Penguin
NAME
       ntpd - Network Time Protocol (NTP) daemon.

SYNOPSIS
       ntpd  [ -aAbdDgLmnNqx ] [ -c conffile ] [ -f driftfile ] [ -i jaildir ]
       [ -k keyfile ] [ -l logfile ] [ -p pidfile ]  [  -P  priority  ]  [  -r
       broadcastdelay  ]  [  -s statsdir ] [ -t key ] [ -u user[:group] ] [ -v
       variable ] [ -V variable ]


DESCRIPTION
       ntpd is an operating system daemon which sets and maintains the  system
       time-of-day  in  synchronism with Internet standard time servers.  Ntpd
       is a complete implementation of the Network Time Protocol (NTP) version
       4 but also retains compatibility with version 3, as defined by RFC-1305
       and version 1 and 2, as defined by RFC-1059 and RFC-1119, respectively.
       ntpd  does  most  computations  in 64-bit floating point arithmetic and
       does relatively clumsy 64-bit fixed point operations only  when  neces‐
       sary  to preserve the ultimate precision, about 232 picoseconds.  While
       the ultimate precision, is not achievable  with  ordinary  workstations
       and  networks  of  today, it may be required with future nanosecond CPU
       clocks and gigabit LANs.

       The daemon can operate in any of  several  modes,  including  symmetric
       active/passive,   client/server  broadcast/multicast  and  manycast.  A
       broadcast/multicast or manycast client  can  discover  remote  servers,
       compute  server-client propagation delay correction factors and config‐
       ure itself automatically.  This makes it possible to deploy a fleet  of
       workstations  without  specifying configuration details specific to the
       local environment.

       Ordinarily, ntpd reads the ntp.conf configuration file at startup  time
       in  order to determine the synchronization sources and operating modes.
       It is also possible to specify a working, although  limited  configura‐
       tion  entirely on the command line, obviating the need for a configura‐
       tion file.  This may be particularly appropriate when the local host is
       to  be  configured  as a broadcast/multicast client or manycast client,
       with all peers being determined by listening to broadcasts at run time.

       If  NetInfo  support  is built into ntpd then ntpd will attempt to read
       its configuration from the NetInfo if the default ntp.conf file  cannot
       be read and no file is specified by the -c option.

       Various  internal  ntpd  variables  can  be displayed and configuration
       options altered while the daemon is running using  the  ntpq  and  ntpd
       utility programs.

       When ntpd starts it looks at the value of umask, and if it is zero ntpd
       will set the umask to 0222.

OPTIONS
       -a     Enable authentication mode (default).

       -A     Disable authentication mode.

       -b     Synchronize using NTP broadcast messages.

       -c conffile
              Specify the name and path of the configuration file.

       -d     Specify debugging mode.  This flag  may  occur  multiple  times,
              with each occurrence indicating greater detail of display.

       -D level
              Specify debugging level directly.

       -f driftfile
              Specify the name and path of the drift file.

       -g     Normally,  the daemon exits if the offset exceeds a 1000s sanity
              limit.  This option overrides this limit and allows the time  to
              be set to an value without restriction.

       -i jaildir
              Chroot  the  server  to  the directory jaildir. This option also
              implies that the server attempts  to  drop  root  privileges  at
              startup  (otherwise,  chroot  gives very little additional secu‐
              rity), and it is only available if the OS supports  to  run  the
              server  without full root privileges. You may need to also spec‐
              ify a -u option.

       -k keyfile
              Specify the name and path of the file containing the NTP authen‐
              tication keys.

       -l logfile
              Specify  the  name and path of the log file.  The default is the
              system log facility.

       -L     Do not listen to virtual IPs. The default is to listen.

       -m     Synchronize using NTP multicast messages  on  the  IP  multicast
              group address 224.0.1.1 (requires multicast kernel).

       -n     Don’t fork, i.e. run in the foreground.

       -N     To the extent permitted by the operating system, run the ntpd at
              the highest priority.

       -p pidfile
              Specify the name and path to record the daemon’s process ID.

       -P     Override the priority limit set by the  operating  system.   Not
              recommended for sissies.

