2.4 Using SET Parameters to Configure Timesync

Timesync uses the following SET parameters. For more information, see NW 6.5 SP8: Utilities Reference.

Parameter

Explanation

start of daylight savings time = date_and_time

Local date and time when the switch onto daylight savings time should occur. Formats include a simple date and time or rules introduced by an parentheses "( ".

For example: April 4 1993 2:0:0 am, (April 4 2:0:0 am), (April Sunday <= 1 2:0:0 am), or (April Sunday First 2:0:0 am).

Only rules can reschedule for the next year. You must set both the start and end dates before either will be scheduled.

end of daylight savings time = date_and_time

Local date and time when the switch off of daylight savings time should occur. Formats include a simple date and time or rules introduced by an open parentheses "( ".

For example: October 31 1993 2:0:0 am, (October 31 2:0:0 am), (October Sunday <= 31 2:0:0 am), or (October Sunday last 2:0:0 am).

Only rules can reschedule for the next year. You must set both the start and end dates before either will be scheduled.

daylight savings time offset = [+|-] hour:minute:second

The offset applied in time calculations when daylight savings time is in effect.

The default is +1:00:00 (one hour).

Issuing this command causes UTC time to be recalculated from local time.

Default: +1:00:00

timesync configured sources = on|off

When On, this server does not listen to advertising time sources. Instead it only contacts sources explicitly configured with the Time Sources parameter.

Default: Off

timesync polling count = number

Specifies the number of time packets to exchange while polling with the time provider.

Default: 3

timesync polling interval = number

Specifies when the next polling is scheduled.

Default: 600

timesync reset = on|off

When set to On, Timesync resets the selected internal values and clears the configured server list.

The flag automatically sets to Off.

Default: Off

timesync restart flag = on|off

When set to On, Timesync will restart. The flag automatically resets to Off.

Default: Off

timesync service advertising = on|off

When On, this time source advertises itself using SAP/SLP. Secondary time servers never advertise.

Default: On

timesync synchronization radius = value_in_milliseconds

Specifies the maximum tolerance.

Timesync remains in synchronization while the offset is lesser than this value.

Default: 2000

timesync time adjustment = [+|-]hour:minute:second[at month/day/year hour:minute:second [AM or PM]]

Schedule a time adjustment. Can only be issued from a Single, Reference, or Primary type server.

The format is [+|-]hh:mm:ss [AT [date and time]]. Default date and time is six polling intervals or one hour (whichever is longer) from now.

Using the word CANCEL instead of a date to cancel a previously scheduled adjustment.

Single and Reference time servers do not accept adjustments from Primary time servers.

Default: None scheduled

timesync time source: IP_address

This server contacts the servers in this list as time providers.

Each time server (IP address, DNS Name) in this list is separated by a semicolon ( ; ).

For example: a semicolon ( ; ) clears the list MyServer and specifies that MyServer is the NetWare time source.

MyServer:123; specifies that MyServer is a NTP time source.

Default: Empty list

timesync type = primary|single|reference|secondary

Specifies the Timesync server type: Single, Reference, Primary, or Secondary.

Default: Single

timesync max log file size = number

Specifies the largest size in kilobytes of the SYS:\SYSTEM\TIMESYNC.LOG file.

Range: 500 to 1,073,741,824

standard time offset time zone = IST [Time offset from IST]

Enter the offset in hours from Universal Time Coordinated (UTC).

Time zone string indicates the abbreviated name of the time zone, the offset from UTC, and the alternate abbreviated time zone name to be used when daylight savings time is in effect.

The default is <>. Issuing this command causes UTC time to be recalculated from local time.

Default: Selected during installation

default time server type = primary|single|secondary|reference

Specifies the default time synchronization server type.

Choose from Secondary, Primary, Reference, or Single.

This parameter can be overridden by separate time synchronization parameters.

Default: Secondary

debug flag = 0|7|15

Specifies whether Timesync opens or logs a debug screen to view or log debug information.

To enable the debug screen and log it to timesync.log (located in sys:\system):

set timesync debug=15

To enable the debug screen only and disable the log:

set timesync debug=7

To disable both the debug screen and logging:

set timesync debug=0

For more information about advanced usage of debug flag, see Advanced Usage for Debug Flag.

2.4.1 Advanced Usage for Debug Flag

Timesync debug screen information is logged into the sys:\system\timesync.log file. The following table displays the usage of debug flag:

Value

Debug Screen Message

Debug Screen Logging

0

OFF

OFF

7

ON

OFF

15

ON

ON

2.4.2 Setting Time Backwards

Setting the time backwards is not recommended for the following reasons:

  • Impacts eDirectory drastically, as synchronizing of objects across eDirectory is dependent on timestamps.

  • eDirectory considers this as synthetic time.

  • To ensure consistent timestamps across eDirectory, DSREPAIR.NLM provides an interface to declare a new epoch. This results in very high traffic to restamp all eDirectory objects.

The standard practice, before starting a NetWare server, is to ensure that the time is as close as 10 minutes to the network time. This prevents many time synchronization issues.