Time sync on web servers?

[etarts]

I'm running two sites on Powweb. One is on www06 and the other is on www10. The timestamps on files that I upload are 4 minutes ahead on one and 5 minutes ahead on the other.

Apparently these servers' clocks are NOT being synced with the servers doing cron and mail which appear to be correct. This is a problem for me as I run a cron script to check system integrity (to verify that my uploads are current), and my files' timestamps make no sense. What's up with that? I've read previously that all of the servers are supposed to be synced.

Please advise.

et

[Croc Hunter]

That just proves powweb is always one step ahead. lol. Seriously, some FTP programs can sync all files on the server with your pc. But with cron can't you simply adjust the script to suit the server time?.

[Sgeine]

The server's time is precicely correct. They are all synced against tick.usno.navy.mil. i double checked both web10 and web6. i think you're confusing the netapp's time with the web server. The netapp will generally be off since its on a private, internal network and has zero access to a time server.

[tbonekkt]

Originally posted by Sgeine
The netapp will generally be off since its on a private, internal network and has zero access to a time server. Isn't it possible to simply sync the netapp with one of the web servers? Since the web server would be correct, the netapp would be as well.

[Sgeine]

it is possible but not particularly attractive. I'd rather have the time slightly off occasionally, for now, then deal with the risk of opening up another port and running another daemon with all its potential security holes now and in the future?

I say 'for now' because the netapp used to have an untrusted public connection but I haven't had the time to reterminate fibre to it as we've been moving everything to a much larger facility over the last week. the netapp's are moved as are web01-10. There are still a very large number of cables to be made and servers to be moved. Rerunning and terminating that fibre is still a few slots down on the priority list. there is probably a post somewhere about that move. I've reset the clock on that netapp, its now 4 seconds off.

[tbonekkt]

I was just curious Jesse - and good point about the ports. :)

[etarts]

Thanks for resetting the clock. I hope that it can be made to auto sync to the web server soon, even if just once a day at a random time. How insecure could that be? Last time it took me a week of trouble tickets to get the time adjusted, and it always drifts off.

Things get really crazy when a file is from the future. It hurts my head :-)

et