10.1 Understanding Policy Schedules

A policy schedule specifies the frequency, start time, and stop time or duration that a policy runs. It can be associated with none, one, or multiple policies. A policy can have only one policy schedule associated with it at a time. When the schedule is created, an administrator specifies a unique descriptive name for the schedule, and Dynamic File Services allocates a GUID for the life of the schedule.

IMPORTANT:For information about planning policy schedules, see Section 4.20, Policy Schedules.

10.1.1 Scheduled or Unscheduled Policies

Associating a schedule with a policy causes it to be scheduled for periodic policy enforcement. Disassociating a schedule from a policy unschedules the policy. The policy schedule applies for all pairs that are associated with the policy. Unscheduled policies are not enforced unless you run them manually by using Execute now. Scheduled and unscheduled policies can be run at any time by using Execute now.

The policies associated with a given pair can use all use the same schedule or different schedules. If policies are not run together, ensure that you allow sufficient time for a policy run to complete before the start time of another policy.

10.1.2 Schedule Frequency Options

For each policy schedule, you must specify its frequency, start time, and stop time or duration. A policy can be enforced hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, or on custom dates. Select one frequency option, then specify when to run it.

Table 10-1 Policy Schedule Frequency Options

Frequency Option

Description

Hourly

Runs the policy every hour at hh:00:00.

Daily

Runs the policy once a day at the specified the time.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.

Weekly

Runs the policy once a week on the specified day of the week, start time, and duration.

Day determines which day of the week to enforce the policy. The default is Sunday.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.

Monthly

Runs the policy monthly on the specified calendar day of the month, start time, and duration.

Day determines which calendar day of the month to enforce the policy. Options are 1 to 31. The default is day 15. Specify Last day of the month to run the policy on the last calendar day of each month, including February 29th in leap years.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.

Quarterly

Runs the policy quarterly, beginning in the specified month, on the calendar day of the month, start time, and duration.

Month determines in which calendar month is the first month to begin the policy. Options are the 12 months of the Gregorian calendar year. You must specify the month; no default is defined.

Day determines which calendar day of the month to enforce the policy. Options are 1 to 31. The default is day 15. Specify Last day of the month to run the policy on the last calendar day of each quarter, including February 29th in leap years, beginning with the specified month.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.

Yearly

Runs the policy yearly in the month, on the calendar day of the month, start time, and duration.

Month determines in which calendar month to enforce the policy. Options are the 12 months of the Gregorian calendar year. You must specify the month; no default is defined.

Day determines which calendar day of the month to enforce the policy. Options are 1 to 31. You must specify the day; no default is defined.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.

Custom

Runs the policy on the custom dates at the specified start time, and duration. Only future dates can be specified.

Click a day once to add it to the list of dates. Click it again to remove it from the list.

Click the calendar year to select years and months, or to jump around through the calendar. You can also use the right-arrow to navigate forward from the current month to future months, then use the left-arrow to navigate back one month at a time.

Start determines at what time on that day the run should begin. Start times are available in 15-minute increments (hh:00, hh:15, hh:30, hh:45). The default is 12:00 a.m.

Duration specifies how long to run the policy in one-hour increments, or until complete. The default is Until complete.