Time Synchronization

Time settings offered within the management tool are more than adequate for most system needs. For more information on the specific parameters available, see Using the Browser-Based Management Tool to Set the Time and Date/Time Tab.

Additional flexibility in setting system time, including changing the GMT offset and daylight saving parameters, is available through the command line interface.

Synchronizing Time

You can either set the time manually or synchronize it using the network time protocol (NTP). The appliance uses NTP by default and comes pre-configured with two servers:

132.163.4.101

132.163.4.103

You can add additional servers or delete them using the browser-based management tool and the command line interface. For more information regarding NTP functionality, see Using the Command Line to Set NTP Time Sources.

Using the Browser-Based Management Tool to Set the Time

To add or delete an NTP Server:

1. Start the browser-based management tool > click System > Date/Time.

2. Check Use Network Time Protocol.

3. Do one of the following:

   • To add a server, click Insert > type the URL or IP address of the server.
   • To delete a server, select the server > click Delete.

   Changes in the Date/Time tab are immediately effective.

To set the time manually:

1. Start the browser-based management tool > click System > Date/Time.

2. Check Set Time Manually.

3. Click Set Time.

4. Using the drop-down lists, select the correct time and date.

5. Click OK.

Using the Command Line to Set NTP Time Sources

1. Do one of the following:

   • Add an NTP server address by entering:

     add ntp server=128.115.14.97

   • To enable NTP, enter:

     set ntp enable=yes

   • To disable NTP, enter:

     set ntp enable=no

2. To have the changes take effect, enter apply.

For more command line options, refer to the appliance's command line help.

NTP Date/Time Synchronization Is Not Immediate

When you specify an NTP server, synchronization between the NTP server clock and the appliance clock might not be immediate.

If the NTP server clock has an earlier date and time setting than the appliance clock, the system will slow down the appliance clock until the two are synchronized. This provides for proper incrementation of log files and other time-sensitive information during the synchronization process.

If the NTP server clock is later than the appliance clock, synchronization between the two will generally be immediate. However, in certain situations you might observe the appliance clock incrementing by 600-minute intervals. This is normal system behavior.

The fact that the Apply button changes from Wait back to Apply indicates only that the NTP configuration change has been made, not that the appliance clock is fully synchronized with the NTP server.

If the above features are problematic in your situation, you can set appliance time manually to the target time and then re-enable the NTP feature.