-------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOV-TIM1.DOC -- 19970610 -- Email thread on NetWare & Time Synchronization -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feel free to add or edit this document and then email it back to faq@jelyon.com SYNC.NLM will sync a 3.x server to any other 3.x or 4.x server. RDATE.NLM will sync a server over tcp/ip to a Unix time reference standard like the Naval Observatory or the NIST. I set up a 4.1 server as my 'primary' time server and run RDATE on it, and use SYNC to sync my 3.x servers to it. Of course all the other 4.1 servers also sync to the primary time server. SYNC.NLM is available on Netwire at: ftp.novell.com/netwire/novuser/07/sync.zip. RDATE.NLM is available at: risc.ua.edu/pub/network/misc/novell/rdate.zip. if you don't have a direct ip connection between your server and the Internet, there are many shareware/freeware programs available that download the time via modem to your workstation and, if you are supervisor-equivalent, will set the time on the server. To use RDATE, you will also need some "magic numbers"... 192.5.41.40 tick.usno.navy.mil (Naval Observatory) 192.5.41.41 tock.usno.navy.mil 132.163.135.130 time-A.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov (NIST) I did notice a small glitch - if RDATE polls the Unix server at 23:59, it briefly sets the time to 1978, then back to the correct time again on the next poll. One workaround is to load RDATE in the middle of the afternoon, and set it to update only every 12 hours, so it won't ever update at midnight. BTW, a good URL for finding out all you ever wanted to know about time: http://www.usno.navy.mil Jim Rugh jrugh@infosvcs.tmh.tmc.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 14:33:12 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: login restrictions >The correct solution: change the server time. When we clicked from >PDT to PST, I logged into the server, ran FCONSOLE, went down, and >adjusted the server time manually. All time restrictions now work >properly. > >Of course it would be nice if Netware did the UNIXism of handling >the time changes on its own. It does not, but the fix only needs >to be implemented in one place and takes less than 1 minute/server. >No big deal. No deal at all actually. My campus makes the changeover twice per year with no human intervention and no trouble. How? Simple: use Brad Clement's RDATE.NLM to synchronize to a local master time reference. Let *that* machine deal with timezones and DST dates and whatnot, as well as providing accurate time of day. We have several such local standards, each touching three "stratum 1" national standards but as overlapping sets. Rdate points to the local triad. This way we even track "leap seconds" as they occur. RDATE is widely available so visit a Novell mirror site near you (dir misc on netlab2.usu.edu). Here is a snapshot seen from my Unix machine, slaved to a local triad plus falling back on the internal PC clock. xntpd does fancier queries than rdate but the time is the same result. $ ntpq ntpq> lpeers remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset disp ============================================================================== +doober.usu.edu time-A.timefreq 2 u 548 1024 377 -0.46 39.081 12.53 *watzit.usu.edu norad-fix-e.arc 2 u 530 1024 377 -0.84 43.344 25.27 +thingy.usu.edu tick.usno.navy. 2 u 673 1024 377 -0.41 55.241 48.51 LOCAL(0) LOCAL(0) 10 l 57 64 377 0.00 0.000 10.48 ntpq> q $ >As a sidebar, Daylight Savings is not stable. There is the proposed >'new' daylight savings that will extend DST on one end. A couple of >years back we extended the spring start day forward. Many UNIX machines >still handle the switch using the old rules for when DST begins, so >they need to be tweaked manually. So there is no one set of rules a >programmer can use to determine when DST starts/ends, since the rules >keep changing. Here you are likely to stir up the UK/Oz folks on the matter of politically correct dates. DST is not algorithmic, nor even rational. Joe D. