Re: NTP question

[Harlan Stenn <stenn () nwtime org>]

On 5/2/2019 9:13 AM, James R Cutler wrote:
> > On May 2, 2019, at 10:59 AM, William Herrin <bill () herrin us
> > <mailto:bill () herrin us>> wrote:
> >
> > On Wed, May 1, 2019 at 7:03 PM Harlan Stenn <stenn () nwtime org
> > <mailto:stenn () nwtime org>> wrote:
> >
> >     It's not clear to me that there's anything *wrong* with using the
> >     pool,
> >     especially if you're using our 'pool' directive in your config file.
> >
> >
> > The one time I relied on the pool I lost sync a year later when all
> > three servers the configuration picked withdrew time services and the
> > still-running ntp client didn't return to the names to find new ones.
> > Wonderful if that's fixed now but the pool folks argued just as
> > strongly for using it back then.
> >
> > Also, telling the security auditor that you have no idea who supplies
> > your time source is pretty much a non-starter. You can convince them
> > of a lot of things but you can't convince them it's OK to have no idea
> > where critical services come from.
> >
> > That's what's wrong with the pool.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Bill Herrin
> >
> >
> > -- 
> > William Herrin ................ herrin () dirtside com
> > <mailto:herrin () dirtside com>  bill () herrin us <mailto:bill () herrin us>
> > Dirtside Systems ......... Web: <http://www.dirtside.com/>
>
> I have only ever used the pool as a supplement to other servers. Here is
> a snippet from ntp.conf that was found in the bottom of a locked filing
> cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying
> 'Beware of the Leopard.’ *
>
>     #External Time Synchronization Source Servers
>     #
>     servertick.usno.navy.mil# open access
>     servertime.apple.com <http://time.apple.com># open access
>     serverTime1.Stupi.SE# open access
>     serverntps1-0.uni-erlangen.de <http://ntps1-0.uni-erlangen.de># open
>     access
>     server0.pool.ntp.org <http://0.pool.ntp.org># open access
>     server1.pool.ntp.org <http://1.pool.ntp.org># open access
>     server2.pool.ntp.org <http://2.pool.ntp.org># open access

I recommend you replace the above 3 lines with:

 pool CC.pool.ntp.org

where CC is an appropriate country code or region.

H
--
>     servernist1-nj2-ustiming.org <http://nist1-nj2-ustiming.org># open
>     access
>     servernist1-chi-ustiming.org <http://nist1-chi-ustiming.org># open
>     access
>     servernist1-pa-ustiming.org <http://nist1-pa-ustiming.org># open access
>     #
>
>
> I have not kept up with pool changes since then.
>
> *Apologies to Douglas Adams

-- 
Harlan Stenn, Network Time Foundation
http://nwtime.org - be a Member!