NTP/Time Servers

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We just had an issue with our Hyper-V cluster where it got its clocks in-a-twist (one DC had a different clock to the other). Partly my fault as we've extracted from our council Internet connection and had been using their NTP server, which is no longer available on our new Internet connection.

 

I spotted the NTP server uk.pool.ntp.org on another thread, which the servers seem to like on the basis of using the "w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:"uk.pool.ntp.org" /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update" command to set it.

 

Is it still best practice to set this on the PDC, and let the rest update from it?

 

TIA

[WithoutMotive]

I've always done it that way. DC sets its time from an external time server and other machines take their time from the DC.

[localzuk]

Yeah, same here. Although, we do it with 1 extra step. We have a linux NTP server as our definitive time source on site, which the main DC uses as its source, and then all other Windows machines use that as their time server.

 

The Linux NTP server is also used by our phone system and other devices that don't like Windows time servers.

[aking99]

+1 for internal NTP server, pulling from pool.ntp.org

Ours runs Centos 6

[bossman]

We use the atomic clock app from the world atomic clock site on the DC and the others just sync from the DC, been working for at least 12 years now...........Atomic!

 

Have used "uk.pool.ntp.org" for other setups before though and works fine!

[truebluesteve]

We have a Primex GPS receiver which transmits to lots of clocks around site and also a receiver connected to our FRDC. All our other servers take their time from this plus all the workstations of course. Has worked really well for us for a few years now

[walkd]

Essential reading when dealing with time sync when using Hyper-V http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2010/11/19/time-synchronization-in-hyper-v.aspx