[ntp:questions] Using ntpdate -b SERVER shortly after SERVER boots

[Hal Murray]

>> We have thousands of isolated remote networks which have no reliable
>> source of time. At each site we have one Linux machine which acts as
>> the ntp server (let's call it SERVER). Our users are able to set the
>> clock on this ntp server, based on eyeball-and-wristwatch. Yuck.
>> 
>> SERVER config:
>> server  127.127.1.0     # local clock
>> fudge   127.127.1.0 stratum 10
>> driftfile /etc/ntp/drift
>> authenticate no


>Two things!  Use the "-g" switch when you start ntpd.  That will cause 
>it to unconditionally set the clock to a reasonable approximation of the 
>correct time (within +/- ten milliseconds).  You can also add the 
>"iburst" keyword to each of your "server" statements in ntp.conf.

His only "clock" is the local system clock so the -g isn't going
to do anything.

I expect the iburst will help a lot, but I don't remember anybody
confirming that this special case works correctly.  Hopefully
the OP will report back after trying it.

-- 
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