What is the preferred way to schedule a Windows Server 2003 Job

Question

Having spent the last decade primarily on Linux systems, my Windows knowledge is a bit rusty, and I am out looking things up as well as asking here. Also, I am not looking for a discussion, but, instead, an answer indicating best practice.

Does scheduling a task in Windows infer the same kind of process as cron in Linux? That is, I am assuming a Windows scheduled tasks works without a user being logged in?

Is Windows 2003 Task Scheduler the preferred way to schedule a task?

If Task Scheduler is not the right thing, what is another preferred way?

The task I want to schedule is pscp.exe to grab a file on a SAMBA share and send it to a vendor on a daily basis.

Answer 1

Is Windows 2003 Task Scheduler the preferred way to schedule a task?

Task Scheduler is the de-facto Windows equivalent of cron. So, yes, use it to schedule a recurring task :)

I am assuming a Windows scheduled tasks works without a user being logged in?

That depends on how you configure the task:

Besides the GUI available through the Control Panel, there are additional CLI tools to add tasks. The schtasks tool should be of special interest here.