LANs & WANs
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A real time sync
We recently had to deal with a problem where several of our servers were not keeping in time sync with each other. This got
us to look at different ways of getting all devices on our network including the switches, printers, etc to all know about
the same time. Some in our group want to get a GPS card device that will pick up the time signals from the satellites. Others
want to see what other options might be. Can you point us in the right direction?
-- Via the Internet
The two most popular ways of getting time sync are to use the Internet to get a time signal from one of multiple public NTP servers or, as you mention, use a GPS card to get a time reference signal to work with. The GPS card is certainly an option but you will need to have a good clear shot at the sky so you can get a consistent signal from the satellite. There are enough public sources of NTP services that you should be able to find a server near you that is consistently reachable. The last time I looked at this type of NTP time source, it was a little pricey versus doing it over the Internet.
To delve into NTP, take a look at the Network Time Protocol Web site.
Depending on the level of redundancy you might need, it is possible that you can consult several time servers, average the results you get and set your time based on the composite time signal. Go through the documentation on NTP.isc.org and use that as a starting point on making the decision for your company.
I would suggest on setting up one or two primary NTP servers for your company's network. More may be needed if you have multiple locations and would prefer to have a "local" NTP server at that site. These "primary" NTP servers would go to the outside world to get the time signal for your company.
All devices in your company would point to your primary NTP servers for their time information. While the NTP protocol doesnt have much overhead, be considerate of others and minimize how much you go out for the information and have everything internally to you point to your own NTP servers. You can install the NTP service on an existing server or run the service on an existing piece of network hardware such as a Layer-3 switch. You can always change what your source of NTP information is so you can see what works best for you.
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