       -q     Exit  the  ntpd just after the first time the clock is set. This
              behavior mimics that of the ntpdate  program,  which  is  to  be
              retired.  The  -g  and  -x options can be used with this option.
              Note: The kernel time discipline is disabled with this option.

       -r broadcastdelay
              Specify the default propagation delay from the  broadcast/multi‐
              cast  server  and  this computer.  This is necessary only if the
              delay cannot be computed automatically by the protocol.

       -s statsdir
              Specify the directory path for files created by  the  statistics
              facility.

       -t key Add a key number to the trusted key list.

       -u user[:group]
              Specify a user, and optionally a group, to switch to.

       -v variable

       -V variable
              Add a system variable listed by default.

       -x     Ordinarily,  if  the time is to be adjusted more than 128 ms, it
              is stepped, not gradually slewed.  This option forces  the  time
              to be slewed in all cases.  Note: Since the slew rate is limited
              to 0.5 ms/s, each second of adjustment requires an  amortization
              interval of 2000 s.  Thus an adjustment of many seconds can take
              hours or days to amortize.

THE CONFIGURATION FILE
       The ntpd configuration file is read at  initial  startup  in  order  to
       specify  the  synchronization sources, modes and other related informa‐
       tion.  Usually, it is installed in the /etc  directory,  but  could  be
       installed  elsewhere  (see  the  -c conffile command line option).  The
       file format is similar to other Unix  configuration  files  -  comments
       begin with a # character and extend to the end of the line; blank lines
       are ignored.  Configuration commands consist of an initial keyword fol‐
       lowed by a list of arguments, some of which may be optionally separated
       by whitespace.  Commands may not  be  continued  over  multiple  lines.
       Arguments  may be host names, host addresses written in numeric dotted-
       quad form, integers, floating point numbers (when specifying  times  in
       seconds)  and text strings.  Optional arguments are delimited by [ ] in
       the following descriptions, while alternatives are separated by |.  The
       notation  [ ...  ] means an optional, indefinite repetition of the last
       item before the [ ...  ].

       While there is a rich set  of  options  available,  the  only  required
       option  is one or more of the server, peer, broadcast or manycastclient
       commands.

       Following is a description of the NTPv4 configuration commands.   These
       commands  have  the  same basic functions as in NTPv3 and in some cases
       new functions and new operands.  The various modes  are  determined  by
       the command keyword and the type of the required IP address.  Addresses
       are classed by type as (s) a remote server or peer (IP class A,  B  and
       C),  (b)  the  broadcast  address of a local interface, (m) a multicast
       address (IP class D), or (r) a reference clock  address  (127.127.x.x).
       Note  that,  while  autokey and burst modes are supported by these com‐
       mands, their effect in some weird mode combinations can be  meaningless
       or even destructive.

       peer address
              [autokey  | key key] [burst] [version version] [prefer] [minpoll
              minpoll] [maxpoll maxpoll]

       For type s addresses (only), this operates as the current peer  command
       which  mobilizes a persistent symmetric-active mode association, except
       that additional modes are available.  This command should NOT  be  used
       for type b, m or r addresses.

       The  peer command specifies that the local server is to operate in sym‐
       metric active mode with the remote server.  In  this  mode,  the  local
       server  can  be synchronized to the remote server and, in addition, the
       remote server can be synchronized by the local server.  This is  useful
       in  a  network of servers where, depending on various failure scenarios
       either the local or remote server may be the better source of time.

       server address
              [autokey | key key] [burst] [version version] [prefer]  [minpoll
              minpoll] [maxpoll maxpoll]

       For  type  s and r addresses, this operates as the NTPv3 server command
       which mobilizes a persistent client mode association.  The server  com‐
       mand  specifies that the local server is to operate in client mode with
       the specified remote server.  In this mode, the  local  server  can  be
       synchronized  to  the remote server, but the remote server can never be
       synchronized to the local server.

       broadcast address
              [autokey | key key] [burst] [version version] [minpoll  minpoll]
              [maxpoll maxpoll] [ttl ttl]

       For  type  b and m addresses (only), this operates as the current NTPv3
       broadcast command, which mobilizes a persistent broadcast mode associa‐
       tion,  except  that  additional modes are available.  Multiple commands
       can be used to specify multiple  local  broadcast  interface  (subnets)
       and/or  multiple  multicast groups.  Note that local broadcast messages
       go only to the interface associated with the subnet specified but  mul‐
       ticast  messages  go to all interfaces.  In the current implementation,
       the source address used for these messages is  the  Unix  host  default
       address.

