System Time And Date; Network Time Protocol - Dell Force10 MXL Blade Configuration Manual

System Time and Date

You can set and maintain system times and dates through the network time protocol (NTP). You can also
set them through the Dell Force10 operating software (FTOS) command line interfaces (CLIs) and
hardware settings.
This chapter includes the following sections:
•

Network Time Protocol

• Overview
• Implementation Information
• Configuring Network Time Protocol
• FTOS Time and Date
• Configuring Time and Date Settings
• Set Daylight Savings Time
Network Time Protocol
Network time protocol (NTP) synchronizes timekeeping among a set of distributed time servers and
clients. The protocol also coordinates time distribution in a large, diverse network with a variety of
interfaces. In NTP, servers maintain the time and NTP clients synchronize with a time-serving host. NTP
clients choose from among several NTP servers to determine which offers the best available source of time
and the most reliable transmission of information.
NTP is a fault-tolerant protocol that automatically selects the best of several available time sources to
synchronize to. Multiple candidates can be combined to minimize the accumulated error. Temporarily or
permanently insane time sources are detected and avoided.
Dell Force10 recommends configuring NTP for the most accurate time. In FTOS, you can configure other
time sources (the hardware and software clocks).
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