Introduction 283
SmartWare Software Configuration Guide 26 • SNTP client configuration
Introduction
This chapter describes how to configure Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) client, it includes the follow-
ing sections:
• SNTP client configuration task list
• Recommended Public SNTP Time Servers (see page 290)
The Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) is an adaptation of the Network Time Protocol (NTP) that is
used to synchronize computer clocks in the Internet. SNTP can be used when the ultimate performance of the
full NTP implementation is not needed. SNTP is described in RFC-2030, “Simple Network Time Protocol
(SNTP) Version 4 for IPv4, IPv6 and OSI”.
SNTP typically provides time within 100 milliseconds of the accurate time, but it does not provide the com-
plex filtering and statistical mechanisms of NTP. In addition, SNTP does not authenticate traffic, although you
can configure extended access lists to provide some protection. An SNTP client is more vulnerable to misbe-
having servers than an NTP client and should only be used in situations where strong authentication is not
required.
SNTP client configuration task list
To configure an SNTP client, perform the tasks described in the following sections. The tasks in the first four
sections are required; the tasks in the remaining sections are optional, but might be required for your applica-
tion.
• Selecting SNTP time servers (see page 284)
• Defining SNTP client operating mode (see page 284)
• Defining SNTP local UDP port (see page 285)
• Enabling and disabling the SNTP client (see page 286)
• Defining the SNTP client anycast address (see page 287)
• Defining SNTP client constant offset to GMT (see page 287)
• Enabling and disabling local clock offset compensation (see page 288)
• Defining SNTP client poll interval (see page 286)
• Showing SNTP client related information (see page 289)
• Debugging SNTP client operation (see page 289)