Topic: Updating time on win2k boxes

[Trampas Stern]

How do I get my win2k boxes to update the time from the e-smith box?

Thanks
Trampas

[Terry Brummell]

From the command line on the 2K machine:

net time \servername /set /y

[Maggard]

Another way is using Network Time Protocol (NTP).

An NTP server is enabled by default on your Mitel server and can be read by any device that speaks NTP itself. MS Windows XP includes an NTP client in it's Time applet. That one defaults to a Microsoft timeserver with the official US Naval Observatory (USNO) server as a backup. You can easily change this to use your Mitel server. MacOS 9+ also includes an NTP client in it's Date & Time Control Panel. Of course almost all unix varients have an NTP client as a tool too.

When your client runs it takes the time from the NTP server (in this case your Mitel server) and applies it to itself. Keeping time accurate is useful for a large number of functions including keeping backups accurate, understanding/debugging the chain of events when reading logs, and tracking information flow across your network or enterprise.

For Windows 9x, NT, and 2K I recommend the free Dimension 4 (D4) from http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/. It can be set to run automatically, set the time, then exit. It can even be set to do so silently so it doesn't distract you. One advantage over the scripting method is it doesn't require a login to work. Also D4 can be set to not constantly-correct but to instead wait 'till a clock has drifted beyond a point, or to not accept really wide time differences (which would usually mean a mis-setting somewhere.)

Oh, and your Mitel server has it's own NTP client can be set to use an outside time-source for *it's* settings, just go to the appropriate panel. The best ones to use are your ISP's (usually ntp.yourisp.net or ntp1.yourisp.net) or another local one (run a web search for your closest city and the words "ntp server".) If you can't find anything local use the USNO servers.

For more information, links to more clients, and listings of the USNO servers see:
>http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ntp.html

[Trampas]

Thanks,

Is their a batch file that runs when someone logs in using a win2k machine such that I can put the net time \servername /set /y in it?

Trampas

[John Crisp]

Yup.

Netlogon.bat is in /home/netlogon

You need to set your W2k box to logon to the domain set in th e-smith box and it will run the batch file - make sure you edit it with your own settings first.

You can also map any drives that you need via the file.

Have a look throught the FAQ's and search the forums - there's loads on this.


B. Rgds
John