Uploading code to server and run automatically
Here are two approaches to this problem, both of which require shell access to the cloud server. 

Write the program to handle the scheduling itself. For example, sleep and wake up every few miliseconds to perform the necessary checks. You would then transfer this file to the server using a tool like scp, login, and start it in the background using something like python myscript.py &.
Write the program to do a single run only, and use the scheduling tool cron to start it up every minute of the day.
I'm fairly competent with Python but I've never 'uploaded code' to a server before and have it run automatically. 
I'm working on a project that would require some code to be running 24/7. At certain points of the day, if a criteria is met, a process is started. For example: a database may contain records of what time each user wants to receive a daily newsletter (for some subjective reason) - the code would at the right time of day send the newsletter to the correct person. But of course, all of this is running out on a Cloud server. 
Any help would be appreciated - even correcting my entire formulation of the problem! If you know how to do this in any other language - please reply with your solutions!
Thanks!