[ntp:questions] ntpdate removal is coming

Harlan Stenn stenn at ntp.org
Wed Dec 7 22:38:42 UTC 2011


> On 12/6/2011 11:30 PM, Harlan Stenn wrote:
> > I'm not saying one should not set the clock on system startup.
> >
> > I'm saying I'm not aware of good reasons to set the clock
> >  before starting ntpd at system startup.
> 
> Embedded Systems that don't have a nonvolatile RTC TOY,
>  (or other source of time).

ntpd used to need the time set on the "base" system to within 68 years
of the correct time.

Recently, we updated ntp-dev so that ntpd will assume that the correct
NTP era is from 10 years before the date ntpd was built to 124 years
after the date ntpd was built.

So your case should be well-handled by ntp-dev on embedded systems as
long as ntpd is updated sometime in 124 years' time of it being
installed.

>  Yes, they often start by setting the time / date to
>   to the most recent compile time,
>    and/or the most recent file time stamp they can find.
> 
>  Yes, ntpd -g can be used instead of ntpdate.

So for all these reasons there is no *need* to run ntpdate before
running ntpd here, as best as I can see.  Correct?

H


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