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 12:44:08 +0000 From: "Mr. R. Coates" Subject: Re: Setting the Time from a Work Station >I have a routine that regularly dials the Naval Observatory for the >correct time and updates the computer. I do this from most of my work >stations. > >I know that when first logging into my server the stations are set >for the time of the server. Can someone advise me of a way to set the >server to the time of one of the stations that have just been fine tuned >with the correct time? Also, is there a way to get the time from the >server without having to reload the vlm program. This way I can use one >station to call the Naval Observation. Then this machine will set the >server. Then all the other work stations will get the correct time from >the server. setstime.exe can be used to set the server clock from a workstation. ftp://ftp.mechnet.liv.ac.uk/novell/freeware/setstime.zip synctime.exe will force the pc clock to be updated from the server. ftp://ftp.mechnet.liv.ac.uk/novell/freeware/synctime.zip Both are freeware. --------- Date: Sat, 2 Dec 1995 16:47:44 +1300 From: J.Baird@ONO.LINCOLN.AC.NZ Subject: Re: Q: NETX synchronising PC clock with server clock >I just realized that NETX ( v3.32 (941122) ) is resetting our >workstation clocks to match the server clock. We discovered the >"problem" after some peoples workstations reported the clock was >advancing an hour from the correct time after every reboot (the time >on one of servers had not been reset at the daylight savings >changeover). > >Here is the bizarre question: Any way to prevent this? Maybe a few of >our users don't *want* their workstations synchronized with the server >everyday. You need to do two things to prevent this: 1. Place "set station time = off" in net.cfg 2. Place "set_time off" in the login script. John Baird ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 15:59:52 -0600 From: "Corey D. Stinson" Subject: Re: Atomic clock time synching >Our primary 4.1 fileserver is a Single Reference time source. We need >this server to be absolutley bang on with UK GMT+0000, and provide an >accurate time source for our other primary and secondary servers. At >the moment it is relying completely on its internal clock ( and me >looking at my watch! :) My company (W Clark & Associates, Ltd) makes just the product you need. We have a time code generator (the GPS-100) which generates SMPTE time code accurate to < 100us UK GMT (UTC) time. We also have a PC 16-bit SMPTE time code reader card which reads the SMPTE time code. In addition we have an NLM driver for the card to lock a primary server to the time source. >I have heard people talk about synching with external time sources, >but I have a couple of questions. > >1. Is the ability to synchronize a reference 4.1 server with an >external atomic time source built into 4.1? I don't believe that TIMESYNC.NLM knows anything about external time sources. If anytime, it might have the capability to dial-out to get time from an external source but the Novell documentation makes no mention of such features. >2. Are there 'public domain' atomic time sources? Is there normally a >charge? The only thing I have seen in the public domain are the dial-out programs mentioned above and they were not for a Novell fileserver (although they might exist). >3. Does anyone have a good source of information on the procedures for >setting this up? We have many clients already using our product to do just what you are describing. CBS Radio in NY is currently evaluating our system on a mirroed 4.1 fileserver. If you are interested in more information about our products, contact us! W Clark & Associates, Ltd. email: wmclark@cencom.net phone: 309-837-2244 fax: 309-833-5175 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 00:49:57 -0800 From: Marcus Williamson <71333.1665@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: Re: cron for 4.10 >Any one have cron for 4.10? I know there was one for 3.12... See TIMESG.TXT or TIMESG.HTM at : http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/marcus_williamson/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 12:38:10 -0600 From: David Kobbervig Subject: Re: setting time -nw4.1 >How does one set time correctly on 4.1 servers. I understand that >changing time at the server console can be hazardous to NDS. Til now I >have downed the servers and set ime at the computers BIOS, then bring >up Novell... > >How does this work for SFT III 4.10. Do both engines have something to >do with time determination? Don't down your server to reset the time, use TIMESYNC. On your reference time server type: (This is right out of Dynatext) SET TIMESYNC Time Adjustment=[+|-] hour:minute:second at month/day/year hour:minute:second [AM|PM] Eg, SET TIMESYNC Time Adjustment=-00:10:00 at 5/1/95 2:00:00 AM Let it do it's thing at night while the servers are least busy since all servers must synchronize. