Remotely scheduling tasks on Windows 2K/XP/2K3?

[Soulstice]

I need some free software that will allow me to centrally administer task-scheduler on remote machines.

I'm already aware that I can use Network Neighborhood, but this still forces me to browse to each and every machine to create/delete/modify tasks.

I would prefer a tool that allows me to create tasks locally, and then copy them out to multiple machines. For instance, I manage roughly 30 servers, and I need a way of quickly being able to create a job that will run on all 30 machines... ...such as the defrag.exe command (Windows XP/2K3), or eseutil.exe (for defraging Exchange mailstores).

Also, the tool must have the ability to allow me to schedule the tasks using credentials other than the currently logged on user. I know this seems like common sense, but there are a few commercial apps out there that actually DO NOT allow you to do this. For instance, various tasks will require different credentials (i.e. I have created an account in AD with special rights on all servers that has been granted the ability to defrag volumes as well as reboot systems, and a completely separate service account for managing Exchange tasks (such as mounting/dismounting the mailstore, running eseutil, etc.).

If any of you know of any tools that may be of some use, please advise. I would prefer not to have to continually have to logon to each and every server to delete/create/modify tasks every time I need to make a small sceduling or credentials change.

Thanks.

 

[Soulstice]

Nobody has any suggestions?

 

[SJConsultant]

VBscript if your into that sort of thing.

 

[Soulstice]

I'm a decent shell-script programmer, both in Linux and on the Win32 platform. However, my VB experience is lacking. The last time I used VB was my last year in college.

...in other words, I need another solution.

 

[Ice Czar]

thought a new set if eyeballs would help
transfered to Operating Systems
I figured in here you might get linked up to a repository of scripts


but I did find this
http://www.liebsoft.com/index.cfm/products/tsp/features

Task Scheduler Pro is designed for the administrator that is looking for a powerful no-nonsense Windows interface that allows both simple and complex scheduled tasks to be sent to large groups of systems in seconds. Both file distribution and job creation are handled in a single interface. Built-in deferred processing allows you to create jobs even for machines that are off-line. An automatic retry feature of the program will create all needed jobs as soon as the machine is detected on the network.