Time servers

There are four types of NDS time servers: Single Reference, Primary, Reference, and Secondary. During the NDS installation process you are prompted to designate the time server type.

You can also change the time server type after installation by using the scoadmin(1M) NetWare Setup utility (see ``NetWare Setup'').

Note that sometimes, the UNIX server is running another, presumably more authoritative, time synchronization protocol (such as NTP). In this case, the time server type should be set to Reference and the configured sources parameters should be set to ``On''. This allows the host time synchronization services to update the UNIX system clock, and allows the NetWare time synchronization services to advertise that clock value to the network.

Note that each time server type performs a particular time synchronization function, as follows:

Single Reference time server

Provides time to Secondary time servers and client workstations. Typically used for smaller LANs.

Note that all servers must be able to contact the Single Reference Time Server. No Primary or Reference time servers can be on the network.

See ``Single reference'' for more details.

Primary time server

Polls and votes with other Primary time servers to determine time, and provides time to Secondary time servers and client workstations. Use with Reference time servers to pass time to Secondary time servers and client workstations.

Must be able to contact at least one other Primary time server or a Reference time server.

See ``Primary'' for more details.

Reference time server

Receives time from an external time source and provides time to Primary and Secondary time servers. Use when it is important to have a central point of control for time on the network.

Typically, only one Reference time server is installed on a network. If there is more than one Reference time server, each must be synchronized with the same external time source.

See ``Reference'' for more details.

Secondary time server

Receives time from a time source server and provides time to client workstations.

You can have a Secondary time server contact another Secondary time server to obtain the correct time. However, if the intermediate Secondary time server is unavailable, servers that contact it for the correct time might be too many hops away from a time source server to get synchronized.

See ``Secondary'' for more details.