       In  broadcast  mode, the local server sends periodic broadcast messages
       to a client population at the address specified, which is  usually  the
       broadcast  address  on  (one  of)  the  local network(s) or a multicast
       address assigned to NTP.  The IANA has  assigned  the  multicast  group
       address   224.0.1.1   exclusively  to  NTP,  but  other  nonconflicting
       addresses can be used to contain  the  messages  within  administrative
       boundaries.   Ordinarily,  this specification applies only to the local
       server operating as a sender; for operation as a broadcast client,  see
       the broadcastclient or multicastclient commands below.

       manycastclient address
              [autokey  | key key] [burst] [version version] [minpoll minpoll]
              [maxpoll maxpoll] [ttl ttl]

       For type m addresses (only), this mobilizes a manycast client-mod asso‐
       ciation  for  the  multicast  address specified.  In this case specific
       address must be supplied which matches the address used on th manycast‐
       server  command  for the designated manycast servers.  The NT multicast
       address 224.0.1.1 assigned by the IANA should NOT be used  unless  spe‐
       cific means are taken to avoid spraying large areas of th Internet with
       these messages and causing a possibly massive implosion  o  replies  at
       the sender

       The  manycast  command  specifies that the local server is to operate i
       client mode with the remote server that are discovered as the result  o
       broadcast/multicast  messages.  The client broadcasts a request message
       to the group address associated with the specified address an  specifi‐
       cally  enabled  servers  respond to these messages.  The client selects
       the servers providing the best time and continues as  with  the  server
       command.  The remaining servers are discarded as if never heard

       These  four  commands specify the time server name or address to be use
       and the mode in which to operate.  The address can be either a DNS name
       or  a  IP  address  in dotted-quad notation.  Additional information on
       association behaviour can be found in the Association Management page

       autokey
              All packets sent to the address are  to  include  authentication
              field encrypted using the autokey scheme.

       burst  At  each  poll  interval,  send a burst of eight packets spaced,
              instead of the usual one.

       key key
              All packets sent to the address are  to  include  authentication
              field  encrypted using the specified key identifier, which is an
              unsigned 32-bit integer less than  65536.   The  default  is  to
              include no encryption field.

       version version
              Specifies  the  version number to be used for outgoing NTP pack‐
              ets.  Versions 1-4 are the choices, with version 4 the  default.

       prefer Marks  the  server  as preferred.  All other things being equal,
              this host will be chosen for synchronization among a set of cor‐
              rectly operating hosts.  See the Mitigation Rules and the prefer
              Keyword page for further information

       ttl ttl
              This option is used only with broadcast mode.  It specifies  the
              time-to-live  ttl to use on multicast packets.  Selection of the
              proper value, which defaults to 127, is something of a black art
              and must be coordinated with the network administrator.

       minpoll minpoll maxpoll maxpoll
              These  options specify the minimum and maximum polling intervals
              for NTP messages. The values are interpreted as dual  logarithms
              (2  ^ x). The default range is 6 (2^6 = 64 s) to 10 (2^10 = 1024
              s). The allowable range is 4 (16 s) to 17 (36.4 h).

       broadcastclient
              This command directs the local server to listen for and  respond
              to  broadcast  messages  received  on any local interface.  Upon
              hearing a broadcast message for the first time, the local server
              measures  the  nominal network delay using a brief client/server
              exchange with the remote server, then enters the broadcastclient
              mode,  in  which  it  listens for and synchronizes to succeeding
              broadcast messages.  Note that, in order to avoid accidental  or
              malicious  disruption  in  this  mode, both the local and remote
              servers should operate using authentication and the same trusted
              key and key identifiers.

       multicastclient
              [address] [...]  This command directs the local server to listen
              for multicast messages at the group address(es) of these  global
              network.   The  default  address  is that assigned by the Number
              Czar to NTP (224.0.1.1).  This command operates in the same  way
              as  the broadcastclient command, but uses IP multicasting.  Sup‐
              port for this command requires a multicast kernel.

       driftfile driftfile
              This command specifies the name of the file use  to  record  the
              frequency  offset  of  the  local clock oscillator.  If the file
              exists, it is read at startup in order to set the  initial  fre‐
              quency  offset  and  then updated once per hour with the current
              frequency offset computed by the daemon.  If the file  does  not
              exist or this command is not given, the initial frequency offset
              is assume zero.  In this case, it may take some  hours  for  the
              frequency  to  stabilize  and the residual timing errors to sub‐
              side.

