Configuring your system to use SNTP as the time maintenance application
If you do not have a time maintenance application of your own or you want to take advantage of the IBM-supplied time maintenance application, you can use Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP).
To understand the various ways that you can use to configure SNTP, you need to be familiar with the following concepts and their related topics:
- SNTP client
- When SNTP is configured as a client, the system retrieves a time value from an external time source. You can specify from which source to retrieve the time value. This external time value is compared to the system time. If the time value does not match the external time source, a time adjustment begins. The system time is adjusted until the appropriate time value is reached.
- SNTP server
- When SNTP is configured as a server, the system sends its system time to the clients connected to it. If a client's time values do not match the SNTP server time, a time adjustment begins. The client's system time is adjusted until the appropriate time value is reached.
- Scenario: Synchronizing clocks with i5/OS® (SNTP as a client and server)
- In this situation, the system specified as the SNTP client/server retrieves the time from an external time source and uses that time to maintain its local system time. The local system time is also provided to other systems connected to the system. The local system's time value is compared to each client's system time. If any of the system's time values differ from the local system time on the system specified as the SNTP server, a time adjustment begins.
Parent topic:
Setting up time maintenanceRelated concepts
Time maintenance application programming tips