WikiJS/home/homelab/idle-process.md

title	description	published	date	tags	editor	dateCreated
Create a Background Idle Prevention Processs		true	2025-06-25T13:53:00.203Z		markdown	2025-06-25T11:49:23.320Z

Setting Up a Lightweight Keep-Alive Script on Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS

This guide describes how to create a keep_alive.sh script to prevent a headless Ubuntu Server from being considered idle and how to configure it as a systemd service for persistence.

Creating the Keep-Alive Script

1. Create the Script: Open a terminal and create the script file:

   nano /usr/local/bin/keep_alive.sh
   

   Add the following content:

   #!/bin/bash
   while true; do
      script -q -c "echo 'Keep alive'" /dev/null
      sleep 60
   done
   

   Save and exit by pressing Ctrl+O, Enter, then Ctrl+X.

2. Make the Script Executable: Set execute permissions for the script:

   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/keep_alive.sh
   

3. Run the Script in the Background: Start the script in the background, ensuring it persists after logout:

   nohup /usr/local/bin/keep_alive.sh &
   

Configuring the Script as a Systemd Service

To ensure the script runs automatically on boot and is managed by the system, configure it as a systemd service.

1. Create the Systemd Service File: Create a service file:

   sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/keep-alive.service
   

   Add the following content:

    [Unit]
    Description=Keep Alive Script to Prevent Idle
    After=network.target
   
    [Service]
    Type=simple
    ExecStart=/bin/bash /usr/local/bin/keep_alive.sh
    Restart=always
    StandardOutput=null
    StandardError=null
   
    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target
   

   Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).

2. Enable and Start the Service: Enable the service to start on boot and run it immediately:

   sudo systemctl enable keep-alive.service
   sudo systemctl start keep-alive.service
   

3. Verify the Service Status: Check that the service is running:

   systemctl status keep-alive.service
   

Notes

• Resource Usage: The script uses near 0% CPU and minimal memory (a few KB).
• Interval Adjustment: Modify the sleep 60 value in the script to change the interval (e.g., sleep 30 for 30 seconds).
• Monitoring: Confirm the script is running with ps aux | grep keep_alive.