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 21 Mar 1996 02:14:56 GMT+0001 From: "Szekeres Bela, Jr." Subject: Re: Novell 4.1 timesync question >We set up a 4.1 single server with a single time reference. After it was >installed we noticed that the date was set to August instead of March. One >of our techs shut the machine down and adjusted the date in the BIOS. Now >it beeps at a regular interval and displays synthetic time is being >issued on partition "SERVER_NAME". The date and time are correct, when it >displays the time. If you go into the BIOS and set the date back then try >to use the SET TIMESYNC TIME ADJUSTMEMT = to try to reync the time it >comes back with UNABLE TO SET TIMESYNC... Your NDS contains time stamps referring to a future date. Load dsrepair and select Advanced Options Replica and Partition Operations Repair Time Stamps and Declare a New Epoch This will set all future time stamps to the current date and rebuild the master replica. As you have a single server, you should be ok with this. I'm not quite sure what do you want to synchronise, as you have a single server. It should be enough, if you change the date and time. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 15:42:23 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: RDATE >There was a recent posting in which someone was having a problem with >RDATE returning with a value greater than 3660. I cannot find the >solution that was posted but was wondering if anyone else has come >across this before. I have timezone set for CDT6 and it is loading >before clib in the autoexec.ncf. I am loading RDATE with the >following string: > > LOAD RDATE /P 720 /V 10 146.138.1.178 146.138.4.10 > >The time is always off by over 1 hour. ----------- The problem is most often with the machine doing the time serving. Try telnet to port 13 (daytime) and see what it says in English, as the first step to sorting out the muddle. Recall that NetWare seems to use the following algorithm when parsing the timezone string: Find the digit, with optional sign, and consider that to be the fundamental timezone. Positive means westward (opposite of good science). If letters surround the digit then presume Daylight Saving Time can be used. If no trailing letters then no DST. Notice that your string is backward, CST6CDT would be a proper one. The letters are not understood as other than placeholders. I trust not to the NW SET command so I supplement it by telling CLIB explicity which TZ to use. Please see my example autoexec.ncf file in the list's FAQ. Don't let something autoload CLIB before you can give those command line arguments (CONLOG autoloads CLIB). Joe D. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 22:18:43 +0000 From: Chuck Foster Subject: Re: Time Zones >Also note that the correct time zone format for Pegasus Mail will >be -0500 for your time zone. I believe it is critical to enter it >in this form; failure to do so will cause unpredictable sorting of >incoming e-mail. One should also note that using anything other that +hhmm or -hhmm could well lead to mail being junked by some systems that analyse the date field - this is especially important with RFC1327 gateways, like ourselves, where X400 MTAs are far more fussy with date formats. The most common problems I see coming through our MTA are: +-100 - seems to be quite popular +1 - very popular with David's Mercury it seems? +01:00 - the : shouldn't be there! +2500 - they must want the weekend to arrive earlier! The other problem seems to be people not configuring Windows 95 properly - we had a large breakout of PST's recently :-) For general info, the Time Zones we currently recognise are below - note the ambiguities, like BST! "B", -200, "BST", 100, /* British Summer Time, also Brasil Std Time (-300) and Bering Strait Time (-1100) */ "BT", -1100, /* Bering Time also Baghdad Time (+200) */ "C", -300, "CAT", -1000, /* Central Alaska Time */ "CCT", 800, /* China Coast Time, USSR Zone 7 */ "CDT", -500, "CET", 100, /* Central European Time */ "CST", -600, /* Central Std Time */ "D", -400, "E", -500, "EDT", -400, "EET", 