[Sussex] NTP Server....

[Andy Smith]

On Fri, Apr 06, 2007 at 02:01:31AM +0100, Jamie L. Penman-Smithson wrote:
> 
> On 5 Apr 2007, at 12:29, Andy Smith wrote:
> >I agree if you have other servers provided by your upstream, but
> >otherwise unfortunately pool.ntp.org servers can be so unreliable
> >that I would never recommend using less than 5 of them if that's all
> >you've got.
> 
> Then don't use pool.ntp.org. If you are that concerned about accuracy  
> run your own stratum 1 timeserver, or use your ISP's servers  
> (assuming they are any better).

It's not a need for amazing accuracy, just a suspicion that a large
number of the servers in pool.ntp.org are not run in a professional
manner and may end up with wildly wrong clocks before they are
removed from the zone (which I have seen a few times, notably the 10
years one and more recently a 6 years out of date one).

> Personally I have never had problems with using pool.ntp.org.
> There are processes in place to try and  ensure accuracy - if a
> servers offset is too high or if it is  unreachable it is
> automatically removed.

Unfortunately all that does is remove a server from the DNS; if your
ntpd already started using it (as it resolves the names at startup)
then it will continue to do so and you have to rely on ntpd's own
server selection to cope.  Which it will as long as it has enough
other servers.

> The amount of abusive traffic that pool servers are receiving is  
> causing many to withdraw, meaning the UK zone is bucking the trend -  
> it is not meeting the target number of servers needed to handle the  
> traffic. Rather than concentrating on its shortcomings you could help  
> improve the quality of service it offers by donating a server yourself.

I provide three:

http://www.pool.ntp.org/user/grifferz

It's still important to recognise the limitations.

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