RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

Great blog, thanks MBS.

 

 

-sc

 

From: Michael B. Smith [mailto:mich...@smithcons.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:51 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

<http://theessentialexchange.com/blogs/michael/archive/2010/01/29/a-brie
f-history-of-time-ok-ok-let-s-go-with-quot-an-introduction-to-the-window
s-time-service-quot.aspx>

 

Regards,

 

Michael B. Smith

Consultant and Exchange MVP

http://TheEssentialExchange.com

 

From: Steven M. Caesare [mailto:scaes...@caesare.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:40 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven Peck]

Some aren't.  The root domain servers are not.  Server are but they
all peer and do their thing.  It's been working fine for years now.
We definitely don't sync using the vmware tools.  Primarily becuase we
had problems long ago and now just don't trust it(never bothered to
try it now we have a method that works).  Doing it this way ensures
we're all consistent across platforms.  The mainframe, superdome and
unix guys all use the routers as well which we sync off of.  The
routers are all peered/sync'd etc
.

On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 10:33 AM, Steven M. Caesare
 wrote:
> OK, cool.
>
> Should I assume your DC's aren't VM's?
>
> -sc
>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Steven Peck [mailto:sep...@gmail.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:31 PM
>> To: NT System Admin Issues
>> Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>>
>> We have our guests go to the DCs.  We sync our vmhosts to our DCs.
>> Our DCs sync to our routers and the routers sync to the external
> sources.
>>
>> On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 10:19 AM, Steven M. Caesare
>>  wrote:
>> > That seems about what I recall too... thanks.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -sc
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
>> > Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:29 AM
>> > To: NT System Admin Issues
>> > Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > No, I let the PDCe go to the same time source as the ESX boxes. I
> got
>> > warned against using the VMWare Tools synchronisation for the
> guests,
>> > by people on the list I think. Can't remember the reason though -
>> > maybe something to do with hardware interrupts tickles the memory,
> for
>> some reason?
>> >
>> > On 25 March 2010 14:53, Steven M. Caesare 
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > And do you sync the DC to it's host VM via VMWare tools?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -sc
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
>> > Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM
>> >
>> > To: NT System Admin Issues
>> >
>> > Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
>> > whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.
>> >
>> > On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare 
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or
> your
>> > VM hosts to all sync with NTP.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
>> > ESXi host they live on.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to
>> > sync with DC (also a guest).
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC
>> > should directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock
>> > corrected by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi
>> > server sync with an NTP source instead?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -sc
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
>> > into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I
> am
>> > not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that
>> > could provoke such a question."
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
>> > into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I
> am
>> > not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that
>> > could provoke such a question."
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~
>> <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~
>
>
> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~
>
>

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

OK, cool.

Should I assume your DC's aren't VM's?

-sc

> -Original Message-
> From: Steven Peck [mailto:sep...@gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:31 PM
> To: NT System Admin Issues
> Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
> 
> We have our guests go to the DCs.  We sync our vmhosts to our DCs.
> Our DCs sync to our routers and the routers sync to the external
sources.
> 
> On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 10:19 AM, Steven M. Caesare
>  wrote:
> > That seems about what I recall too... thanks.
> >
> >
> >
> > -sc
> >
> >
> >
> > From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:29 AM
> > To: NT System Admin Issues
> > Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
> >
> >
> >
> > No, I let the PDCe go to the same time source as the ESX boxes. I
got
> > warned against using the VMWare Tools synchronisation for the
guests,
> > by people on the list I think. Can't remember the reason though -
> > maybe something to do with hardware interrupts tickles the memory,
for
> some reason?
> >
> > On 25 March 2010 14:53, Steven M. Caesare 
> wrote:
> >
> > And do you sync the DC to it's host VM via VMWare tools?
> >
> >
> >
> > -sc
> >
> >
> >
> > From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM
> >
> > To: NT System Admin Issues
> >
> > Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
> >
> >
> >
> > I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
> > whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.
> >
> > On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare 
> wrote:
> >
> > OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.
> >
> >
> >
> > Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or
your
> > VM hosts to all sync with NTP.
> >
> >
> >
> > Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
> > ESXi host they live on.
> >
> >
> >
> > IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to
> > sync with DC (also a guest).
> >
> >
> >
> > What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC
> > should directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock
> > corrected by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi
> > server sync with an NTP source instead?
> >
> >
> >
> > -sc
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
> > into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I
am
> > not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that
> > could provoke such a question."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
> > into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I
am
> > not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that
> > could provoke such a question."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~
> <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~


