grabbing the contents of proc/uptime without changing server config

I need to grab the contents of the proc/uptime either via cron ->php or via php directly. I have set my VPS to disable shell_exec as well as proc files. So without changing that config, can i access the proc/uptime contents locally and just store them 1x an hour without having to open up a hole in the firewall?

Or i could grab and store it via root and store it in a less permissioned file and then grab it locally from the less permissioned file.. If i did that how would i copy the contents of proc/uptime 1x an hour over to the other file.?

for example copy uptime (644 permission) -> to new file(666 permission) then pull the data from the new file down to the php level or cron level.

Thanks..

 

nevermind i got it whoooo hewwwwwww lol.... this config is really starting to make sense to me now in more ways ever day...i have the data locally now and no change in permissions..

thanks all

 

NP sorry i guess i was so excited i forgot lol... I was poking around in root via ssh looking for a good place to copy the file to and i stumbled upon a place that i said to myself...

Thats when the lightbulb came on and i knew all i had to do was move my proc call above the public_html and bam when i did it loaded perfectly.