Ntp Sucks!!!

tunasashimi · 05-30-2006, 07:02 AM

Let me just vent for a second: NTP is the most ridiculous piece of software I have ever seen. (And I've seen 'em all). I hope the guy who coded most of it and it's help documents would just drop dead. UUGHGHH.

*sigh*

Anyways, my NTP server has just stopped working and stopped syncing. Its probably something stupid, but it has cost me more than 2 days of my time so far - in fixing up wrong-dated logs, etc. And, in trying to get it to work.

None of the NTP utilities on my server seem to work. I've gone through all the steps listed in a mulititude of sites. Still no luck. Just Can't Figure It Out.

Anyways, this is just a VENT. Not a call for help.

Now, after about 6 hours of struggling with it, recompiling, reconfiguring, everything (mind you, nothing else on this particular server has failed, and the one next to it runs ntp perfectly when I hook it up as backup)...

I ran this:

Quote:

www:~ # /usr/sbin/ntpdate -v -d -s -b -p 8 -u 129.132.2.21
addto_syslog: ntpdate 4.2.0a@1.1213-r Wed Jan 26 17:22:51 UTC 2005 (1)
Looking for host 129.132.2.21 and service ntp
host found : swisstime.ee.ethz.ch
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success
addto_syslog: poll(): nfound = 0, error: Success

www:~ #

Hmmm. Nice. What's that supposed to mean? Time updated or not?
Do I have to climb into the bloody source code of every little app?!

Note, that took over an hour to execute. My system clock and cmos clock are to within 1s of the time that my other servers get from ntp.

tangle · 05-30-2006, 07:16 AM

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the program?

tunasashimi · 05-30-2006, 07:27 AM

Just to show that I can actually access these servers with at least one ntp utility...

Quote:

www:~ # ntpq -n -c pee 146.64.24.58
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
*146.64.58.41 .GPS. 1 u 448 1024 377 0.359 -0.414 1.676
+146.64.241.228 .CSIR. 1 u 104 1024 377 0.812 -0.402 0.023
+2001:4200:7000: .GPS. 1 u 836 1024 377 18.351 -0.534 1.225
+146.64.28.1 146.64.58.41 2 u 763 256 330 1.904 -1.568 0.718
www:~ # ntpq -n -c pee 196.4.160.4
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
+128.9.176.30 .GPS. 1 u 439 128 374 331.321 -7.804 12.041
*146.64.241.228 .CSIR. 1 u 166 128 377 52.094 -9.113 36.909
+196.35.241.17 146.64.8.68 2 u 118 128 377 14.105 24.305 61.330
www:~ # ntpq -n -c pee 196.31.48.139
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
127.127.1.1 LOCAL(1) 10 l 85 64 377 0.000 0.000 0.002
+196.35.241.17 146.64.8.68 2 u 556 1024 377 28.791 -13.454 16.547
*146.64.241.228 .CSIR. 1 u 552 1024 367 48.421 -53.368 7.465
+146.64.58.41 .GPS. 1 u 485 1024 377 79.174 -37.800 18.560
146.64.8.7 .RSTR. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
+146.64.8.68 .GPS. 1 u 562 1024 377 152.371 -1.977 57.251
www:~ # ntpq -n -c pee 196.30.40.82
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
127.127.1.1 LOCAL(1) 10 l 105 64 377 0.000 0.000 10.010
+196.35.241.17 146.64.8.68 2 u 846 1024 377 44.480 9.441 8.290
+146.64.241.228 .CSIR. 1 u 566 1024 377 81.120 -13.232 55.710
*146.64.58.41 .GPS. 1 u 414 1024 377 92.700 -21.646 32.030
-146.64.8.68 .GPS. 1 u 610 1024 377 137.790 -52.325 55.330
www:~ # ntpq -n -c pee 193.62.22.98
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
*127.127.29.0 .GPS. 0 l 78 16 377 0.000 0.002 0.000
-128.86.8.123 .MSF. 1 u 90 128 177 5.817 -0.300 0.005
+193.62.22.74 .GPS. 1 u 103 16 377 5.912 -0.004 0.007
#193.62.22.90 128.86.8.123 2 u 101 64 376 6.164 -0.407 0.011
-193.62.22.82 .DCFa. 1 u 96 64 376 4.972 -0.234 0.019
-195.66.241.2 .1PPS. 1 u 63 64 377 11.489 -0.320 0.101
-195.66.241.3 .1PPS. 1 u 93 64 377 11.316 -0.406 0.010
+129.132.2.21 129.132.2.22 2 u 107 16 377 26.421 -0.027 0.024
+140.142.16.34 .USNO. 1 u 63 16 377 144.080 -0.019 0.035
#192.36.134.25 .PPS. 1 u 65 16 377 25.094 -0.137 0.003
194.81.60.62 .GPS. 1 u 80 1024 377 9.338 0.132 0.007
www:~ #

Yet...

Quote:

www:~ # ntpq -n
ntpq> peers
remote refid st t when poll reach delay offset jitter
==============================================================================
146.64.24.58 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.4.160.4 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.31.48.139 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.30.40.82 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
193.62.22.98 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
146.64.241.228 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
146.64.8.7 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
146.64.58.41 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.2.50.3 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.4.160.4 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.26.5.8 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.2.45.66 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
146.64.24.58 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
143.128.82.200 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
146.64.241.229 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.35.241.17 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.7.0.146 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.31.48.139 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.30.40.82 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
196.31.216.162 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
213.222.11.221 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
85.214.32.50 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
213.222.11.215 .INIT. 16 u - 64 0 0.000 0.000 4000.00
ntpq>

Even after 2 days... still.. at any time since ntpd is run...

