NTP problem

Hi,

I have a problem using NTP.
We have a setup as following :

client --> HP Server(NTP) --> DMZ server --> DMZ server --> Internet

Only some clients and our HP server is using NTP, the others are using different software.

Now I get an error every day :
Oct 1 13:17:15 nlunx1n1 xntpd[1159]: synchronisation lost

when issue-ing the command ntpq -p it says :
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset disp

LOCAL(0) LOCAL(0) 10 l 30 64 377 0.00 0.000 10.01
#nlhpunx-prod-4. 10.164.248.2 3 u 73 128 377 5.17 0.387 0.81

The hash (#) is explained in the man-pages as Distance exceeds maximum. I don't think this is the real problem. Does anyone have an idea?

Regs David

That behavior is normal. Or perhaps even abnormally good. xntp predicts the arrival of a packet from its peer. If that prediction is off by 128 milliseconds or more it gets mad and resyncs. When your peer is across the internet, that is guaranteed to happen several times a day. At least, that's what I thought....you must have an awesome isp or something.

I believe error messages until I have a sound reason to doubt them. If your peer is too far away, then your peer is too far away. The closer you are to your peer, the better. And best of all is to have your peer on the same lan.

Your dispersion is 10.01 which I think is great. I wouldn't worry until it gets close to 1000. At 1000 your system clock could be a full second off....I won't tolerate that. But people who sit around tuning ntp until the dispersion drops below one are crazy unless they work in astronomy or something.

Your setup could be improved quite a bit if you want to. You should have a ntp server outside of any firewalls and it should have 6 or 7 peers, not just one. Then your internal boxes should sync up with it.

And the Ultimate Solution.....
HP sold off all of its cool non-computer stuff :mad: I don't remember the name of the spin-off company. But they sell HP's old atomic clock. If you get that with the high performance cesium beam tube you will have a clock so accurate that no computer in existence can sync to it. It has a serial port and you can plug it in to your system and configure ntp to use it. That's the most accuracte clock available for sale as a product. Just a suggestion :smiley:

Hi Perderabo,

Many, many thanks for your reply.
Your explanation will briefed to my chief.
Finaly I can buy my atomic clock.

Thanks !! David

Hmmm, the metal is caesium now, not cesium? Anyway, good news! flexible purchasing options

Hi Perderabo,

way to expensive :frowning:

I found via the forum of HP another page. So for anyone searching on NTP Atomic clocks. Just know that GPS is available also at :

GPS-clocks

Regs David