[ntp:questions] Re: Multiple ntp processes?

Scot P. Floess floess at mindspring.com
Mon Oct 16 14:18:56 UTC 2006


Richard:

I just built the latest point release of NTP and it seems to have fixed 
my problem.  What is really strange is the same script, same rc3.d setup 
and the old version had 2 ntpd processes running...now with the new 
version (no changes other than a recompile with the new source) fixed 
the problem.  Someone responded to my post and stated that it was normal 
behavior to see 2 versions running...that one was for DNS lookup and 
would exit once it's job was complete.  What struck me as odd was that 
in the past on single processor machines, I never noticed more than one 
ntpd running.  It was only when I had moved over to a dual PIII box that 
I would see 2 ntpd's running.  As I mentioned in my post, the PPID of 
one of the ntpd's was the initially started ntpd.

However, since I am now using the latest point release all seems better.

On a side note, I still see in /var/log/messages odd intertwined timings 
in logs.  For instance executing this:

grep sshd /var/log/messages | grep Failed

yields this:

Oct 16 01:30:36 adminserver sshd[9271]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 49310 ssh2
Oct 15 21:30:41 adminserver sshd[9272]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 50927 ssh2
Oct 16 01:30:41 adminserver sshd[9273]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 50927 ssh2
Oct 15 21:30:46 adminserver sshd[9274]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 52044 ssh2
Oct 16 01:30:46 adminserver sshd[9276]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 52044 ssh2
Oct 15 21:30:52 adminserver sshd[9277]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 54651 ssh2
Oct 16 01:30:52 adminserver sshd[9278]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 54651 ssh2
Oct 15 21:31:00 adminserver sshd[9279]: Failed password for invalid user 
tester from 210.17.215.224 port 56614 ssh2

Note the timestamps...  So, this started me down the whole "I have 2 
ntpd's running" issue.  It felt like maybe one was trying set the date 
incorrectly...

Thanks for your response!

Scot

Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> Scot P. Floess wrote:
>> I didn't readily find an answer to this problem...
>>
>> I note when I start ntp as an init script running Fedora Core 5 on a 
>> dual PIII 450 Mhz box, I see two ntpd processes running.  By looking 
>> at the PID and PPID it appears one ntpd is starting the other.  I 
>> note in /var/log/messages I will see logs with intermixed times.  For 
>> instance, a log with time X followed by logs with X - some prior 
>> time...it's very odd...
>>
>> If, on the command line, I stop ntpd both processes stop fine.  By 
>> starting ntpd again...I note only one ntpd process running.
>>
>> My question is:  is this behavior normal on a dual processor box?  
>> Based on the odd timestamps in /var/log/messages - I would have to 
>> say only one ntpd should be running...it almost "feels" like the two 
>> ntpd's are fighting to set the system clock.
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Scot        
>
> Only one instance of ntpd is supposed to be running.  Something about 
> the way you are starting your system is starting two processes.  The 
> most likely cause is executing the ntpd startup script twice.  If you 
> add:
> echo "Starting ntpd at `date`"
> to the script that starts ntpd, you will see the message twice during 
> startup if that is your problem.  I can't imagine what else it might 
> be so, if it is something else, please let us know.
>
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-- 
Scot P. Floess
27 Lake Royale
Louisburg, NC  27549

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