Setting Domain Time 4

[SnoopFrogg]

I want to set time on my domain controllers by referencing an outside time source (time.nist.gov). I understand that my Windows 2000 and XP clients will pull time from their authenticating DC. I've read through several posts on this forum and several article's on MS's site but I'm a little confused about how to configure certain settings in Group Policy:

Default Domain Controllers Policy
Computer Configuration
Administrative Templates
System
Windows Time Service
Time Providers

1. Enable Windows NTP Client - It seems to me that I need to enable this in order for my DCs to pull time from the external source, correct?
2. Configure Windows NTP Client - Again, I think I need to enable this in order to specify polling intervals so my DC will maintain an accurate time, correct?
3. Enable Windows NTP Server - It seems that I need to enable this in order to provide time for my clients but, this raises the question: Do DCs not provide time to clients by default (my client's time is in lock step with my DC's time)?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[purple]
SnoopFrogg
MCSE - Windows Server 2003
[/purple]

 

[monsterjta]

I believe whatever DC has the PDC Emulator FSMO Role will be the server that provides time sync's with all other servers/workstations.

As long as that server is configured to an outside source, you should be good to go.

Hope This Helps,

Good Luck!

 

[gmail2]

I've never done this through group policy (althought I guess the result would be the same), although I think maybe the above is designed for a modular hierarchy where you have servers in multiple sites maintained by different people (but I could be wrong). Here's how we've configured ours:

w32tm /setsntp:time.nist.gov
net stop w32time && net start w32time

That's it !! Just run a w32tm /resync them to make sure that they're synchronizing. Bear in mind you'll need to open UTP port 123 from your PDC emulator to time.nist.gov. Like monsterjta, the PDC emulator will provide time to your other DC's who in turn provide the time to your clients. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that even if the above was configured on your clients, they'd still ignore it provided they're joined to a domain. Type w32tm /monitor on your client to see a list of NTP servers on your domain.

If you want to query what NTP server your PDC is currently pointing to, then run w32tm /querysntp - the default is time.microsoft.com

Best of Luck

Irish Poetry - Karen O'Connor
Get your Irish Poetry Published
Garten und Landschaftsbau

 

[58sniper]

A star for both monsterjta and gmail2 for their responses.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt