[ntp:questions] Frequency Error on Sun4v

Richard B. Gilbert rgilbert88 at comcast.net
Fri Jun 20 05:26:38 UTC 2008


Conan wrote:
> We are testing Solaris 10 images on a variety of hardware.  We discovered a 
> problem which seems to only appear on T5120 (Sun4V architecture) and darned 
> if I can figure out why.
> 
> Every 7 - 12 minutes I get these log entries
> 19 Jun 09:41:41 ntpd[21419]: system event 'event_peer/strat_chg' (0x04) 
> status 'sync_alarm, sync_ntp, 15 events,event_clock_reset' (0xc6f5)
> 19 Jun 09:41:41 ntpd[21419]: synchronized to 47.xxx.yyy.zzz, stratum 2
> 19 Jun 09:41:41 ntpd[21419]: frequency error 512 PPM exceeds tolerance 500 
> PPM
> 19 Jun 09:41:41 ntpd[21419]: system event 'event_sync_chg' (0x03) status 
> 'leap_none, sync_ntp, 15 events, event_peer/strat_chg' (0x6f4)
> 19 Jun 09:41:41 ntpd[21419]: system event 'event_peer/strat_chg' (0x04) 
> status 'leap_none, sync_ntp, 15 events, event_sync_chg' (0x6f3)
> 
> Drift file is pegged at 500.000
> 
> #  ntpq -c rv
> assID=0 status=06f4 leap_none, sync_ntp, 15 events, event_peer/strat_chg,
> version="ntpd 4.2.4p4 at 1.1520-o Wed Jun 18 14:32:44 EDT 2008 (2)",
> processor="sun4v", system="SunOS/5.10", leap=00, stratum=3,
> precision=-21, rootdelay=2.758, rootdispersion=951.915, peer=15662,
> refid=47.xxx.yyy.zzz,
> reftime=cc0515c0.4664ede2  Thu, Jun 19 2008 13:28:32.274, poll=6,
> clock=cc0515e5.eae3cd9e  Thu, Jun 19 2008 13:29:09.917, state=4,
> offset=836.968, frequency=500.000, jitter=90.088, noise=217.608,
> stability=83.496, tai=0
> 
> # cat ntp.conf
> # Server statements, of higher level strata NTP servers.
> server ntp-ott-1.ca.nortel.com
> server ntp-ott-2.ca.nortel.com
> server ntp-ott-3.ca.nortel.com
> # - Driftfile
> driftfile /etc/inet/ntpd.drift
> # - Logging options
> logconfig all
> logfile /var/adm/ntpd.log
> # Access Control:
> # o Defaut action: Don't trust anyone for time and modifications.
> restrict default nomodify nopeer
> # o Completely trust your own machine
> restrict 47.aaa.bbb.ccc   # Restrict local host
> restrict 127.0.0.1   # Local host loopback
> 
> 
> I would be very appreciative if someone can help me identify the cause of 
> the problem and suggest a solution.
> 
> Thanks
> Conan 
> 
> 

It's almost certainly a hardware problem.  Ntpd is telling you that the 
clock is gaining, or losing, more than about 43 seconds (500 parts per 
million) per day.  500 PPM is the maximum that ntpd can handle.




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