[ntp:questions] how to read and understand ntpq -pcrv output - pre-wiki

[Jim Cromie]

in the hope that its seen as more useful, Im framing questions
in a way Id like to have found reading the wiki.
Once I understand the answers, I can add them, assuming thats desirable.

so...

Shortly after you've got ntpd running, you'll want to diagnose
your setup to see if it looks sane .. optimal.

ntpq is your friend:
#> ntpq -pcrv
     remote           refid      st t when poll reach   delay   offset  
jitter
==============================================================================
-harpo           194.146.145.193  3 u  151 1024  377    1.219   -0.124   
1.082
+mail01.tjgroup. 80.96.120.252    2 u  156 1024  377  206.401  -13.005   
7.501
*adsl.remco.org  .PG0A.           1 u  172 1024  377  195.164   -5.140   
1.287
+ntp.aramiska.ne 172.16.33.1      2 u  137 1024  377  186.166  -10.974   
4.151
-ntp1.us.grundcl 164.67.62.212    2 u    5 1024  377   99.248  -16.884   
8.487
 LOCAL(0)        LOCAL(0)        13 l   33   64  377    0.000    0.000   
0.004
assID=0 status=0664 leap_none, sync_ntp, 6 events, event_peer/strat_chg,
version="ntpd 4.2.0a at 1:4.2.0a+stable-8-r Fri Oct 28 15:39:49 CEST 2005 
(1)"?,
processor="i586", system="Linux/2.6.17-rc3-mm1-tunehrt-sk", leap=00,
stratum=2, precision=-18, rootdelay=195.164, rootdispersion=41.201,
peer=36230, refid=80.127.4.179,
reftime=c8131944.fec918e3  Mon, May 15 2006  8:14:12.995, poll=10,
clock=0xc81319f0.c20913a4, state=4, offset=-6.457, frequency=-0.384,
noise=3.925, jitter=5.886, stability=31.015
#> uptime
 08:21:08 up 20:25,  1 user,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00


* I have 4 timeserver entries;
    [0-2].pool.ntp.org
    pool.ntp.org

* they have somewhat hi delays - not ideal, but a function of the dns 
lookup of *.pool.ntp.org
    (Ive just switched to 0-2.us.ntp.org, but not for these measurements)

* time-source (table) jitter is nice and low
* poll period is 1024, nice and long, indicates ntpd is 'happy' with 
that time-source

Qs

? refid - Ive seen other listings with different stuff here,
    PGOA ?
    PPS - pulse per second - usually off an atomic source, maybe GPS
    they mostly look like IPs,
    are they some kind of hierarchy id, ie hash on path of clock-refs / 
system peers?

? delay, offset, jitter are in  milliseconds ?  (if rtfm, I havent seen 
it, pointers welcome)
good values are _______

WRT the state variables, (the -crv part of the above listing)

rootdispersion - lower is better
    maximum error of the local clock relative to the reference clock.
rootdelay - recap of *entry in peers table

? units of each field ?
? noise - lower is better ?  relationship to jitter, wander ?
? stability - higher is better ?

add post-note: for a fuller understanding (re-)read the rfc
http://ntp.isc.org/bin/view/Support/Rfc1305

? *frequency* ?    I have special interest here ..

this var tells how much ntpd has pushed your timesource away from
its natural free-running frequency.

Ive written a 'clocksource' driver for linux-2.6.17.rc3-mm1 to use a 32 
bit counter,
attached to a 27 mhz XO, and Ive been 'sanity' checking it with ntpd.

Ive found that ntp said my frequency=18.fuzz, so it looked like my clock 
ran fast.
To test what I could, I included a 'ppm' mod-param to tell the driver
the actual frequency of the XO.  (in integer hz correction to default 
1.000 mhz)

Before setting ppm = -18,  ntpq -pcrv reported a freq of -19.fuzz, and 
now its -0.384.  
Allowing for temp diffs over the duration of the tests ( 20 hrs)
that seems to match nicely with expectations, but Id appreciate hearing 
whether
you all agree with my interpretation of things (I could be biased;)


thanks in advance
Jim Cromie