200, /* Eastern European Time, USSR Zone 1 */ "EST", -500, /* Eastern Std Time */ "F", -600, "G", -700, "GMT", 0, "GST", 1000, /* Guam Std Time, USSR Zone 9 */ "H", -800, "HST", -1030, /* Hawaiian Std Time */ "I", -900, "IDLE", 1200, /* International Date Line, East */ "IDLW", -1200, /* International Date Line, West */ "IST", 530, /* Indian Standard Time */ "IT", 300, /* Iran Time */ "JST", 900, /* Japan Std Time, USSR Zone 8 */ "JT", 730, /* Java Time */ "K", -1000, "L", -1100, "M", -1200, "MDT", -600, "MESZ", 200, /* Middle European Time Summer Time*/ "MET DST", 200, /* Middle European Time Daylight saving time */ "MET", 100, /* Middle European Time */ "METDST", 200, /* Middle European Time Daylight saving time */ "METZ", 200, /* Middle European Time Summer Time*/ "MEZ", 200, /* Middle European Time Summer Time*/ "MST", -700, /* Mountain Std Time */ "MT", 830, /* Moluccas Time */ "N", 100, "NT", -1100, /* Nome Time */ "NFT", -330, /* Newfoundland Time */ "NST", 630, /* North Sumatra Time */ "NZT", 1130, /* New Zealand Time */ "O", 200, "P", 300, "PDT", -700, "PST", -800, /* Paciific Std Time */ "Q", 400, "R", 500, "S", 600, "SAST", 930, /* South Australia Std Time */ "SST", 700, /* South Sumatra Time */ "T", 700, "U", 800, "UT", 0, "UTC", 0, "V", 900, "W", 1000, "WAT", -100, /* West Africa Time */ "WDT", 100, "WET", 0, /* Western European Time */ "X", 1100, "Y", 1200, "YST", -900, /* Yukon Std Time */ "Z", 0, The numbers are integers, based on 100 x hr + min. Its also interesting to see the B-Z zones (no -0100 :-)) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 08:50:05 GMT From: Keith Subject: Re: Time zone settings >Hi, small problem with time zones, but first a question: Is it Internet >std to set US Eastern TZ to -0400 when daylight savings kicks in? GMT >doesn't change does it? All Users of ms-dos machine can solve this problem the following way! Add this line to your autoexec.bat file and your worries are over! SET TZ= (Put the line below that matches your time zone): For Los Angeles: SET TZ=PST8PDT For Denver: SET TZ=MST7MDT For Arizona: SET TZ=MST7 (Arizona never uses daylight savings time) For Chicago: SET TZ=CST6CDT For New York: SET TZ=EST5EDT For London: SET TZ=GMT0BST For Amsterdam: SET TZ=MET-1DST For Moscow: SET TZ=MSK-3MSD For Aukland: SET TZ=NZT-13 For Example I live in CA so I add the following line to my autoexec.bat file. SET TZ=PST8PDT Now when the time changes my time zone is automatically set. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 09:29:28 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: strange time/synchronization problems >We're having some strange time/synchronization problems on our Netware >4.1 servers. It all started when one of our servers started issuing >synthetic time errors after it had lost its NDS partition and the NDS had >to be reinstalled (yes, it was a nightmare). I tried the dsrepair's >synchronize time option and it always reported success. I also checked >the Report Time Synchronization and it reported success as well. > >To attempt to fix the synthetic time error, someone suggested using the >advanced option "Repair time stamps and declare a new epoch". It sounded >like a reasonable thing to do so I gave it a try. However, it failed with: > > An error occured scheduling the operation, error number -621. > >Things now seem to be worse than before. When I now try to run Report >Time Sync option, I get the following results: > >Netware 4.1 Directory Services Repair 4.35 , DS 4.89 >Log file for server "ACE.Academic.Acadia" in tree "ACADIA" >Start: Thursday, May 23, 1996 9:21:40 am Local Time >Retrieve replica status > >Partition: [Root] > Replica: ADMIN.Admin.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:59 > Server: CN=AXE.OU=Student.O=Acadia 96/05/23 09:21:37 -621 > Remote > Replica: ACE.Academic.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:05 > Server: CN=AXE.OU=Student.O=Acadia 96/05/23 09:20:54 -621 > Remote > Replica: AXE.Student.