Configuring Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Configuring NTP
OmniSwitch 6800/6850/9000 Switch Management Guide
December 2007
page 3-9
Configuring NTP
The following sections detail the various commands used to configure and view the NTP client software in
an OmniSwitch.
Configuring the OmniSwitch as a Client
The NTP software is disabled on the switch by default. To activate the switch as an NTP client, enter the
ntp client
command as shown:
-> ntp client enable
This sets the switch to act as an NTP client in the passive mode, meaning the client will receive updates
from a designated NTP server.
To disable the NTP software, enter the
ntp client
command as shown:
-> ntp client disable
Setting the Client to Broadcast Mode
It is possible to configure an NTP client to operate in the broadcast mode. Broadcast mode specifies that a
client switch listens on all interfaces for server broadcast timestamp information. It uses these messages to
update its time.
To set an OmniSwitch to operate in the broadcast mode, enter the
ntp broadcast
command as shown:
-> ntp broadcast enable
A client in the broadcast mode does not need to have a specified server.
Setting the Broadcast Delay
When set to the broadcast mode, a client needs to advertise a broadcast delay. The broadcast mode is
intended for operation on networks with numerous workstations and where the highest accuracy is not
required. In a typical scenario, one or more time servers on the network, broadcast NTP messages, which
are received by NTP hosts. The correct time is determined from an NTP message based on a pre-config-
ured latency or broadcast delay in the order of a few milliseconds.
To set the broadcast delay, enter the
ntp broadcast-delay
command as shown:
-> ntp broadcast delay 1000
