This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which THREE of the following are valid methods to schedule a recurring task in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8? (Choose exactly three.)
Using the 'batch' command
Why wrong: 'batch' executes when system load is low, not on a schedule.
Creating a systemd timer unit
systemd timers are the modern way to schedule tasks.
Using the 'at' command
Why wrong: 'at' is for one-time scheduled tasks.
Configuring /etc/anacrontab
Anacron handles periodic tasks with daily/weekly/monthly intervals.
Adding an entry in /etc/crontab
Crontab can schedule recurring tasks.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Creating a systemd timer unit
Systemd timer units are the modern, recommended method for scheduling recurring tasks in RHEL 8. They replace traditional cron-based scheduling by leveraging systemd's service and timer units, providing features like monotonic timers, calendar events, and integration with systemd's logging and dependency management.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Using the 'batch' command
Why it's wrong here
'batch' executes when system load is low, not on a schedule.
Creating a systemd timer unit
Why this is correct
systemd timers are the modern way to schedule tasks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Using the 'at' command
Why it's wrong here
'at' is for one-time scheduled tasks.
Configuring /etc/anacrontab
Why this is correct
Anacron handles periodic tasks with daily/weekly/monthly intervals.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Adding an entry in /etc/crontab
Why this is correct
Crontab can schedule recurring tasks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the distinction between one-time scheduling tools (at, batch) and recurring scheduling tools (cron, anacron, systemd timers), leading candidates to mistakenly select 'at' or 'batch' for recurring tasks.
Detailed technical explanation
Systemd timer units use .timer files that can define calendar events (e.g., 'Mon..Fri 09:00:00') or monotonic timers (e.g., 'OnUnitActiveSec=1h'). They are activated by systemd's timer management, which runs as PID 1, ensuring reliability and logging via journald. In real-world scenarios, timers are preferred for tasks that need to survive system reboots or require precise scheduling without cron's minute-level granularity.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the EX200 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Creating a systemd timer unit — Systemd timer units are the modern, recommended method for scheduling recurring tasks in RHEL 8. They replace traditional cron-based scheduling by leveraging systemd's service and timer units, providing features like monotonic timers, calendar events, and integration with systemd's logging and dependency management.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This EX200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the EX200 exam.
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