Question about synchronizing clocks on multiple servers! 1

[WastinAway]

Ok new scenario! I have 8 servers each on there own domain. Is there a way to syncronize the clocks on all 8 servers?

 

[mbwizca]

There must be a better way but heres what I have done...

I use a software called atomic clock Sync. It goes on the net and Sync to an atomic clock every day. small and 99.99% acuracy... and free.

been running on 3 servers and never failed so far for over 2 1/2 years

http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/

mbwizca

 

[mlichstein]

Didn't I reply to this? Did you cross post somewhere?

Anyway, I need to know if these servers are in a domain. If they are, you dont need to do any of this, and in fact should NOT do any of this.

The only server that should be configured to sync with an external source is the PDC emulator of the root domain. That's it. That is the only server where you need to run net time /setsntp: If you run net time /querysntp on any other DC, member server or client in the domain, it should return not configured.

 

[aftertaf]

mlichstein :
and for the other servers and other DCs, you set their sntp on the PDC that you synchronised, or you leave it totally blank (ie they synchronise themselves without any action on our behalf??)

in dhcp, you put time server ip as your PDC ?

never really fully understood how time server works with w2k, but i know that if it doesnt work, all hell breaks loose

 

[mlichstein]

You leave it blank. Members of domain use a built-in algorithm to synchronize their time. There is a built in time hierarchy that starts with you setting an external time source on the PDCe in the root. Everything else flows from that automatically.

You dont have to do anything in DHCP for time.

 

[aftertaf]

thx

 

[mrtoledo]

The original question that was asked was stating the servers are each in their OWN domain.

Using the following command, you should be able to point the time to any server on your network.

net time [\\computername] /SETSNTP[:ntp server list]

On your primary time server you can point it to pull time from time server that is configured with the Atomic Clock.

There is also a spot in the registery that you can punch in the information

http://www.shankomatic.com

 

[mlichstein]

If all the domains are in the same forest, you do NOT do that. They will still use the built-in algorithm. Again, the only one that should be configured with an external source is the PDC of the root domain in the forest.

If these are eight separate forests, configure the PDC in each forest root to point to the external server.