Comments on: Stupid Tricks with Network Time http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/ Trials and Tribulations of an OS X Administrator Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:11:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Swiftos http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9836 Swiftos Wed, 06 May 2009 11:14:50 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9836 Dudes. I just installed LittleSnitch. Just to see what it does. Noticed that time is checked really often, say several times per minute. Is there any reason to check so often. Can the frequency be set to something more like 5 minutes. By an average user, not a Unix guru. Thanks, Paul Dudes.

I just installed LittleSnitch. Just to see what it does.

Noticed that time is checked really often, say several times per minute. Is there any reason to check so often.

Can the frequency be set to something more like 5 minutes. By an average user, not a Unix guru.

Thanks, Paul

]]> By: GregN http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9713 GregN Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:02:26 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9713 You don't say what OS you're running on your G4, but it sound like you aren't current on OS updates, or you're running a really old version of OS X (or 8 or 9) that wasn't updated for the new DST rules. You don’t say what OS you’re running on your G4, but it sound like you aren’t current on OS updates, or you’re running a really old version of OS X (or 8 or 9) that wasn’t updated for the new DST rules.

]]> By: Steve W http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9712 Steve W Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:52:16 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9712 I synchronize my G4 time clock with time.apple.com, but I suspect good old Apple has not kept up with the political vagaries of daylight savings time changes. This morning (Monday 10/27/2008) I noticed my time clock was an hour earlier than usual, and it occurred to me that yesterday was the formerly traditional date for the switchover back to standard time. This year that date is is November 2. Hey, Apple, wake up! Since I live in NY I revised my clock setting to Alantic time, and I expect to switch back to Eastern this comning Sunday 11/2. Is there a better way? I synchronize my G4 time clock with time.apple.com, but I suspect good old Apple has not kept up with the political vagaries of daylight savings time changes. This morning (Monday 10/27/2008) I noticed my time clock was an hour earlier than usual, and it occurred to me that yesterday was the formerly traditional date for the switchover back to standard time. This year that date is is November 2.

Hey, Apple, wake up!

Since I live in NY I revised my clock setting to Alantic time, and I expect to switch back to Eastern this comning Sunday 11/2. Is there a better way?

]]> By: Internal Consultant http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9488 Internal Consultant Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:22:06 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9488 Whoa awesome tricks;) you just made my to do list for today Thanks! Whoa awesome tricks;) you just made my to do list for today

Thanks!

]]> By: Danny http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9015 Danny Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:11:22 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-9015 I did exactly what is on the iburst article. My time still doesn't sync. I did exactly what is on the iburst article. My time still doesn’t sync.

]]> By: Brian http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-1119 Brian Tue, 02 Jan 2007 15:18:15 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-1119 Oh - on a related note - see http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303731 re the 'iburst' option for ntp Oh – on a related note – see http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303731 re the ‘iburst’ option for ntp

]]> By: Brian http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-1118 Brian Tue, 02 Jan 2007 15:17:07 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-1118 Thanks Guys! I'm setting up a couple of laptops now :-) Thanks Guys! I’m setting up a couple of laptops now :-)

]]> By: GregN http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-415 GregN Thu, 26 Oct 2006 04:02:58 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-415 You're right, Jeff. Still, using both servers works for me and my users, because when they are on our internal network, they can't contact time.apple.com, and when they are on the internet, they can't contact our internal server. Quoting man ntpd: In addition, should a server become unreachable for some time, the poll interval is increased in steps to 1024s in order to reduce network overhead. So an unreachable server is a condition that ntpd knows how to handle. Cyrus above is getting strange results - apparently his machines can see both servers. I don't understand why that would cause the time to be set to the wrong value, though. You’re right, Jeff. Still, using both servers works for me and my users, because when they are on our internal network, they can’t contact time.apple.com, and when they are on the internet, they can’t contact our internal server. Quoting man ntpd:
In addition, should a
server become unreachable for some time, the poll interval is increased
in steps to 1024s in order to reduce network overhead.

So an unreachable server is a condition that ntpd knows how to handle.

Cyrus above is getting strange results – apparently his machines can see both servers. I don’t understand why that would cause the time to be set to the wrong value, though.

]]> By: Jeff http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-408 Jeff Wed, 25 Oct 2006 16:06:57 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-408 "It should use the first time server that responds - so assuming your internal server is reponding, it shouldn’t be consulting time.apple.com." The entries in the System Preferences pane get written to /etc/ntpd.conf (with /etc being a link to /private/etc) with a minpoll of 12 and a maxpoll of 17. ntpd will use *all* listed servers as candidates for synchronization. As a result, it will try to contact all the listed servers. Unfortunately, I haven't found a good way to keep use of the Time & Date panel from changing manually-entered values for minpoll and maxpoll. $ man ntpd and http://www.ntp.org/ are good references for ntp itself. “It should use the first time server that responds – so assuming your internal server is reponding, it shouldn’t be consulting time.apple.com.”

The entries in the System Preferences pane get written to /etc/ntpd.conf (with /etc being a link to /private/etc) with a minpoll of 12 and a maxpoll of 17. ntpd will use *all* listed servers as candidates for synchronization. As a result, it will try to contact all the listed servers.

Unfortunately, I haven’t found a good way to keep use of the Time & Date panel from changing manually-entered values for minpoll and maxpoll.

$ man ntpd

and http://www.ntp.org/ are good references for ntp itself.

]]> By: GregN http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-237 GregN Sat, 09 Sep 2006 00:37:33 +0000 https://managingosx.wordpress.com/2006/04/13/stupid-tricks-with-network-time/#comment-237 I'm not seeing anything similar. It should use the first time server that responds - so assuming your internal server is reponding, it shouldn't be consulting time.apple.com. What happens if you point to another public time server? What are the contents of /etc/ntp.conf when you add time.apple.com ? I’m not seeing anything similar.

It should use the first time server that responds – so assuming your internal server is reponding, it shouldn’t be consulting time.apple.com.

What happens if you point to another public time server?
What are the contents of /etc/ntp.conf when you add time.apple.com ?

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