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:24 >All servers synchronized up to time: 96/05/23 07:58:05 > >Various other time sync operations also report this error -621. Does >anyone have any ideas what might be going on? > >On a similar topic, or it may be related, there are several user objects >in one context associated with server AXE that give the following error >when I try to delete them: > > Object .student.acadia was not found. It has either been > deleted, or a rename, move or create operation on it is not complete or > has not been synchronized across all necessary replicas. > >Undoubtedly this error has something to do with the whole problem. -------- I'd suggest visiting each server in person, down it, set the Bios time of day correctly, reboot. Once the underlying time system is rational then the network time stuff stands a chance of working. You can widen the catch basket of NDS time syncing via a console SET command. We presume your time distribution heirarchy is sensible. The top of that time-tree should reference a very stable source, for which RDATE.NLM will work fine to the outside world. Joe D. --------- Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 08:53:36 -0800 From: Mark Schoonover Subject: Re: strange time/synchronization problems The -621 NDS error indicates that Transaction Tracking has been disabled for the server on which NDS operations is taking place. Try enabling TTS on the SYS volume, or possibly SYS is full so purge. Are you able to login to the server?? If not, then run vrepair on the SYS volume and select purge deleted files, then try enabling TTS. This may explain why running dsrepair failed, since TTS is needed to modify the database (NDS). If it is diabled, then any modifications to NDS won't happen. --------- -621 errors indicate that Transaction Tracking (TTS) is turned off on a server. It appears from your error message that server AXE.Student.Acadia is no longer supporting TTS. You need to type ENABLE TTS at the server console to enable it. If it's turned off because of lack of space on the SYS volume, you need to login and delete some files to make space. Debbie Becker --------- >We're having some strange time/synchronization problems on our Netware >4.1 servers. It all started when one of our servers started issuing >synthetic time errors after it had lost its NDS partition and the NDS had >to be reinstalled (yes, it was a nightmare). I tried the dsrepair's >synchronize time option and it always reported success. I also checked >the Report Time Synchronization and it reported success as well. Whenever you are working with NDS make *sure* the time on the envolved fileservers is about right. Watching for timezone's etc. Use "time". You can say NDS is somewhat timecritical. Why do you think you need to have time synchronization? Furthermore, NDS operations need time to complete. So give it that time and don't issue synchronization operations one after another. And it can help if you start DSREPAIR on the server that is having trouble. Don't look at the replicas on another server. >To attempt to fix the synthetic time error, someone suggested using the >advanced option "Repair time stamps and declare a new epoch". It sounded >like a reasonable thing to do so I gave it a try. However, it failed with >the > An error occured scheduling the operation, error number -621. >Things now seem to be worse than before. When I now try to run Report >Time Sync option, I get the following results: > >Netware 4.1 Directory Services Repair 4.35 , DS 4.89 >Log file for server "ACE.Academic.Acadia" in tree "ACADIA" >Start: Thursday, May 23, 1996 9:21:40 am Local Time >Retrieve replica status Isn't there a newer DSREPAIR version? >Partition: [Root] > Replica: ADMIN.Admin.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:59 > Server: CN=AXE.OU=Student.O=Acadia 96/05/23 09:21:37 -621 > Remote > Replica: ACE.Academic.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:05 > Server: CN=AXE.OU=Student.O=Acadia 96/05/23 09:20:54 -621 > Remote > Replica: AXE.Student.Acadia 96/05/23 07:58:24 Server object gone? >All servers synchronized up to time: 96/05/23 07:58:05 > >Various other time sync operations also report this error -621. Does >anyone have any ideas what might be going on? > >On a similar topic, and ir may be related, there are several user objects >in one context associated with server AXE that give the following error >when I try to delete them: > > Object .student.acadia was not found. It has either been > deleted, or a rename, move or create operation on it is not complete or > has not been synchronized across all necessary replicas. It's the last one. >Undoubtedly this error has something to do with the whole problem. Checking