How to automate change in db over time?

Question

Automation

Gentlemen, help me figure it out. I have no idea how to implement this task and what exactly to google. I know about the existence of cron, but I hope there is an easier solution.
The database stores a model with the startDateTime and finishDateTime fields, depending on which, in comparison with the current time, the status field can have three statuses: inactive, active, and expired. It is necessary to automatically change the status field when the current time reaches startDateTime or finishDateTime.

Answer 1

create a script with a sql query that will change the status, then add it to cron and run it every minute.

Answer 2

why not pull out the logic of interpretation on the client? why in the database?
if it is in the database - well, in any way, run a scheduled script that will update the database - if you do not need accuracy to seconds