Quote:

ntpq> associations

ind assID status conf reach auth condition last_event cnt
===========================================================
1 49452 8000 yes yes none reject
2 49453 8000 yes yes none reject
3 49454 8000 yes yes none reject
4 49455 8000 yes yes none reject
5 49456 8000 yes yes none reject
6 49457 8000 yes yes none reject
7 49458 8000 yes yes none reject
8 49459 8000 yes yes none reject
9 49460 8000 yes yes none reject
10 49461 8000 yes yes none reject
11 49462 8000 yes yes none reject
12 49463 8000 yes yes none reject
13 49464 8000 yes yes none reject
14 49465 8000 yes yes none reject
15 49466 8000 yes yes none reject
16 49467 8000 yes yes none reject
17 49468 8000 yes yes none reject
18 49469 8000 yes yes none reject
19 49470 8000 yes yes none reject
20 49471 8000 yes yes none reject
21 49472 8000 yes yes none reject
22 49473 8000 yes yes none reject
23 49474 8000 yes yes none reject
ntpq>

Quote:

Originally Posted by /etc/ntp.conf

server ntp1.icomtek.csir.co.za
server ntp.is.co.za
server ntp0.za.uu.net
server ntp1.za.uu.net
server ntp2.za.uu.net
server ntp2.ja.net
server 146.64.241.228
server 146.64.8.7
server 146.64.58.41
server 196.2.50.3
server 196.4.160.4
server 196.26.5.8
server 196.25.1.1
server 196.2.45.66
server 146.64.24.58
server 143.128.82.200
server 146.64.241.229
server 196.35.241.17
server 196.7.0.146
server 196.31.48.139
server 196.30.40.82
server 196.31.216.162
server 0.pool.ntp.org
server 1.pool.ntp.org
server 2.pool.ntp.org

I've tried one server, I've tried 20+. I've tried a gazillion other settings....

Funny thing is, it used to work. And nothing has changed!

My conclusion: Somehow some traffic is being blocked on the 3 different ISP's i've tried it on. What are the chances? Really?!

DAMN! Its not that, it works on this box right next to me.

tunasashimi · 05-30-2006, 07:29 AM

Yes, of course I've reinstalled it. I've completely obliberated any trace of it, and recompiled and reinstalled 2 completely different versions. I have not been negligient...

Posting here just made me realise that I'm probably being denied UDP traffic incoming on port 123....

Will verify...

tangle · 05-30-2006, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunasashimi

Yes, of course I've reinstalled it. I've completely obliberated any trace of it, and recompiled and reinstalled 2 completely different versions. I have not been negligient...

Posting here just made me realise that I'm probably being denied UDP traffic incoming on port 123....

Will verify...

I didn't mean any offence by the reinstall post. I know sometimes when I get fustrated I have a tendency to miss simple things. I have had programs that have stopped working and a reinstall worked. Of course I have a lot of power outages and corruption might have been a factor.

rickh · 05-30-2006, 09:36 AM

Since you don't specify your distro, this may or may not work, but Debian has a package called ntp-simple. Installs all the server and client programs and sets up ntp.conf to work correctly. If that package is available to you, I'd delete everything you've got and install ntp-simple.

tunasashimi · 05-30-2006, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangle

I didn't mean any offence by the reinstall post. I know sometimes when I get fustrated I have a tendency to miss simple things. I have had programs that have stopped working and a reinstall worked. Of course I have a lot of power outages and corruption might have been a factor.

Heh heh heh heh! You cant possibly have more power outages than we currently have in Cape Town, South Africa. Yes, our Power Monopoly, ESKOM, is now run by a bunch of affirmitive-action clowns, and while posting billions of rands of profit, they have to load-shed, leaving us in the dark for a substantial few hours every week. How nasty is that?

Luckily I've got a few car batteries hooked up to a UPS....

I still don't have it figured out....

AND NTP STILL SUCKS!!!!!

tunasashimi · 05-30-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickh

Since you don't specify your distro, this may or may not work, but Debian has a package called ntp-simple. Installs all the server and client programs and sets up ntp.conf to work correctly. If that package is available to you, I'd delete everything you've got and install ntp-simple.

Good thing somebody could come up with an ntp-simple!!!

I'd hate to meet the guy who did ntp. He must be such a loser. Anwyas, this is SuSe 9.1, but I doubt you can still really call it that, I have customised it terribly!

garba · 11-05-2006, 08:01 AM

i too can't stand ntp, the guy who wrote this software probably thought that everybody on this freaking planet needs his system clock to be adjusted with sub atomic precision, it's ridicolous, because of this f***ing thing being unable to get in sync with the pool servers my clients couldn't get their clock updated and this resulted in my user being unable to log on through kerberos, pathetic

lexpert · 04-14-2012, 03:44 PM

Bump.

tangle · 04-14-2012, 04:50 PM

You know you bumped a 5 1/2 year old post, right? Why not make another post explaining you problem?