Configuring External Time Source

[KRPGroup]

We have 2 DC's and 8 Member servers and about 80 workstaions.

Can someone tell me the proper way to configure time settings for our domain.

Concept
Do we cfg 1 of the DC's to an external source and then every other computer to sync with that DC?

Or do we cfg both DC's to the same external source and then the other computers to AD?

How To
What is the suggested way to implement this in a 2003/XQ environment?
Server - w32tm or net time
Client - net time in logon, or GPO

 

[Davetoo]

You should setup your PDC Emulator's net time setsntp to an external time source (great resource here

http://www.pool.ntp.org/)

You can determine which server is providing the time for your network by going to a workstation and typing in net time...it will report who it's getting it's time from. You don't have to do anything with the clients, etc., they automatically sync with the PDC Emulator.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[KRPGroup]

So are you saying I only setup 1 DC with the PDC Emulator?

And I thought in 2003 there were not PDC's only DC's?

 

[wdoellefeld]

The PDC emulator is a role and only one DC has it, right now one of your DCs (by default the first one) is a PDC emulator. Every PC in the domain sync's it's time off the DC holding the PDC emulator role.

(yay! shameless advertising. my side business)

http://www.frcp.net

 

[KRPGroup]

It appears we have configured both DC's to get time from the same external source in our area (University Time Server).
I confirmed this by the cmd on both DC's
C:\>net time /querysntp
The current SNTP value is: time.srv.ualberta.ca

The member servers are as follows
C:\>net time /querysntp
The current SNTP value is: time.windows.com,0x1

From the reading and the comments here it sounds like this is not the correct way to do it.

So how do I change the 2nd DC time settings to get it from the 1st DC again?
Do I just set the 2nd DC back with this cmd?
c:\>net time /setsntp:time.windows.com,0x1

 

[Davetoo]

net time /setsntp:<PDC EMULATOR NAME>

Insert your system name for PDC Emulator where indicated.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[wdoellefeld]

I would just set it back to the PDC Emulator.

net time /setsntp:%pdc emulator name%

(yay! shameless advertising. my side business)

http://www.frcp.net

 

[KRPGroup]

Do I use just the netbios name or the FQDN for the PDC Emulator Name?

 

[KRPGroup]

wdoellefeld
Is that an actual variable "pdc emulator name%

 

[Davetoo]

If your PDC Emulator name is "Server 1", you'll issue the following command:

net time /setsntp:server1



I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.