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Do You Have The Time?
RetroGeek writes: "This ZDNet article talks about the perils of the PC clock. And (something I did not know) that Windows XP and Mac OS X both automatically get a time stamp from MicroSoft and Apple respectively. At any rate, my home firewall gets the time every hour from the NIST servers, then each of the machines on my LAN query the time server daemon on the firewall. That way all my home network machines have the same time. And latency on the LAN is next to zero. Now if I can only get my VCR connected. Anyone else running a time server?" So how do you get the time?
I use cron scripts and rdate to distribute my time syncronization.
Now if there was just a way to get a cron script that could sync the time on my phone.
Personally I arbitarialy declare the firewall as having the same time and use cron to update everyone from that. Since latency between machines is almost equal, everybody is out by the same amount.
Before anybody thinks it is silly to keep clocks tightly synchronised, try running NFS without it and you'll run into no end of problems. Even as little as one second will cause errors with make. The key is that all clocks must read the same, not that they need to be correct.
Oh, and don't get fooled into thinking you can accurately synchronise against those atomic clocks. The algorithms they use to average results make a number of incorrect assumptions that will result in you being out by a small constant amount, about as much as if you'd synchronised off an ordinary clock.
There's a nice open-source utility at Sourceforge (http://sourceforge.net/projects/nettime/) that I use at work on my Windows machine.
I like it because it's simple, unobtrusive, and invisible once it's installed.
=U= "Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you"
time.org.
:)
I can even get the date too
Things you think are in the Constitution, but are not.
Go to http://www.ntp.org to get all your time-synchronisation questions answered.
.au and found out that my DCF77 receiver didn't work here...
Also for in- or near-Germany living people: http://www.dcf77.de. Wish I knew it was a german-specific service before I came to
bash$
Consider running a proper NTP daemon instead.
:)
It has the advantage of not jerking your clock around every time you sync. It makes calculated "smooth" adjustments to keep your clock accurate. It can also use multiple servers.
It's the difference between a perfectly-ticking clock, and one that gets manually reset twice a day to make it (temporarily) accurate.
The biggest impact this will have is if you do file access across the network or need your timestamps to be reliable. Depending on how much your clock drifts, that ntpdate adjustment could back up several seconds. This can wreck havok on timestamp-dependent things, like "make".
Most ntpd distributions make this easier to set up than a crontab entry anyway.
If you use UNIX, just set up ntpd. You are often
requested to inform the providers of stratum one
servers that you use them. Since most NTP
servers discriminate against end-user DSL and
cablemodem services, i offer a "stratum 2" service
for these people.
All told, all my friends have the time to a few
milli-seconds, a vast improvement over what the
local telco can offer.
As for Windoze, i know nothing, but believe
NTPD is somewhat functional.Time is very
important for UNIX and all secure services.
UNFORTUNATELY, the clients in Windows and Mac OS aren't ideal. They share two problems: First, they may not synchronize often enough.
That Coursey sure is a whinner and clearly he does little research. I took me 15 seconnds to find this at Google.
To control the number of seconds to wait between attempts to synchronize the system clock to an time source on the Internet using the following Windows XP...
v iders\NtpClient
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimePro
Name: SpecialPollInterval
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: #secondsdesired default
If you're on cable or DSL, most of the upstream routers run proper NTP servers, and they're just a hop away. The bandwidth for running an NTP client is minimal.
To find the nearest NTP server, to a traceroute to a few non-local hosts. Then start at your nearest router and ping each one for a time server using something like 'ntptrace'.
Near-perfect accuracy, just a trickle of data, and your provider will thank you for using nearby machinery.
On your Red Hat Linux server/firewall/whatever (easily adapted to any NTP setup, really):
/etc/ntp/drift /var/run/ntpd.pid /var/log/ntpd
/etc/ntp/step-tickers has the IP addresses for those hosts, all one line (the Red Hat startup script uses these to set the clock at boot, in case it's WAY out of sync.):
ntp.conf:
server time.apple.com
server tick.usno.navy.mil
server tock.usno.navy.mil
# In case the network is down
server 127.127.1.0
fudge 127.127.1.0 stratum 10
broadcastdelay 0.008
authenticate no
driftfile
pidfile
logfile
and
17.254.0.27 192.5.41.40 192.5.41.41 17.254.0.26 17.254.0.31
Then on your LAN, have all your other machines use this machine as the time server. That's it! Never set a clock again.
It's important to have accurate time for many protocols, including HTTP, and also to timestamp your logs accurately for forensics and evidence.
For even more accurate and secure local timeservers, run a GPS antenna to your roof and buy one of these products.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Netware 5.1 server gets time from several NTP servers (i.e. tick.usno.navy.mil, tock.usno.navy.mil, etc.) and triangulates "correct" time from averaging out the sources. (Netware actually has the most intricate and cool time synchronization system built-in because NDS depends heavily on accurate timestamps)
:)
Windows-based workstations automatically set clock to time on Netware server using Novell-supplied file client software (Client32) when they login.
Linux boxes get time from Netware server using NTP.
MacOSX laptop gets time from Apple using NTP (it's mobile & physically travels to many different networks.
btw, Microsoft has no concept of time synchronization. Throwing an NTP client into Win2K & WinXP isn't exactly what I'd call "enterprise-class time synchronization." I've struggled for years using a variety of techniques to keep clocks accurate on mid-sized Windows-based networks. Novell by _default_ synchronizes the local PC clock with the main login server. You actually have to override this feature if you want to do it yourself. It saves so much effort...
