RHEL Linux - Red Hat System Administration Practice Exam

Which log file is related to periodically executed tasks?

1. /var/log/cron

2. /var/log/boot.log

3. /var/log/secure

4. /var/log/maillog

The correct answer is: /var/log/cron

The log file that pertains to periodically executed tasks is located at /var/log/cron. This log file records events related to the cron daemon, which is responsible for executing scheduled tasks or jobs in a Unix-like operating system, including RHEL Linux. Scheduled tasks can be defined in crontab files, where users and system administrators can specify commands to run at particular times or intervals. When a cron job executes, whether it is a system-level scheduled job or a user-defined one, pertinent details such as the command that was executed and any errors that occurred are logged in this file. Monitoring the /var/log/cron file is crucial for troubleshooting and verifying that automated tasks are running as expected, making it an essential tool in system administration. The other log files mentioned serve different purposes: /var/log/boot.log records boot messages from the system startup process, /var/log/secure logs authentication-related events like logins and sudo attempts, and /var/log/maillog captures mail server-related activity. Each of these files serves a specific function that does not relate to task scheduling and execution.