Use a systemd timer to run ocsinventory-agent at a randomized time after boot.

ansible/roles/ocsinventory/tasks/main.yml

@@ -64,14 +64,21 @@
         src: ocsinventory-agent.cfg
         dest: /etc/ocsinventory/ocsinventory-agent.cfg
         
-    # TODO: make this a systemd timer
-    - name: Install esecution in cron.d
-      cron:
-        name: "Run ocsinventory agent"
-        cron_file: ocsinventory-agent
-        job: ocsinventory-agent --lazy
-        user: root
-        hour: "{{ 24 | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
-        minute: "{{ 60 | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
+    - name: Service unit to execute ocsinventory-agent
+      template:
+        src: ocsinventory-agent.service
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/ocsinventory-agent.service
+
+    - name: Timer unit to execute ocsinventory-agent
+      template:
+        src: ocsinventory-agent.timer
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/ocsinventory-agent.timer
+
+    - name: Enable timer to execute ocsinventory-agent
+      systemd:
+        name: ocsinventory-agent.timer
+        state: started
+        enabled: true
+
 
   when: '"OK" in result.msg'

ansible/roles/ocsinventory/templates/ocsinventory-agent.service

+[Unit]
+Description=Run ocsinventory agent
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/ocsinventory-agent --lazy

ansible/roles/ocsinventory/templates/ocsinventory-agent.timer

+[Unit]
+Description=Run ocsinventory agent some time after boot
+
+[Timer]
+OnBootSec=5min
+RandomizedDelaySec=15m
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target

debian/changelog

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ fuss-client (12.0.7) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
 
   * Remove fuss-client -r, confusing and no longer needed.
   * Fix mounting homes after running fuss-client with -H.
+  * Use a systemd timer to run ocsinventory-agent at a randomized time after
+    boot.
 
  -- Elena Grandi <valhalla@debian.org>  Fri, 17 Mar 2023 13:54:06 +0100