You can use a scheduled task to streamline the management of a cloud computer, improve user experience in specific scenarios, and effectively reduce costs. This topic describes how to configure a scheduled task for a cloud computer.
Background information
Scheduled tasks
The following table describes scheduled task types and scenarios.
Task type | Description |
Scheduled Start, Stop, Restart, and Reset | You can configure a scheduled task of this type to automatically manage your cloud computers if your cloud computers are used at regular intervals. Scheduled stop tasks can reduce costs of pay-as-you-go cloud computers. Scheduled reset tasks can initialize system disks of cloud computers, which are commonly applied to educational and training scenarios. |
Scheduled Task upon Inactivity | If no operation is detected on cloud computers for a period of time after the cloud computers are connected, it can be assumed that the cloud computers are not used for now. After you configure a scheduled task of this type for a cloud computer, the cloud computer is automatically stopped when the duration of inactivity reaches the specified period, which can help reduce costs of pay-as-you-go cloud computers. Important The system performs a scheduled task for a cloud computer based on whether inputs are detected on the cloud computer. If the cloud computer is used to automatically play videos or run automated programs, the videos or programs may be interrupted if you turn on the Scheduled Task upon Inactivity switch. In addition, if you configure a scheduled restart or stop task upon inactivity, the system automatically restarts or stops the cloud computer when the scheduled point in time is reached. This may cause data loss. We recommend that you exercise caution when you configure a scheduled task of this type. |
Scheduled Task upon Disconnection | For pay-as-you-go cloud computers, you are charged for the cloud computers when they are in the Running state, regardless of whether end users are connecting to the cloud computers. In this case, billing still continues even when end users disconnect from the cloud computers. To prevent unexpected fees generated when an end user forgets to stop a cloud computer after disconnection, you can configure a scheduled task upon disconnection for the cloud computer. When the specified period of time is reached, the cloud computer is automatically stopped. |
Start Cloud Computer After Client Logon or Hardware Client Launch & Stop Cloud Computer After Client Logout or Hardware Client Shutdown | The scheduled tasks of these types help streamline user operations and eliminate end users from manually starting and stopping cloud computers. Automatic stop can reduce the costs of pay-as-you-go cloud computers. |
Limits
Scheduled tasks upon inactivity take effect only on the following cloud computers:
Adaptive Streaming Protocol (ASP)-based Windows cloud computers whose image versions are V1.0.4 or later
ASP-based Linux cloud computers whose image versions are V2.0.0 or later
Procedure
The following section describes how to configure scheduled tasks for cloud computers.
Log on to the Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Cloud Computers page, perform operations on one or more cloud computers:
Single cloud computer: Find the cloud computer that you want to manage, click the ⋮ icon in the Actions column and click Configure Scheduled Task.
Multiple cloud computers: Select the cloud computers that you want to manage and then choose .
In the Configure Scheduled Task panel, configure scheduled tasks based on your business requirements.
Scheduled Start, Stop, Restart, and Reset
Turn on the Scheduled Start, Stop, Restart, and Reset switch.
Select a task type and specify a cycle and a point in time to perform the scheduled task.
Then, you can preview the time of the scheduled task.
NoteIf the specified point in time of a scheduled stop or restart task is reached and end users are still connected to the cloud computers, the system executes the task at the next point in time based on user connections to cloud computers. If you want the system to execute the scheduled stop or restart task, select Forcefully Execute.
For scheduled tasks, the system initializes the system disks of cloud computers based on images. The installed software and private data on the current system disks are cleared, and the data disks of the cloud computers remain unchanged. If you want to reset the data disks, select Reset Data Disk Simultaneously.
Scheduled Task upon Inactivity
Turn on the Scheduled Task upon Inactivity switch.
Select a period of time and the action that you want the system to execute on cloud computers. When end users have no longer performed any operations on the cloud computers for the specified period of time, the system executes the specified action, such as stopping, restarting, or disconnecting from cloud computers.
Scheduled Task upon Disconnection
Turn on the Scheduled Task upon Disconnection switch.
Select an effective rule for the task. Valid values:
Task Configured by End User: The scheduled task upon disconnection takes effect based on the settings that are configured by end users on the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client. For more information, see Configure a scheduled stop policy for a cloud computer.
Task Configured by Administrator: The scheduled task upon disconnection takes effect based on the settings that are configured by administrators in the EDS console. If you select this option, you must specify an action and a period of time to execute the action.
Start Cloud Computer After Client Logon or Hardware Terminal Launch
If you turn on the Start Cloud Computer After Client Logon or Hardware Terminal Launch switch, cloud computers are automatically powered on after end users log on to the Alibaba Cloud Workspace client and connect to the cloud computers.
Stop Cloud Computer After Client Logout or Hardware Client Shutdown
Turn on the Stop Cloud Computer After Client Logout or Hardware Client Shutdown switch.
Specify a period of time in minutes to stop cloud computers after end users log out of the client.
NoteIf end users log on to the client and reconnect to the cloud computers before the specified period of time elapses, the scheduled task become invalid.
Confirm the preceding settings of different types of scheduled tasks and click Save.
What to do next
You can perform the following operations to view execution records of scheduled tasks:
In the left-side navigation pane, choose .
In the upper-left corner of the top navigation bar, select a region.
On the Cloud Computers page, click the ID of the cloud computer whose scheduled tasks you want to view.
Click the Scheduled Task Execution tab to view execution records of scheduled tasks.
NoteYou can view execution records of scheduled tasks in the last 30 days.