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How to Configure an NTP Network Time Server in Windows 2003
Category: ComputersThis article gives a step-by-step guide to configuring Windows Server 2003 to run as a NTP time server.
Microsoft
Windows 2003 has a time synchronisation utility built into the operating
system
called Windows Time (w32time.exe)
which can be configured to operate as a network time
server. It can be configured to both synchronise a network using the internal
clock or an external time source.
Please note: Microsoft
and others strongly recommend that you configure a time server with a hardware
source rather than from the internet where there is no authentication. For
information on NTP time servers, receivers and other NTP products please click here
To configure Windows Time service to use the
internal hardware clock, first check that w32time is located in the system
services list in the registry, to check:
Click Start, Run then type regedit then click ok.
Locate
and then click the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time
It is highly recommended that you back up the
registry as serious problems may occur if you modify the registry incorrectly,
modifications to the registry are done at your own risk.
To begin configuration for an internal clock, click
on the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags
In the right pane, right-click AnnounceFlags, then
click modify.
In Edit DWORD Value, type A in the Value Data box,
then click OK
Exit Registry Editor
To restart the Windows Time Service click Start, Run
(or alternatively use the Command Prompt facility).
Type: net stop w32time
&& net start w32time
Then press enter.
To configure the Windows Time service to use an external
time source, click Start, Run and type regedit then click OK.
Locate the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type
In the right pane, right-click Type then click
Modify, in edit Value type NTP in the Value data box then click OK.
Locate the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags.
In the right pane, right-click AnnounceFlags and
click Modify. The ?AnnounceFlags’ registry entry indicates
whether the server is a trusted time reference, 5 indicates a trusted source so
in the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, type 5, then click OK.
Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an Internet protocol
used for the transfer of accurate time, providing time information along so
that a precise time can be obtained
To enable the Network Time Protocol; NTPserver,
locate and click:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer\
In
the right pane, right-click Enabled, then click Modify.
In
the Edit DWord Value box, type 1 under Value data, then click OK.
Now go back and click on
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\NtpServer
In
the right pane, right-click NtpServer, then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value
under Value Data type In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, then Modify, in
the Edit DWORD Value under Value Data type the Domain Name System (DNS), each DNS must be unique and you
must append 0×1 to the end of each DNS name otherwise changes will not take
effect.
Now
click Ok.
Locate and click the following
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient\SpecialPollInterval
In
the right pane, right-click SpecialPollInterval, then click Modify.
In
the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, type the number of seconds you want
for each poll, ie 900 will poll every 15 minutes, then click OK.
To
configure the time correction settings, locate:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\config
In the right pane, right-click
MaxPosPhaseCorrection, then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value box, under Base,
click Decimal, under Value Data, type a time in seconds such as 3600 (an hour)
then click OK.
Now
go back and click:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\config
In
the right pane, right-click MaxNegPhaseCorrection, then Modify.
In
the Edit DWORD box under base, click Decimal, under value data type the time in
seconds you want to poll such as 3600 (polls in one hour)
Exit
Registry Editor
Now,
to restart windows time service, click Start , Run (or alternatively use the
command prompt facility) and type:
net
stop w32time && net start w32time
And that’s it your time server should be now up and
running.
About the author
Richard N Williams is a technical author and a
specialist in the telecommunications and network time synchronisation industry
helping to develop dedicated time server products. Please visit us for
more information about a GPS time server or other NTP products.
Tags: authentication, external time, hardware clock, hardware source, internal clock, internal hardware, microsoft windows, network time server, ntp time server, ntp time servers, operating system, receivers, registry editor, server microsoft, synchronise, time service, time source, time synchronisation, w32time, windows server