# Automating jobs on RSP

**URL:** <https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831>\
**Category:** Rubin Science Platform\
**Created:** [August 18, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831 "2025-08-18T19:24:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jrob93](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/jrob93/32/4102_2.png) [@jrob93](https://www.rubin.community/u/jrob93)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831/1 "2025-08-18T19:24:40Z")

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Hi, I am looking for a way to automatically run an analysis script which needs access to data available on RSP. I was initially wondering if it would be possible to set it up using crontab, but I see that crontab is not installed on RSP. Also I’m not very savvy with how RSP actually works, so even if crontab were available is my session always “persistent” and therefore would it run when I log out? Or would a better approach be to use crontab on my own machine, but accessing the RSP data remotely using pyvo or similar? I’m pretty inexperienced with this sort of thing so any advice would be appreciated!

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**Author:** ![frossie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/frossie/32/9_2.png) [@frossie](https://www.rubin.community/u/frossie)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831/2 "2025-08-18T21:18:48Z")

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Currently your best option is to use pyvo to run periodic jobs from a persistent machine outside the RSP.

Cron will not work as your RSP server is not pesitent. It gets shut down when idle to conserve resources for active users.

One day there is likely going to be another option for this, but for now go with the above.

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**Author:** ![jrob93](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/jrob93/32/4102_2.png) [@jrob93](https://www.rubin.community/u/jrob93)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2025, 6:42am UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831/3 "2025-08-19T06:42:47Z")

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Thanks @frossie that’s all really useful to know! Just as a quick followup, is there a recommended way within the API to then push data from a local machine to the RSP, e.g. rsync?

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**Author:** ![timj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/timj/32/10_2.png) [@timj](https://www.rubin.community/u/timj)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831/4 "2025-08-22T06:54:19Z")

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> [@jrob93](#):
>
> RSP, e.g. rsync?

WebDAV: [WebDAV — Rubin Science Platform](https://rsp.lsst.io/guides/webdav/index.html)

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**Author:** ![jrob93](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/jrob93/32/4102_2.png) [@jrob93](https://www.rubin.community/u/jrob93)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2025, 12:37pm UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/automating-jobs-on-rsp/10831/5 "2025-08-22T12:37:34Z")

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Thanks for the recommendation @timj this looks useful! I will try it out