From: "M" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > 2) in e-smith 4.0 xntpd is solely used as a client (?) > > > > No, the NTP server functionality IS enabled in the e-smith > > build. You can point an SNTP or NTP client at the e-smith > > server and get the correct time. > > I'm using an e-mail checking and timesyncing utility called jetmail > monitor. > It gives an error when I try to sync it with my e-smith server. > Or is there a difference between an NTP and a NIST server? Jetmail monitor > works fine with the default server of nist1.datum.com. I am REASONABLY sure that I did not intentionally enable the xntpd server function, that all I did was turn on the broadcast feature (but it has been a while, and I just keep moving my ntp.conf from build to build, so who knows). I did check the NIST server you mentioned, it does indeed support NTP (and SNTP). It also supports RFC868 (TIME) and RFC867 (DAYTIME), and e-smith does not support the latter two. I suspect that your client uses RFC868, which is still real common. I have never have bothered to figure out how to add RFC868 support to e-smith. I know it is done with INETD in standard RH Linux, but I guess I would have to tweek RLINETD to make it happen, and just haven't bothered. Anyway, that would probably explain the issue you are seeing. As they say, "the wonderful thing about standards is there are so many of them" ;) I guess it would make sense to enable the TIME (RFC 868) functionality, as it probably a simple tweek to rlinetd. I don't really like RFC868 as it takes the system time and spits out without any error checking. NTP (and SNTP) is far more advanced as it sends along it's stratum level (that can be used to determine accuracy, as it sets itself to stratum 0 or 16 if it is not confident of it's syncronization) as well as stops sending broadcasts if sync is lost. Bottom line, assuming no mischief and a decent client, ntp will almost never set the wrong time. RFC868 does have an advantage of being super efficient, which does not really ma tter on a LAN. I do use RFC868 in a scenario with almost 50,000 clients (expected to grow to >250,000) to keep load down, but then I watch those servers like a hawk. I am working on a mod to the time daemon to suppress output if ntp is not in sync (you gotta love open-source). I digress though. Bottom line, either check out an NTP or SNTP client (tardis is my favorite for Windoze) or even better do the broadcast setup with K9 if you have many clients on your LAN. JP (aka. Dr. Who)
