[AusNOG] NTP Best Current Practices Internet Draft

[Paul Gear]

On 2/2/19 3:15 pm, Robert Hudson wrote:
> I say this as a long-time (since NT3.51) Windows sysadmin...
> 
> On Sat, 2 Feb. 2019, 12:31 pm O'Connor, Daniel
> <darius-3tTUuF3Go8e6c6uEtOJ/EA at public.gmane.org
> <mailto:darius-3tTUuF3Go8emAE84gaIGEA at public.gmane.orgu> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>     > On 2 Feb 2019, at 11:48, Mark Smith
>     <markzzzsmith-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
>     <mailto:markzzzsmith at gmail.com>> wrote:
>     > The problem that occurred with 0.au.pool.ntp.org
>     <http://0.au.pool.ntp.org> proving bad time
>     > wouldn't have had an effect if the Windows domain controller had at
>     > least 2 other NTP time sources.
> 
>     The behaviour of OPs system implies that a PDC does not use more
>     than one clock source.
> 
>     If that is true (I have no idea, but googling suggests it may be so)
>     then you are going to end up relying on a single time server. In
>     that case you are probably better firing up a tiny Linux VM running
>     only ntpd (or chrony etc etc) which is configured for multiple pool
>     servers and then point your DCs at that.
> 
>     It does seem pretty ridiculous than Windows server can't behave more
>     sensibly though..
> 
> 
> The time service is the area where I felt Windows lagged significantly
> behind Linux more than any other. Why Microsoft still haven't adopted
> standardised tzdata and proper NTP is still, frankly, beyond me. The
> issues the Windows time services still cause are crazy...


I never thought I'd be the one doing this, but please, everyone - get
more accurate information before you bag Microsoft's time services.
They've made a lot of strides forward, and have offered a proper NTP
implementation since Server 2016:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/windows-time-service/accurate-time

Paul