~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven Peck]

We have our guests go to the DCs.  We sync our vmhosts to our DCs.
Our DCs sync to our routers and the routers sync to the external
sources.

On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 10:19 AM, Steven M. Caesare
 wrote:
> That seems about what I recall too… thanks.
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
> From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:29 AM
> To: NT System Admin Issues
> Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>
>
>
> No, I let the PDCe go to the same time source as the ESX boxes. I got warned
> against using the VMWare Tools synchronisation for the guests, by people on
> the list I think. Can't remember the reason though - maybe something to do
> with hardware interrupts tickles the memory, for some reason?
>
> On 25 March 2010 14:53, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:
>
> And do you sync the DC to it’s host VM via VMWare tools?
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
> From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM
>
> To: NT System Admin Issues
>
> Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>
>
>
> I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know whether
> it is "right" but i never have any time issues.
>
> On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:
>
> OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.
>
>
>
> Time services… you can set your guest servers, your guest DC’s or your VM
> hosts to all sync with NTP.
>
>
>
> Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the ESXi
> host they live on.
>
>
>
> IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
> with DC (also a guest).
>
>
>
> What I can’t find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
> directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected by
> the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with an NTP
> source instead?
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into
> the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able
> rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such
> a question."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into
> the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able
> rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such
> a question."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

That seems about what I recall too... thanks.

 

-sc

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:29 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

No, I let the PDCe go to the same time source as the ESX boxes. I got
warned against using the VMWare Tools synchronisation for the guests, by
people on the list I think. Can't remember the reason though - maybe
something to do with hardware interrupts tickles the memory, for some
reason?

On 25 March 2010 14:53, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

And do you sync the DC to it's host VM via VMWare tools?

 

-sc

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM


To: NT System Admin Issues

Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.

On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 






-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Michael B. Smith]

My blog post links to the vmware best practice papers.

Regards,

Michael B. Smith
Consultant and Exchange MVP
http://TheEssentialExchange.com

From: Steven M. Caesare [mailto:scaes...@caesare.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:11 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

Right, using the NIST serves.

So you are suggesting syncing the PDCE and ESX boxes to an NTP server, but 
don't tie them together via the VMWare tools?

-sc

From: Michael Tellson [mailto:micha...@colonialsavings.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:06 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

Also ensure your PDCE domain controller and your ESX hosts use the same time 
source to sync to.  And never user time.windows.com (the default).

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:48 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know whether it 
is "right" but i never have any time issues.
On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare 
mailto:scaes...@caesare.com>> wrote:
OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your VM 
hosts to all sync with NTP.

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the ESXi host 
they live on.

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync with 
DC (also a guest).

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should 
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected by the 
VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with an NTP source 
instead?

-sc







--
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into the 
machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able rightly 
to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."













~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

Right, using the NIST serves.

 

So you are suggesting syncing the PDCE and ESX boxes to an NTP server,
but don't tie them together via the VMWare tools?

 

-sc

 

From: Michael Tellson [mailto:micha...@colonialsavings.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:06 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

Also ensure your PDCE domain controller and your ESX hosts use the same
time source to sync to.  And never user time.windows.com (the default).

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:48 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.

On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Michael Tellson]

Time.windows.com is an extremely unreliable time source.  I have seen
timeouts when using that for weeks at a time, followed by one or two of
successful updates, then several more weeks of timeouts.  Pool.ntp.org
is extremely reliable.  I have never seen a sync request time out since
switching to that source.

-Original Message-
From: Ben Scott [mailto:mailvor...@gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:23 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 11:06 AM, Michael Tellson
 wrote:
> And never user time.windows.com (the default).

