NTP, SNTP, W32Time.......I'm Confused

My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single domain, single
forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5 minutes faster than the
DC's. I've been reading articles on setting up a time server but I'm
completely confused and don't know if it's really working. My temporary fix
was to move the time on the DC's back 2.5 minutes.

Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I have it set
up correctly? Thanks.

Hello MPaquette,

In a domain the DC with the PDCEmulator role is the time source of the domain,
all DCs sync with this one and all workstations and member servers sync with
one available DC.

Configure the PDCemulator to an external time source:
net time /setsntp:<server list>

Example: net time /setsntp:ipaddress

Here are some time servers listed:
http://www.pool.ntp.org/

Additional see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single domain,
> single forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5 minutes faster
> than the DC's. I've been reading articles on setting up a time server
> but I'm completely confused and don't know if it's really working. My
> temporary fix was to move the time on the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
>
> Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I have
> it set up correctly? Thanks.
>

"MPaquette" <> wrote in message
news:A21C3E5A-5F64-4C32-A7EE-...
> My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single domain,
> single
> forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5 minutes faster than the
> DC's. I've been reading articles on setting up a time server but I'm
> completely confused and don't know if it's really working. My temporary
> fix
> was to move the time on the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
>
> Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I have it
> set
> up correctly? Thanks.


The Windows Time service does not have the tight tolerance that will bring
it within 2 or 3 minutes of synchronization. Microsoft has even claimed
this. If you need precise time synchronization down to the second, you will
need to go with a third party solution.

Please read my blog in the following link for more specific information and
additional links that explain how the built-in Microsoft time service works
and its limitations.

Configuring the Windows Time Service for Windows Server
http://msmvps.com/blogs/acefekay/arc...ws-server.aspx

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among
responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA
2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

Thanks for the quick reply. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/ is
where I got confused. You make it sound simple but that article had be
adding registry entries and some parts made no sense to me. I'll do some
testing.

Anyone know how to test if port 123 is open on a PIX firewall?

"Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:

> Hello MPaquette,
>
> In a domain the DC with the PDCEmulator role is the time source of the domain,
> all DCs sync with this one and all workstations and member servers sync with
> one available DC.
>
> Configure the PDCemulator to an external time source:
> net time /setsntp:<server list>
>
> Example: net time /setsntp:ipaddress
>
> Here are some time servers listed:
> http://www.pool.ntp.org/
>
> Additional see:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
> no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
>
> > My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single domain,
> > single forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5 minutes faster
> > than the DC's. I've been reading articles on setting up a time server
> > but I'm completely confused and don't know if it's really working. My
> > temporary fix was to move the time on the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
> >
> > Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I have
> > it set up correctly? Thanks.
> >
>
>
> .
>

Another question. Should I be able to ping the address of the time server?
I've noticed many I find I cannot.

"Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:

> Hello MPaquette,
>
> In a domain the DC with the PDCEmulator role is the time source of the domain,
> all DCs sync with this one and all workstations and member servers sync with
> one available DC.
>
> Configure the PDCemulator to an external time source:
> net time /setsntp:<server list>
>
> Example: net time /setsntp:ipaddress
>
> Here are some time servers listed:
> http://www.pool.ntp.org/
>
> Additional see:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
> no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
>
> > My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single domain,
> > single forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5 minutes faster
> > than the DC's. I've been reading articles on setting up a time server
> > but I'm completely confused and don't know if it's really working. My
> > temporary fix was to move the time on the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
> >
> > Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I have
> > it set up correctly? Thanks.
> >
>
>
> .
>

"MPaquette" <> wrote in message
news:5BAF195B-A5CC-476D-876F-...
> Another question. Should I be able to ping the address of the time
> server?
> I've noticed many I find I cannot.
>

Hello MPaquette,

In most cases, ICMP is blocked to the time server for a couple of reasons -
1) Security, and 2) reduce uneeded traffic to the time servers.

I've compiled a blog on the Windows Time service. Please take a look at it.
You may find some additional info that may help or at least provide more
info on how the whole process works.

Configuring the Windows Time Service for Windows Server
http://msmvps.com/blogs/acefekay/arc...ws-server.aspx


--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among
responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA
2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

From the windows computer your interested in, doing the following should let
you know if it can connect to the selected target time source over 123.

w32tm /monitor /computers:tick.usnogps.navy.mil
(example target of a US Navy public time source)

....and this will do so in a loop with similar data

w32tm /monitor /computers:tick.usnogps.navy.mil

Using the IP address instead of the FQDN may be helpfull in determining
specific connectivity to hosts instead of using DNS Cnames ( in many cases).


MPaquette wrote:
> Another question. Should I be able to ping the address of the time
> server? I've noticed many I find I cannot.
>
> "Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:
>
>> Hello MPaquette,
>>
>> In a domain the DC with the PDCEmulator role is the time source of
>> the domain, all DCs sync with this one and all workstations and
>> member servers sync with one available DC.
>>
>> Configure the PDCemulator to an external time source:
>> net time /setsntp:<server list>
>>
>> Example: net time /setsntp:ipaddress
>>
>> Here are some time servers listed:
>> http://www.pool.ntp.org/
>>
>> Additional see:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Meinolf Weber
>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>> confers no rights.
>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>
>>
>>> My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single
>>> domain, single forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5
>>> minutes faster than the DC's. I've been reading articles on
>>> setting up a time server but I'm completely confused and don't know
>>> if it's really working. My temporary fix was to move the time on
>>> the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
>>>
>>> Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I
>>> have it set up correctly? Thanks.
>>>
>>
>>
>> .

--
/kj

kj [SBS MVP] wrote:
> From the windows computer your interested in, doing the following
> should let you know if it can connect to the selected target time
> source over 123.
> w32tm /monitor /computers:tick.usnogps.navy.mil
> (example target of a US Navy public time source)
>
> ...and this will do so in a loop with similar data
>

ooops. Cut and pasted the wrong line.
This one should be;

w32tm /stripchart /computer:tick.usnogps.navy.mil

>>>>> w32tm /monitor /computers:tick.usnogps.navy.mil


>
> Using the IP address instead of the FQDN may be helpfull in
> determining specific connectivity to hosts instead of using DNS
> Cnames ( in many cases).
>
> MPaquette wrote:
>> Another question. Should I be able to ping the address of the time
>> server? I've noticed many I find I cannot.
>>
>> "Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:
>>
>>> Hello MPaquette,
>>>
>>> In a domain the DC with the PDCEmulator role is the time source of
>>> the domain, all DCs sync with this one and all workstations and
>>> member servers sync with one available DC.
>>>
>>> Configure the PDCemulator to an external time source:
>>> net time /setsntp:<server list>
>>>
>>> Example: net time /setsntp:ipaddress
>>>
>>> Here are some time servers listed:
>>> http://www.pool.ntp.org/
>>>
>>> Additional see:
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216734/EN-US/
>>>
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944
>>>
>>> Best regards
>>>
>>> Meinolf Weber
>>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>>> confers no rights.
>>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>>
>>>
>>>> My environment is Windows Server 2000. 4 DC's total. Single
>>>> domain, single forest. I've noticed that my XP clients are 2.5
>>>> minutes faster than the DC's. I've been reading articles on
>>>> setting up a time server but I'm completely confused and don't know
>>>> if it's really working. My temporary fix was to move the time on
>>>> the DC's back 2.5 minutes.
>>>>
>>>> Is there anyone willing to look at my configuration and see if I
>>>> have it set up correctly? Thanks.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> .

--
/kj