Configuring the NTP Client

The NTP client enables the appliance or virtual machine to synchronize its internal clock with an NTP server on your network or on the internet. If you are using NTP on a BMC Atrium Discovery Virtual Appliance, you should disable the VMware tools time syncing. This is explained in VMware's timekeeping best practices for Linux based Virtual Machines which can be found here under the heading VMware Tools time synchronization configuration.

To configure the NTP client you must be logged in to the command line as the root user.

Edit the /etc/ntp.conf file.

Search for the lines beginning server.

server 0.rhel.pool.ntp.org
server 1.rhel.pool.ntp.org
server 2.rhel.pool.ntp.org

Replace the server entries with the IP address or hostname of the NTP server or servers with which you want to sychronize. For example:
```
server ntp.tideway.com
server 172.17.1.24
```
Save the file.
Configure the NTP client service to start at run level 3 when the appliance boots. Enter:
```
[root@localhost] # /sbin/chkconfig --levels 3 ntpd on
[root@localhost] #
```
Check to ensure that this change has been made correctly. Enter the following command and ensure that the output is the same as that shown:
```
[root@localhost] # /sbin/chkconfig --list ntpd
ntpd            0:off   1:off   2:off   3:on    4:off   5:off   6:off
[root@localhost] #
```

Start the service. Enter:

[root@localhost] # /sbin/service ntpd start
Starting ntpd:                                             [  OK  ]
[root@localhost] #

The NTP client is now running and needs no further attention.

Rebaseline the Appliance After Configuring the NTP Client

You should rebaseline the appliance after configuring the NTP client. To do this, as the tideway user, enter the following command:

/usr/tideway/bin/tw_tripwire_rebaseline

For more information on baselining the appliance, see Baseline Configuration.

Message - ntpd is not configured to run at run level 5
The message ntpd is not configured to run at run level 5 which is displayed in the appliance baseline window is erroneous. It is displayed when ntpd is running.

BMC Software

Configuring the NTP Client

Rebaseline the Appliance After Configuring the NTP Client