  Why not?

  I don't currently have anything using time.windows.com except a few
stand-alone PCs at side clients, so it doesn't really matter to me,
but I'm curious.

-- Ben

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[James Rankin]

No, I let the PDCe go to the same time source as the ESX boxes. I got warned
against using the VMWare Tools synchronisation for the guests, by people on
the list I think. Can't remember the reason though - maybe something to do
with hardware interrupts tickles the memory, for some reason?

On 25 March 2010 14:53, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

> And do you sync the DC to it’s host VM via VMWare tools?
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
> *From:* James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com]
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM
>
> *To:* NT System Admin Issues
> *Subject:* Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!
>
>
>
> I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know whether
> it is "right" but i never have any time issues.
>
> On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:
>
> OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.
>
>
>
> Time services… you can set your guest servers, your guest DC’s or your VM
> hosts to all sync with NTP.
>
>
>
> Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the ESXi
> host they live on.
>
>
>
> IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
> with DC (also a guest).
>
>
>
> What I can’t find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
> directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected by
> the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with an NTP
> source instead?
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> "On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into
> the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able
> rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such
> a question."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into
the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able
rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such
a question."

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Ben Scott]

On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 11:06 AM, Michael Tellson
 wrote:
> And never user time.windows.com (the default).

  Why not?

  I don't currently have anything using time.windows.com except a few
stand-alone PCs at side clients, so it doesn't really matter to me,
but I'm curious.

-- Ben

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~   ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Michael Tellson]

Also ensure your PDCE domain controller and your ESX hosts use the same
time source to sync to.  And never user time.windows.com (the default).

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:48 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.

On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

Thanks Michael, I'll read up...

 

-sc

 

From: Michael B. Smith [mailto:mich...@smithcons.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:51 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

<http://theessentialexchange.com/blogs/michael/archive/2010/01/29/a-brie
f-history-of-time-ok-ok-let-s-go-with-quot-an-introduction-to-the-window
s-time-service-quot.aspx>

 

Regards,

 

Michael B. Smith

Consultant and Exchange MVP

http://TheEssentialExchange.com

 

From: Steven M. Caesare [mailto:scaes...@caesare.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:40 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Steven M. Caesare]

And do you sync the DC to it's host VM via VMWare tools?

 

-sc

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:kz2...@googlemail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:48 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

 

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know
whether it is "right" but i never have any time issues.

On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

 

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your
VM hosts to all sync with NTP. 

 

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the
ESXi host they live on.

 

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
with DC (also a guest).

 

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected
by the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with
an NTP source instead?

 

-sc

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~

RE: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[Michael B. Smith]

Regards,

Michael B. Smith
Consultant and Exchange MVP
http://TheEssentialExchange.com

From: Steven M. Caesare [mailto:scaes...@caesare.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:40 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.

Time services... you can set your guest servers, your guest DC's or your VM 
hosts to all sync with NTP.

Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the ESXi host 
they live on.

IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync with 
DC (also a guest).

What I can't find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should 
directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected by the 
VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with an NTP source 
instead?

-sc





~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~   ~

Re: NTP, VM's, and domains... Oh My!

[James Rankin]

I let the ESX boxes use direct NTP and the boss DC also. Don't know whether
it is "right" but i never have any time issues.

On 25 March 2010 14:39, Steven M. Caesare  wrote:

> OK, there was some discussion about this a while back I believe.
>
>
>
> Time services… you can set your guest servers, your guest DC’s or your VM
> hosts to all sync with NTP.
>
>
>
> Additionally, you can (under ESXi), sync the guest machines with the ESXi
> host they live on.
>
>
>
> IIRC , I believe the best practice is to allow all guest servers to sync
> with DC (also a guest).
>
>
>
> What I can’t find anything definitive on is if the head-honcho DC should
> directly sync with an NTP server, or should it have its clock corrected by
> the VMWare tools on that ESXi host, and let the ESXi server sync with an NTP
> source instead?
>
>
>
> -sc
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into
the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able
rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such
a question."

~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~   ~