| The Microsoft Windows operating systems
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| | Windows 2000 has an integrated time
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| from Windows 2000 onwards has a built-in
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| | synchronisation service, installed by
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| time synchronization service - 'Windows
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| | default, which can synchronise to a NTP
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| Time'. This article describes how to
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| | Server. Indeed, by manipulating registry
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| configure the Microsoft Windows 2003 and
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| | settings, the service can act as both an
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| Windows 2000 time service as a NTP time
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| | SNTP client and SNTP server to
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| server. It shows how to modify registry
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| | synchronise other network clients.
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| entries to configure the Microsoft
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| | Before modifying registry entries it is
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| Windows Time Service. The Windows Time
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| | good a dood idea to backup the registry
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| service allows a Windows network to
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| | settings. The registry can then be
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| provide synchronisation of all machines
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| | restored in the event of problems being
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| within a domain.
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| | encountered.
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| Windows 2003 Server Configuration
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| | The 'Windows Time' service should be
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| Windows 2003 has expanded on the original
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| | present in the systems service list. The
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| Windows 2000 time service by providing a
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| | application executable is 'w32time.exe'.
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| true NTP implementation. The time
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| | The parameter list for w32time can be
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| service, installed by default, can
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| | found in the registry at:
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| synchronise to a NTP Server. Indeed, by
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| | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| manipulating registry settings for the
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| | et\Services\W32Time\Parameters
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| service it can act as both an NTP server
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| | Windows 2000 can operate as an NTP client
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| and client to synchronise other network
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| | and synchronise to an NTP server by
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| clients in the domain.
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| | setting parameter 'NTP Server' to the IP
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| The 'Windows Time' service should be
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| | address of a NTP Server.
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| present in the systems service list. The
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| | By default, the Microsoft Windows 2000
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| application executable is 'w32time.exe'.
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| | machine will synchronise to the specified
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| The parameter list for w32time can be
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| | NTP time server every 8 hours (or 3 times
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| found in the registry at:
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| | a day), which may not be enough to
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | maintain accurate synchronisation. The
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| et\Services\W32Time
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| | period can be reduced by setting the
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| Before modifying registry entries it is
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| | 'Period' parameter to how many times a
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| good a dood idea to backup the registry
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| | day synchronisation is required. Setting
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| settings. The registry can then be
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| | the period to 48 will activate
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| restored in the event of problems being
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| | synchronisation with the NTP server once
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| encountered.
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| | every half hour.
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| To configure a Windows 2003 machine to
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| | Windows 2000 can also be configured to
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| synchronise to an external NTP server,
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| | act as an NTP server by setting the
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| edit the following registry entries:
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| | 'Local NTP' parameter to '1'.
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | After editing any of the registry entries
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| et\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags
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| | for the windows time service, the service
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| Set the 'Announce Flags' registry entry
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| | must be restarted for the settings to
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| to 5, to indicate a reliable time source.
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| | take effect. The services can be started
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | or stopped from the service control
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| et\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NTPClie
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| | applet in 'administrative tools'.
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| nt\SpecialPollInterval
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| | Alternatively the service can be
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| The 'Special Poll Interval' registry
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| | controlled via the DOS net command
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| entry defines the period in seconds that
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| | thus:net start w32timenet stop w32time
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| the Windows 2003 machine should poll the
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| | NTP Troubleshooting
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| NTP server. A recommended value is 900
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| | A number of problems can be encountered
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| seconds, which equates to every 15
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| | when configuring the Windows Time
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| minutes.
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| | Service. NTP operates using the UDP
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | protocol over TCP/IP. Therefore the TCP
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| et\Services\W32Time\Parameters\NtpServer
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| | IP network infrastructure must be
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| The 'NTP Server' parameter is used to
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| | operational for NTP to be effective.
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| provide a list of IP addresses or DNS
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| | Synchronisation issues may arise when NTP
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| names, separated by a space, of NTP
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| | attempts to synchronise to an inaccurate
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| servers that the Windows 2003 machine can
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| | time reference or if network delays are
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| synchronise to.
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| | excessive.
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | Synchronising Time on Network Devices
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| et\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NTPServ
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| | As well as synchronising Microsoft
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| er\Enabled
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| | Windows servers and workstations, NTP can
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| Changing the 'Enabled' flag to the value
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| | also be used to synchronise network
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| 1 enables the NTP Server.
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| | devices, such as hubs, switches and
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| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl
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| | routers. Any network device that can
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| et\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type
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| | synchronise to a NTP server can be
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| Change the server type to NTP by
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| | pointed to the Windows server to achieve
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| specifying 'NTP' in the 'Type' registry
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| | time synchronisation. In this way the
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| entry.
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| | whole network and accompanying
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| Windows 2000 Time Service Configuration
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| | infrastructure can be synchronised.
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