Chapter 6 Initial Configuration; Ntp Configuration - Cisco DS-C9216I-K9 Configuration Manual

Initial Configuration
In order for Cisco MDS 9000 Family switches to be accessed by other devices, they must be initially
configured. NTP information is part of this. For the rest of the information, refer to the "Initial
Configuration" chapter in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Configuration Guide.
This chapter contains the following topics:
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NTP Configuration

A Network Time Protocol (NTP) server provides a precise time source (radio clock or atomic clock) to
synchronize the system clocks of network devices. NTP is transported over User Datagram Protocol
(UDP/IP). All NTP communications use UTC. An NTP server receives its time from a reference time
source, such as a radio clock or atomic clock, attached to the time. NTP distributes this time across the
network.
In a large enterprise network, having one time standard for all network devices is critical for management
reporting and event logging functions when trying to correlate interacting events logged across multiple
devices. Many enterprise customers with extremely mission-critical networks maintain their own
stratum-1 NTP source.
Time synchronization happens when several frames are exchanged between clients and servers. The
switches in client mode know the address of one or more NTP servers. The servers act as the time source
and receive client synchronization requests.
By configuring an IP address as a peer, the switch will obtain and provide time as required. The peer is
capable of providing time on its own and is capable of having a server configured. If both these instances
point to different time servers, your NTP service will be more reliable. Thus, even if the active server
link is lost, you can still maintain the right time due to the presence of the peer.
Note If an active server fails, a configured peer helps in providing the NTP time. Provide a direct NTP server
association and configure a peer to ensure backup support if the active server fails.
OL-7753-01
NTP Configuration, page 6-1
Display General NTP Statistics for a Switch, page 6-3
Create an NTP Server or Peer, page 6-3
Edit an NTP Server or Peer Configuration, page 6-4
Delete an NTP Server or Peer, page 6-4
C H A P T E R
Cisco MDS 9000 Fabric Manager Switch Configuration Guide
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