the time synchronization will only give you info on the communication and the general time of the NDS database. It will not show details on every single record within it. Check that SET TIMESYNC DIRECTORY TREE MODE=OFF if your network has more then one directory tree. Get the newest DSREPAIR and other needed files/patches. First check that the time is OK on every server. Then make sure time synchronization is up and running on every server. Then check that all servers have valid and confirmed server ID's from eachother. Yes, visit them all. Then do a local repair on the not responding server. Wait a while. Check time synchronization again. If OK you can try synchronization again. NDS is nothing more then a small database on each server. Before you can synchronize between those databases you must first make sure that the structure and recorded information within each database is valid. Then if the time is synchronized you can synchronize the databases. As a very *drastic* and *final* option you could use: LOAD INSTALL -DSREMOVE and get rid of the faulty NDS. Then reinstall NDS on that server and built from scratch. Just in case somehow your NDS is really messed. Arthur B. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1996 06:00:00 CDT From: Larry Dolinar Subject: Re: SERVER WON'T KEEP ACCURATE TIME >Our Server, an 'oldie', 486 DX33, running Novell 3.12, has never kept >accurate time and seems to be getting worse! It loses at least an hour >each week now. This causes problems with access times for some users. PCs have never been great timekeepers: this topic has been knocked about on the list, but not frequently. Assuming you keep your Novell patches reasonably up to date, are you using the SYNCTIME patch? Rather moot if your hardware clock is unreliable, though.. Are you on a TCP/IP network? If so, do you have any unix hosts on it? If yes to both, sync one of them to a reliable timesource (like apple.com), and use RDATE.NLM to sync your server to it. (excerpts from RDATE's README): MurkWorks has provided this NLM to the Novell user community at no charge. Purpose: The RDATE NLM allows the supervisor to synchronize the time of a Novell NW386 file server with the time of a nearby Unix host (or any other host which supports the time protocol). Usage: load rdate [/c] [/p nn] [/u] [/v nn] [/q] servername ... Where Means /c Just check the time and report the difference Does not set the file server time. /p nn Continually poll the server every nn minutes and update the server time accordingly. The nlm may be unloaded with the UNLOAD command. /u Use UDP instead of TCP /v nn Don't change the server time unless the time difference is more than nn seconds. /q Don't report when the time has been changed on the server. servername The IP name or IP address of the host(s) running the time server, you may specify multiple servers. If the /p option is not used, the NLM unloads itself when it is done. NOTE: You MUST set the timezone on the server before CLIB.LIB is loaded: set timezone EST5EDT Check out (the) FTP archive on ftp.msen.com:pub/vendor/murkworks ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 15:37:20 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: NW4.1 Dial-Up to Time Sources? >I have a customer with a NW4.1 network. They need time accuracy to >+ or - 30 seconds. They do NOT have any Internet connectivity. > >I know I have seen dial-up time source products advertised in >the trade rags, but looking through some old issues I can't >find any right now. > >Is anyone using such a product who can give me company >names. phone numbers and/or web page addresses? -------------- Bypassing the question of +/- 30 seconds with respect to nothing else, the font of much timekeeping wisdom and software (NTP) is louie.udel.edu. Think GPS receivers for the ultimate low cost solution. A Unix PC to run xntp is cheaper than the receiver. WWV shortwave clocks are available from Heath Co, dial up service to national timekeepers is mentioned on louie too. Also see comp.protocols.ntp in NEWS. Joe D. --------- Date: Sun, 23 Jun 1996 21:18:02 EDT From: James E Borchart Subject: Re: NW4.1 Dial-Up to Time Sources? The only problem with this solution is that there are *no* NTP clients for NetWare Servers of any kind available anywhere. