Time provider

A NetWare server that provides time to other NetWare servers so they can synchronize their time with the time provider.

Time consumer

A NetWare server that seeks time from other NetWare servers to synchronize its time. This server can also act as a time provider for other servers and client workstations on the network.

NTP time provider

A server that understands the Network Time Protocol (NTP) and provides NTP time to other servers or to workstations on the network.

NTP time consumer

A server that understands the NTP protocol and seeks NTP time from other NTP time provider to synchronize its time.

Time provider group

A set of servers that are configured to ensure fault tolerance and optimal network usage.

The time provider group helps to keep the network traffic at a minimum.

A time provider group requires at least one server to be designated as a time provider in the group. Other servers in the group can help to minimize traffic by spreading across geographic locations, thereby minimizing traffic across routers and WANs. Additionally, other servers or workstations consume time from this time provider group.

Timesync network can be configured using one of the following time provider groups:

The following figure shows a time provider group with the Reference time server at one level. The Reference time server provides time to Primary time servers. At the next lower level, the time provider group consists of Primary time servers that provide time to Secondary time servers. Each of these servers can provide time to their workstations.

Figure 1-1 Time provider group with a reference time server

The following figure illustrates a network using an external time server that provides time to two Reference time servers, which are geographically distant.

Figure 1-2 Two Reference time servers using an external time source