       The file format consists of a single line containing a single  floating
       point number, which records the frequency offset measured in parts-per-
       million (PPM).  The file is updated by first writing the current  drift
       value  into a temporary file and then renaming this file to replace the
       old version.  This implies that ntpd must have write permission for the
       directory  the  drift  file  is located in, and that file system links,
       symbolic or otherwise, should be avoided.

       manycastserver address [...]
              This command directs the local server to listen for and  respond
              to  broadcast  messages  received on any local interface, and in
              addition enables the server to respond to client  mode  messages
              to the multicast group address(es) (type m) specified.  At least
              one address is required, but the NTP multicast address 224.0.1.1
              assigned  by  the IANA should NOT be used, unless specific means
              are taken to limit the span of the reply and  avoid  a  possible
              massive implosion at the original sender.

       revoke [logsec]
              Specifies  the  interval  between  recomputations of the private
              value used with the autokey feature, which  ordinarily  requires
              an  expensive  public- key computation.  The default value is 12
              (65,536 s or about 18 hours).   For  poll  intervals  above  the
              specified  interval,  a new private value will be recomputed for
              every message sent.

       autokey [logsec]
              Specifies the interval between regenerations of the session  key
              list  used  with the autokey feature.  Note that the size of the
              key list for each association depends on this interval  and  the
              current poll interval.  The default value is 12 (4096 s or about
              1.1 hours).  For poll intervals above the specified interval,  a
              session  key  list  with  a single entry will be regenerated for
              every message sent.

       enable [auth | bclient | kernel | monitor | ntp | stats]

       disable [auth | bclient | kernel | monitor | ntp | stats]
              Provides a way to enable  or  disable  various  server  options.
              Flags  not  mentioned  are  unaffected.   Note that all of these
              flags can be controlled remotely using the  ntpdc  utility  pro‐
              gram.

       auth   Enables  the  server to synchronize with unconfigured peers only
              if the peer has been correctly authenticated using a trusted key
              and key identifier.  The default for this flag is enable.

       bclient
              When  enabled, this is identical to the broadcastclient command.
              The default for this flag is disable.

       kernel Enables the precision-time kernel support for the  ntp_adjtime()
              system  call, if implemented.  Ordinarily, support for this rou‐
              tine is detected automatically when the NTP daemon is  compiled,
              so  it  is  not necessary for the user to worry about this flag.
              It flag is provided primarily so that this support can  be  dis‐
              abled during kernel development.

       monitor
              Enables  the monitoring facility.  See the ntpdc program and the
              monlist command or further information.  The  default  for  this
              flag is enable.

       ntp    Enables  the  server  to adjust its local clock by means of NTP.
              If disabled, the local clock free-runs at its intrinsic time and
              frequency  offset.   This flag is useful in case the local clock
              is controlled by some other device or protocol and NTP  is  used
              only  to  provide synchronization to other clients In this case,
              the local clock driver can be used to provide this function  and
              also certain time variables for error estimates and leap-indica‐
              tors.  The default for this flag is enable.

       stats  Enables the statistics facility.  The default for this  flag  is
              enable.

FILES
       /etc/ntp.conf
              - the default name of the configuration file

       /etc/ntp.drift
              - the default name of the drift file

       /etc/ntp.key
              - the default name of the key file

BUGS
       Ntpd  has gotten rather fat.  While not huge, it has gotten larger than
       might be desirable for an elevated-priority daemon running on  a  work‐
       station,  particularly  since  many of the fancy features which consume
       the space were designed more with a busy primary server, rather than  a
       high stratum workstation, in mind.

AUTHOR
       David L.  Mills <mills@udel.edu>. Manpage abstracted from the html doc‐
       umentation by Peter Breuer <ptb@it.uc3m.es>.
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