Configuring Windows as a NTP Server
The Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 onwards has an in-built time synchronisation service - 'Windows Time'. The Windows Time service facilitates a Windows network to provide synchronisation of all machines within a domain. This article describes how to configure the Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 time service as a NTP server. It shows how to manipulate registry entries to configure the Windows Time Service.
Before modifying registry entries it is good practice to backup the Windows registry. This allows the registry to be restored in the event of problems.
Windows 2000 Configuration
Windows 2000 has an integrated time synchronisation service, installed by default, which can synchronise to a NTP Server. Indeed, by manipulating registry settings, the service can act as both an SNTP client and SNTP server to synchronise other network clients.
The 'Windows Time' service should be present in the systems service list. The application executable is 'w32time.exe'. The parameter list for w32time can be found in the registry at:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeParameters
Windows 2000 can operate as an NTP client and synchronise to an NTP server by setting parameter 'NTP Server' to the IP address of a NTP Server.
By default, the Windows 2000 machine will synchronise to the specified NTP server every 8 hours (or 3 times a day), which may not be enough to maintain accurate synchronisation. The period can be reduced by setting the 'Period' parameter to how many times a day synchronisation is required. Setting the period to 48 will activate synchronisation with the NTP server once every half hour.
Windows 2000 can also be configured to act as an NTP server by setting the 'Local NTP' parameter to '1'.
After editing any of the registry entries for the windows time service, the service must be restarted for the settings to take effect. The services can be started or stopped from the service control applet in 'administrative tools'. Alternatively the service can be controlled via the DOS net command thus:
net start w32time
net stop w32time
Windows 2003 Configuration
Windows 2003 has expanded on the original Windows 2000 time service by providing a true NTP implementation. The time service, installed by default, can synchronise to a NTP Server. Indeed, by manipulating registry settings for the service it can act as both an NTP server and client to synchronise other network clients in the domain.
The 'Windows Time' service should be present in the systems service list. The application executable is 'w32time.exe'. The parameter list for w32time can be found in the registry at:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32Time
To configure a Windows 2003 machine to synchronise to an external NTP server, edit the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeParametersType
Change the server type to NTP by specifying 'NTP' in the 'Type' registry entry.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeConfigAnnounceFlags
Set the 'Announce Flags' registry entry to 5, to indicate a reliable time source.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeTimeProvidersNTPClientSpecialPollInterval
The 'Special Poll Interval' registry entry defines the period in seconds that the Windows 2003 machine should poll the NTP server. A recommended value is 900 seconds, which equates to every 15 minutes.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeTimeProvidersNTPServerEnabled
Changing the 'Enabled' flag to the value 1 enables the NTP Server.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeParametersNtpServer
The 'NTP Server' parameter is used to provide a list of IP addresses or DNS names, separated by a space, of NTP servers that the Windows 2003 machine can synchronise to.
NTP Troubleshooting
A number of problems can be encountered when configuring the Windows Time Service. NTP operates using the UDP protocol over TCP/IP. Therefore the TCP/IP network infrastructure must be operational for NTP to be effective. Synchronisation issues may arise when NTP attempts to synchronise to an inaccurate time reference or if network delays are excessive.
Synchronising Network Infrastructures
As well as synchronising Windows servers and workstations, NTP can also be used to synchronise network hardware, such as routers, switches and hubs. Any network hardware that can synchronise to a NTP server can be pointed to the Windows server to achieve time synchronisation. In this way the whole network and accompanying infrastructure can be synchronised.
Related Tags: ntp server, time server, gps ntp server, digital wall clock, atomic clock, time synchronisation, gps timing, gps clock, atomic time, gps time, gps time reference, gps atomic clock, ntp gps, time synchronization, ntp time server, digital clock, ntp cl
Dave Evans develops NTP Server synchronisation systems to ensure accurate time on PC’s and computer networks. Dave has been involved in the development of dedicated NTP server systems, NTP synchronised digital wall clock systems and atomic clock time synchronisation products. Click here to find out more about SNTP and NTP Server Systems. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Using Keywords Effectively For an SEO Campaign
Keyword research is one of the most crucial parts of an SEO campaign. If you end up choosing the wro - Search Engine Optimization Copywriting Tips
SEO copywriting is not as technical as it sounds but is different from traditional copywriting for t - 3 Tips to Make Money Using Videos
For the last five years video has been a real success in the internet. Now you can find video in alm - Is Social Media Networking Your Next Strategy For Your Online Marketing?
When you try to work on online promotion and online marketing, social media especially social media - Submitting a URL of Your Website
People who make a website usually do research on how to improve not only the quality of their websit - 5 Bad Habits of Article Marketing
There are many ways to advertise your company but having a highly ranked website is the best. Most p - Facts About SEO Services Company
SEO services companies are becoming very popular in the internet marketing world but there are some - 4 Ways Search Engine Optimization Can Be So Powerful
Whether you are an affiliate marketer, small businessman or a large organization, your first step wh - A List of 3 Options For Internet Business
The trend of making money through online business has become trendy now a day. People are shifting t - Getting the Best Affiliate Products For Your Site
Making money online was never so difficult before. There are numerous ways through which you can mak
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The Revolutionized Ebay Etailsolution Software
With the help of eBay, the auction business has received a new meaning. With the help of the many eB - Internet Millions - by Ryan Orrell - Honest Review
REVIEW: "Internet Millions", by Ryan Orrell, is a refreshing new kind of internet marketing e-bo - A Google Adsense Addiction
54% of all Google Adsense publishers admit addiction to click income. A recent online study conducte - Lead Generation for Top Residual Income
At the heart of any good residual income business is a person who knows how to generate leads. Lead - Make Money With Information Ebook Products: The Other End
I don't like thinking of myself as the kind of person that has made it rich on the internet, but in - Repeat Business Equals a Residual Income Stream
Residual income comes from other people reacting to a single action by the business owner. What bet - The NFL & United Way
There are many ways that NFL players help with the United Way. First of all, they donate a lot of th - Seo - Making Money Writing Seo Reviews
If you are a reviewer or critic you are likely to find work writing reviews of products and services - Understanding Perfume Types
Understanding the various varieties of perfume can help to cut through the difficulty in selecting a - Ecommerce Basics: Three Things To Avoid
When you decide to put your ecommerce website together there are a few mistakes that are easy to mak