In the last post, I had explained the NTP (Network Time Protocol) on Solaris 10 & 11 server. Now in this post, I will explain the same NTP server and client configuration for AIX operating system.
As you know NTP ( Network time Protocol) is one of the oldest internet protocol still in use and it allows the synchronization of computer clocks distributing UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) over the network.
Step by Step Configuration of NTP:
1. In the initial step we must verify that we have check the available NTP server on AIX server. For this please run the below command.
AIX:/>lssrc -ls xntpd
-----------------------------------------------
Program name: /usr/sbin/xntpd
Version: 3
Leap indicator: 00 (No leap second today.)
Sys peer: ntp.aix.in.com
Sys stratum: 4
Sys precision: -18
Debug/Tracing: DISABLED
Root distance: 0.014709
Root dispersion: 0.066422
Reference ID: 192.168.1.22
Reference time: dc721077.d3a8e000 Tue, Mar 14 2017 7:47:19.826
Broadcast delay: 0.003906 (sec)
Auth delay: 0.000122 (sec)
System flags: pll monitor filegen
System uptime: 19248381 (sec)
Clock stability: 0.000107 (sec)
Clock frequency: 0.000000 (sec)
Peer: ntp.aix.in.com
flags: (configured)(sys peer)
stratum: 3, version: 3
our mode: client, his mode: server
Peer: ntpuk.aix.in.com
flags: (configured)(sys peer)
stratum: 3, version: 3
our mode: client, his mode: server
Subsystem Group PID Status
xntpd tcpip 8520514 active
------------------------------------------------------
You can found the above output once you run the above command to check the available NTP server. On my AIX machine if you see the sys peer should show a valid server (ntp.aix.in.com). If the server is not showing any ntp server then we need to correct it by adding a server line into /etc/ntp.conf and will take restart of "xntpd" services.
Note : In this post I will use my dummy NTP name instead of real NTP server because of security reason.
2. As your NTP server is not configured and it is show "insame" then you need to add manual entry on the NTP configuration file.
AIX:/>vi /etc/ntp.conf
server ntp.aix.in.com
server ntpuk.aix.in.com
Once you added these ntp server entry manually on the configuration file then please take a restart of NTP services.
AIX:/>stopsrc -s xntpd
AIX:/>startsrc -s xntpd
Using above command we can stop and start the "xntpd" service on AIX operating system.
3. In this step you need to again verify the status of newly added NTP server.
AIX:/>lssrc -ls xntpd
It is taking some time that time because it synchronize process is running. Once the synchronization has been complete and you run the above command you can found the NTP server entry as describe in Step 1.
Step by Step configuration of NTP Client:
1. On the client machine you need to again verify that you have a server suitable for synchronization or not. For this please run the below command.
AIX:/>ntpdate -d ntp.aix.in.com
-----------------------------------------------------------
14 Mar 08:16:21 ntpdate[64356890]: 3.4y
transmit(192.168.1.22)
receive(192.168.1.22)
transmit(192.168.1.22)
receive(192.168.1.22)
transmit(192.168.1.22)
transmit(192.168.1.22)
transmit(192.168.1.22)
server 192.168.1.22, port 123
stratum 16, precision -6, leap 11, trust 000
refid [63.15.23.11], delay 0.03688, dispersion 24.00334
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: 00000000.00000000 Thu, Feb 7 2036 7:28:16.000
originate timestamp: dc721745.3ff1b000 Tue, Mar 14 2017 8:16:21.249
transmit timestamp: dc721746.3d08a000 Tue, Mar 14 2017 8:16:22.238
filter delay: 0.03688 0.05624 0.00000 0.00000
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: -0.00081 -0.00750 0.000000 0.000000
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.03688, dispersion 24.00334
offset -0.000812
14 Mar 08:16:23 ntpdate[64356890]: no server suitable for synchronization found
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you get the message ," no server suitable for synchronization found", verify xntpd is running on the server also verify that no firewalls are blocking port 123.
2. If the no server suitable for synchronization then you must specify the xntpd server in /etc/ntp.conf.
AIX:/>vi /etc/ntp.conf
server ntp.aix.in.com
Once you added the NTP server entry on client configuration file then restart the "xntpd" service again.
AIX:/>startsrc -s xntpd
3. If you want to start the xntpd service on boot time then you need to uncomment the below lines on the configuration file.
AIX:/>vi /etc/rc.tcpip
Unconmment the following line
start /usr/sbin/xntpd "$src-running"
4. Now verify the NTP server on client machine has been synchronized or not. Please use the same command which we used for checking the status.
AIX:/>lssrsc -ls xntpd
This time on the NTP client machine sys peer should display the IP Address or name of your "xntpd" server. As you know it is taking some time to synchronization so you must wait for time.
