[ntp:questions] Solving the right problem

[Joe Wulf]

Subject was:  Re: [ntp:questions] Quick sync between two computers not
connected to the internet


Chuck,

I hear what you are saying---yet the fact remains of the need by some
(myself numerous times) to
work in a vacuum; an environment that is deliberately and politically
restricted from connection to
the internet, or where the extra purchase of some form of internal and
private NTP source might
otherwise have been available.  An environment where your first attempt with
the sneaky-modem
would, most likely, get you fired   <smile>   ...    yea, some environments
really are like this.

The right problem to solve, usually as a precursor to the real work we get
paid for, is to have these
isolated systems 'effectively' in sync, time-wise, with some facsimile of
real time synchronization.

As a precursor to that, is the search for documentation on NTP, its protocal
and how to 'set it up'
in such a private environment, so that it works.  That search, for me,
continues.

You said:  "In most cases, it is easier to solve the problem of sync'ing all

computers to a correct
                 timesource (and thus all be mutually in sync)...".
I think I agree with that principal, though I don't yet feel I know enough
to 'do it'.  Would like to
have your (and others') help in learning the nuts-and-bolts of understanding
that, and how to
accomplish it.


Finally, ... maybe the documentation I'm looking for doesn't exist---or the
problem set is to
technical for me to grok, but way to simplistic for the majority of
ntpquestions list members.  So,
maybe I need to dig in even further, connect with a few ntp experts, and
write the documentation
myself that I'm looking for.


Thank you for taking a stab at this.  Much appreciated.


R,
-Joe Wulf
 Senior IA Engineer/ISSE
 ProSync Technology Group, LLC



----- Original Message ----
> From: Chuck Swiger 
<cswiger at mac.com>
>  ----- Original Message ----
>  > On Mar 19, 2010, at 1:19 PM, Joe Wulf wrote:
>  > > Group,

<snip>

>  In most cases, it is easier to solve the problem of sync'ing all
computers to a correct timesource
>  (and thus all be mutually in sync), then it is to setup a bunch of truly
& 
completely isolated
>  machines which happen to stay in sync.  If I really 
had to solve the latter problem, I would likely
>  connect the machines to a valid NTP timesource long enough to calibrate
each machines'
>  intrinsic 
drift from realtime, and then run time in standalone mode against their 
local clock.

>  (I'd be much likelier to see whether I can cheat that extreme 
restriction my using a modem line
>  to callout to a timesource, or hit up a GPS receiver, or WWVB receiver,
etc.)

>  Regards,
>  -- 
>  -Chuck