The time server for XP can be changed with a regedit. Edit - Find - "ntpServer" and change the URL.
Even many of these are way too heavily loaded. Many ISPs run ntpd on some of their servers; point at them, instead.
Well in Apple's case at least it might be your fault for not going to "Date and Time" panel and either unchecking "Use a network time server", or pointing at a NTP server that keeps your kinda time (yes OSX uses real NTP, and yes, they let you choose any NTP server you like).
Or much better...for not changing the timezone files so you live 7 hours and 50 minutes ahead of GMT not 8 hours...
They dont even need to use srtatum 2 servers if they are on cable, or have a responsible isp.
Many isp's have an ntp server that they use for their own equipment. Ask them what they use.
Most Cisco routers with IOS 11.3 or higher (methinks...) can act as ntp servers for an end node.
Most cable providers "head end" equipment are also NTP servers. (Part of the DOCSIS standard requires that the cablemodems sync their clocks when they get their config files).
Most Linux/RH users can traceroute to somewhere... and then use ntptrace on each hop that traceroute shows to see if the device is an ntpserver.
Use the closest one that has the correct time.. [because unfortunately, some ISPs dont know how to properly/fully configure their equipment.]
--
Time is on my side
"The default--and unchangeable-- synchronization interval for Windows XP is one week."
This isn't entirely true: while there is no way to change the synch setting in Windows using the UI, but a simple change of a number in the Registry will give the desired results:
To change the interval that Windows updates the time using the internet time servers via regedit, navigate to:
1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services \W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
2. Select "SpecialPollInterval"
3. Change decimal value from 604800 to a different value in seconds. i.e.: 172800 (2 Days) or 86400 (1 Day) and so on.
"When all else fails, there's always delusion." -Conan O'Brien
The default configuration works with a dialup.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
In MAC OS X you can change the time server polling frequency by modifing a value in the Net Info Domain:
o nf opt.htm
Open the Net Info Manager--->authenticate as root (unless you have enabled it) clicking on the lock on the down-left corner-->choose "config" on the root level("\")-->choose "ntp"-->choose "server" property and modify the minpoll and maxpoll values to obtain different poll times.
The meaning of that values and (above all) the configuration of the ntp daemon (which is used by OS X to "keep the time updated") are explained in this document:
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp/ntp_spool/html/c
OS X can also do as time server for all the network attached client!!
Alb3
In Mac OS X, you have to turn automatic NTP synchronization off before you can manually adjust the time. At least when using the Date & Time preference pane; you can also run "date" from a command line but in that case you should know what you're doing.
How to solve most of our problems: 1.Lots of nuclear plants. 2.Cure aging.
"...my home firewall gets the time every hour from the NIST servers,..."
Don't use stratum one servers for your home network. It's wasteful and unnecessary. Use a stratum 2 or higher server or your ISP's server.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
net help time (in W2K Command Prompt). The only GUI option is the option to start the service on bootup, it's under Administrative Tools, Services. You can even set the NNTP server it should connect to, I use my uni's server.
What time is it/will be over there? Check with my iPhone app!
- time.windows.com
- time.nist.gov
Take a wild guess which one I chose...But if you want more choices than that:
This allowed me to set my own choice of NTP server, and then synced from it. Like many other MS 'features', theThis article inspired me to do some dumpster-diving in the Registry... Import this key/value:
default can be changed, if you know how...
[100% ISO 646 Compliant]
SVM, ERGO MONSTRO.
The GPS output signals are CMOS/TTL level, not RS-232, so I put them through an MAX 232converter before they come out of the box on the roof and run downstairs to the PC. This is not exotic stuff; TTL to RS-232 converters are pretty much 30 year old technology.
The protocol is just plain async serial, so no special electronics to encode/decode.
the key won't affect the next, but the one after that will read this value to determine the time
for the one after that.
[100% ISO 646 Compliant]
SVM, ERGO MONSTRO.
net time /help
I don't know if one can add time servers (perhaps in the registry? never read anything about it), but it would be very nice to find out one could
Um, err... Just type the name of the timeserver in the textbox and it'll be added. No need to access the registry.
Here's how I get and set the time:
date -u -s ` telnet 131.107.1.10 13 |grep UTC |cut -b16-23 `;hwclock --systohc
-- Stephen
Here's the screenshot.
Plus, it's coded by some guy at Microsoft. :
Just load netinfo manager and look for /config/ntp. From there you can use whatever server you want.
ZOMG I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS ON MACINTOSH VERSUS WINDOWS, VI VERSUS EMACS, AND HOW YOU'RE NOT A DORK
It was right. The GPS time epoch is 0000 UT on 6-Jan-1980. Since then UTC has had 13 leap seconds inserted. This offset is available in the NAV message; maybe the version of NTP you used was ignoring that message or maybe that particular GPS receiver didn't implement that message. (Actually, buggy firmware in GPS receivers has been a problem in the past.)
I came to this same conclusion.
Though, appliance-rich areas, like kitchens, and laundry rooms could do with a pre-wired network: either ethernet or HomePNA. HomePNA is probably easier for low bandwidth applications, like time sync, status checks, etc., and, if I'm not mistaken, can be piggybacked on POTS. Most people have POTS lines already pulled to the kitchen, the location of most dumb clocks. Heck, use a powerline based network, just get time to where it's displayed!
You could've hired me.