[ntp:hackers] Fwd: adios ntpdate, soon...

Harlan Stenn stenn at ntp.org
Wed Dec 9 04:42:23 UTC 2009


Dave,

> No. If startup needs something that has nothing to do with the clock, 
> put it ahead of ntpd; if startup needs anything dependent on the clock, 
> put it after ntpd and use Dave's interlock. You don't need a script, 
> just a command line option, and it's much cleaner and less fragile. I 
> wouldn't want to be doing many things during the few seconds ntpd is 
> winding the clock, but if so put some things after the ntpd call, don't 
> use Dave's interlock and use ntp-wait. Personally, I don't like the idea 
> of polling with ntpq while  ntpd it is out winding the clock. Whether 
> ntpd is successful or not is revealed by the ntpd return code, which 
> should be tested by the startup script. If ntpd hangs up trying to 
> resolve a server name, for example, you can't safely start the system 
> anyway.

I hear you, and sadly I have way too much experience where what you
describe will simply not be sufficient.

The mechanism I described (and implemented) has worked beautifully for
me for years.

I am not saying the *everybody* needs the mechanism I describe, but I
can tell you that it is sufficient for the situations where the
mechanism you describe has proven itself to be insufficient.

H


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