessary on Windows 2000 or Server 2008.

Scheduled administration tasks

See also: Demo Screencast on the Enfold website at http://www.enfoldsystems.com/software/server/demos

• Backup: this backs up all the File Storage ZODB's that can be found in your installation. By default this is the Data.fs, located inside the Server directory. The backup does not backup files on the file system (such as product code), data in relational databases, log files, any external user sources such as Active Directory or any configuration. It backs up the data that has been entered into Plone. By default this runs once a week at 11.01 PM (server time) on Friday.
• Log rotate: this rotates the log files for all Zope Clients and the ZEO Server. For the client this is the Z2 (web access) and event.log. For the server this is zeo. log. By default this runs every day at midnight (server time). (Read more about Logs ).
• Database packing: this packs the database and removes all the old copies of objects in the database. By default this removes old versions of objects older than 14 days every evening. (Read more about Database Size ).

By default all logs and backups go into the Data directory of your Enfold Server install. If you would like to add in new tasks, or change the location of rotations and backups, then this can be altered by accessing Start > Enfold Server > Enfold Server Configuration Utility then Tasks.

If you would like to change the time or frequency of these tasks, use the Windows scheduled task interface. This can be found in Start > Settings > Control Panel > Scheduled Tasks from the Windows start menu.

Note: The user who runs these administrative tasks should be the service user. Those running Enfold Server on Windows 2003 will need to perform an additional step to make scheduled tasks work (see previous topic above). Although it is possible to run a Scheduled Task as a user with local administrator rights, doing so is not recommended.

If you are unclear about how to configure a service user, see server security.

Setting the location for temporary files

It is normal for Enfold Server to use temporary files when it runs. In Server 2003 these files are contained in the user's temp directory (i.e., C:\Documents and Settings\robert\Local Settings\Temp), and in Vista it is something similar (c:\users\robert\AppData\Local\Temp). Note that if you are not connected to a Windows domain, the path may be different.

The Temp directory must be writable by the service user; therefore, by default it will be found inside the temp folder in the service user's folders.

However, it is possible to change this location. The only requirement is that the new location must already exist and that it be writable by the service user.

To change the location of this Temp directory, you need to edit the zope.conf file for the Zope client. (usually found here C:\Program Files\Enfold Server\Client\etc). Open this zope.conf and add these line TEMP c:\Temporary inside the environment directive.

<environment>
# This HTTP_MANAGE environment variable is used by Plone's accessRule.py
# script, which is what makes Plone appear instead of Zope when you go to
# the root of the web server on the PLONE_WEBSERVER_PORT.
HTTP_MANAGE $ZOPE_MANAGEZODB_PORT
TEMP c:\Temporary
</environment>