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 10:41:48 -0400 From: David Spigelman Subject: TimeSync via TCP/IP? The US Naval Observatory has some of those absolute time clock things. The time is available over the internet. I'm wondering if there's any way to set THAT clock as our reference clock for NDS? If you're interested, the web page is at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/time.html ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 16:55:57 MST From: Christopher Diebold Subject: Re: RDATE and TIMESYNCH >Read the FAQ, but still have questions. We have 3 servers, 2 of them 4.1 >and a 3.12 (Communications). Timesynch is active between the two 4.1 >servers (production and test). We would like to be a bit better with >keeping correct time (esp. before doc mngmnt). > >Appears that RDATE (from Murkworks) is for 3.x only, and the Timesynch >is 4.1 only. Can I load RDATE on the 3.12 server, have it be the >Reference server, and THEN Timesynch between the 4.1 servers? Or do >I have it all wrong? I am running rdate.nlm on a 4.1 server (the reference time server) providing time to the other 4.1 servers (two primary and one secondary time servers) without any problems. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 14:01:28 -0400 From: Greg Nyce Subject: U.S. Naval Obs. Time Clock IP Addresses Here is an email that I received from the US. Naval Observatory a few days ago... HTH ___________ U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY MASTER CLOCK NETWORK TIME SERVICES See our Web pages: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ntp.html EASTERN TIMEZONE The U.S. Naval Observatory operates two stratum 1 NTP network time servers located in Washington, DC, which are linked to the USNO Master Clock #1 (hydrogen maser): tick.usno.navy.mil 192.5.41.40 tock.usno.navy.mil 192.5.41.41 Operated jointly with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: navobs1.mit.edu (tick.mit.edu) 18.145.0.30 (GPS) MOUNTAIN TIMEZONE We also operate two stratum-1 servers from our alternate Master Clock site at Falcon AFB near Colorado Springs, CO. These servers are linked to the USNO Alternate Master Clock (hydrogen maser): navobs1.usnogps.navy.mil 204.34.198.40 (CNAME tick.usnogps.navy.mil) navobs2.usnogps.navy.mil 204.34.198.41 (CNAME tock.usnogps.navy.mil) CENTRAL TIMEZONE A USNO GPS network time server is now in operation at Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri. This is an open-access stratum-1 for the Central Timezone: navobs1.wustl.edu 128.252.19.1 (CNAME tick.wustl.edu) PACIFIC TIMEZONE A USNO GPS network time server is now in operation at Digital Equipment Corporation, Palo Alto, CA This is an open-access stratum-1 for the Pacific Timezone: usno.pa-x.dec.com 204.123.2.72 These time servers are part of a Naval Observatory program to provide accurate and reliable network time servers at strategic locations across the U.S. Additional time servers will soon come on line in Los Angeles and Boston. At present, access is unrestricted. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHOSE ONE OR MORE SERVERS CLOSE TO YOU, AND IN ADDITION SELECT OTHER SERVERS FOR REDUNDANCY. You are invited to send questions or comments to: Richard Schmidt, Time Service res@tuttle.usno.navy.mil U.S. Naval Observatory, Wash., DC 20392 (202)-653-0487; Fax 653-0909 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 14:12:22 -0400 From: Chris Brown Subject: Re: Cadence Time Synching software >Does anyone have any comments (good or bad) about using Cadence Time >Synching software in a 3.12 environment? Our need is for a package that >will update the time on multiple servers for workstations that run time >and attendance software. Don't know anything about Cadence, but I'm really happy with our solution (and it can be used in pieces); 1. We have one old clunkly AT class machine which is our time standard. It uses TIMESET.EXE to call NBS then uses S2S.EXE to set the time on one of our servers (the time master). The call is done once weekly. 2. A freeware program called SYNC.NLM is used on the slave servers to sync there times to the "time master" server. 3. A really great program called NOVSYNC.SYS is installed in each workstation CONFIG.SYS. This program keeps the workstations in sync with the server they are attached to. 4. Also, any time critical work with 3.12 servers requires the Novell patch to fix the server's clock. That patch is included with the latest patch file 312pt9 from Novell. Without the patch I've seen servers drift over 30 minutes in one day. