Policy Activation Time and Local Time?

bmarks
Contributor II

I can't seem to find an answer to what seems like a simple question, so I'll ask here. When you set an activation time for a policy... let's say 8am... I know it sort of vaguely says "based on the settings on the JSS host server" but on each client, will the policy run at 8am local time or 8am server time?

4 REPLIES 4

mm2270
Legendary Contributor III

Policy Activation Time ≠ Policy Run Time, or at least generally speaking it doesn't. It just means when the policy goes from being disabled to enabled. As for when it will run on your clients, it could be shortly after it gets enabled on your JSS, especially if the policy uses Recurring check-in as the trigger, and assuming the Macs are checking in around that time. But of course the run time can be controlled by the Client-Side Limitations tab/settings.

To answer your general question though, the activation time is dictated by wherever your server is located. So for example. if the JSS is located on the East Coast, and you've set the activation time to US 8:00 AM Monday, then when its 8 AM Monday on the East Coast US time, it will activate, even though that may be only 5 AM for any West Coast US clients, or 1 PM in Europe or whatever.

nkalister
Valued Contributor

so this bit me today. apparently on a jamf cloud JSS the jss server time is UTC.
Had a policy I wanted to run at 8 pm today, ran at 4 pm instead. . .thankfully it wasn't an issue.

JasonAtCSUMB
Contributor

I just got bitten by this undocumented feature also. Jamf support just explained to me that jamfcloud.com is set to UTC. Grrr.

KyleEricson
Valued Contributor II

This bit me today :(

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