Cron jobs and resource limits

Cron jobs are scheduled tasks that run automatically at set times - things like sending newsletters, clearing caches, generating reports or running backups. They are useful, but if set up carelessly they can be a common cause of resource spikes.

Two mistakes cause most cron-related trouble:

• Running too often - a task set to run every minute when every hour would do multiplies your usage needlessly.
• Running everything at once - if several heavy jobs all fire at, say, midnight, they compete for resources and can push you over your limit together.

To keep cron jobs friendly to your DirhamGuard limits:

1. Review your scheduled tasks in the DirhamHost panel and remove any you no longer need.
2. Space heavy jobs out rather than stacking them on the same minute.
3. Schedule the heaviest tasks (backups, large exports) for quiet hours when few visitors are online.
4. Set each job to the least frequent interval that still meets your needs.

A special note for WordPress: it has its own built-in scheduler, WP-Cron, which runs on page loads and can behave erratically on busy sites. For heavier sites it is often better to disable WP-Cron and trigger it from a proper server cron job at a fixed interval - a common optimisation our team can set up for you.

If a scheduled task is spiking your usage and you are not sure which one, we can help you identify it. Reach our UAE-based team at support@dirhamaday.ae.