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 16:30:53 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: Setting Time Zone (TZ) on Clients/Servers >I haven't been as concerned as I probably should have regarding the >setting of Time Zone SET parameters on my Servers and clients. I >primarily run NetWare 3.12 Servers (though hope to move to 4.1x in the >future). I primarily run NETX clients (though hope to move to Client 32 in >the future). > >1) Should I set the TIMEZONE variable on all my 3.12 servers? Where is >best - AUTOEXEC.NCF or STARTUP.NCF? Other? Please see the example autoexec.ncf file in the list's FAQ. >2) Should I set the TZ variable on all my workstations? Where is best - >System Login Script? AUTOEXEC.BAT? STARTNET.BAT? Other? Why? Workstations normally don't use it at all (DOS does not either). >3) What is the syntax for setting the variable on the workstation? it the >same as the for the Servers, e.g. SET TZ=EST5EDT? See 2) above Joe D. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 11:22:34 -0600 From: Joe Doupnik Subject: Re: SYNCTIME.NLM >can anyone please tell me how to use SYNCTIME.NLM (ver4.07 May 3 >1994), I would ideally like to sync our 3.11 & 3.12 servers to our >NDS. I have only just come across this file (while checking through >some recent downloads) & have no documentation whatsoever. > >We have 2 4.1 servers happily syncronized & I am assuming that there >is some way to get the 3x servers sync'd as well. >While we're about it my programming teams could do with a way sync to >our HP unix, SCO unix, AIX & AS400 sytems! ------------ I can't help with synctime since I've never had a reason to even look at it. Recommendations: Use RDATE.NLM on your NW 3 servers. Point at site master time keepers. Use RDATE.NLM on the top level NW 4 server, pointing to the same. On the site master keepers run xntpd, Unix, to Internet standards sites. See louie.udel.edu for xntpd; see netlab2.usu.edu, cd misc, for rdate.zip. See NEWS group comp.protocols.ntp for xntpd discussions. Joe D. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 18:11:47 -0400 From: Chris Brown Subject: Re: SYNCTIME.NLM >Can anyone please tell me how to use SYNCTIME.NLM (ver4.07 May 3 >1994), I would ideally like to sync our 3.11 & 3.12 servers to our >NDS. I have only just come across this file (while checking through >some recent downloads) & have no documentation whatsoever. > >We have 2 4.1 servers happily syncronized & I am assuming that there >is some way to get the 3x servers sync'd as well. First off SYNCTIME.NLM is not for synchronizing servers together. It is a standard patch for ALL 3.11 /3.12 servers. It comes in the standard patch file for servers 312pt9.exe it should be applied to all servers. This NLM synchronizes the server's time keeping with the crystal clock on the motherboard rather than the interrupt drive clock which is very inaccurate. To synchronize 3.12 servers together there is a great little FREEware NLM called SYNC.NLM. I've just started using it. Got it from the CompuServe NovUsers forum. Here is information from the Novell patch file read me, and the SYNC.NLM doc files; SYNCTIME NLM ============ SYMPTOM: The file server may gain or loose time, after a operating for a while. CAUSE: The FileServer time is by default taken from the software clock which is subject to lost timer ticks which may cause the server to loose time. SOLUTION: Apply SYNCTIME NLM 1,948 05-03-94 5:03p The SYNCTIME.NLM file in the SYNC3XFT.EXE patch file causes the server to update its' time periodically from the hardware clock. Installation Instructions: 1. Copy the SYNCTIME.NLM file to the SYSTEM directory or the NetWare boot directory. 2. The appropriate PATCHMAN must first be loaded. (PM312.NLM of v3.11 PATCHMAN.NLM for 3.11 and PMIO311.NLM for 3.11 SFT3). 3 Then load the patch from the console for NetWare 3.11 and 3.12 or from the IOENGINE screen for 3.11 SFT3 NetWare, by entering the following command: LOAD SYNCTIME 4. You may also load the file in the IOSTART.NCF for 3.11 SFT3 or in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file for NetWare 3.11 and 3.12. SYNC.NLM - NLM to synchronize network time (v1.02 - Feb 94) Freeware written by Wolfgang Schreiber Usage: 'LOAD SYNC