# check if puppet is running 0 * * * * root /etc/init.d/puppet status > /dev/null || (sleep `echo $RANDOM/2000*60 | bc` && /etc/init.d/puppet restart) # restart puppet once in a while and randomly delay the restart between 0 and 32 minutes -> splay puppetmaster hammering 0 22 * * */2 root sleep `echo $RANDOM/1000*60 | bc` && /etc/init.d/puppet restart > /dev/null