NTP Settings in ESXi 5 host

[Mohan201110141]

Hi All,

In couple of our ESXi hosts,NTP name is configured in ESXi host, but then the service is not running. Looking at the properties of that settings,it is set to stop and start manually. I want to change this to Start and stop with host, so that it can be running. Is there anythinge else that i shud be aware of? or i can do it at anytime..?

[john23 · Accepted solution]

You can do anytime...only stuf is make sure port is open for communication.

[iw123]

Yes, this can be done anytime. It can take a little while for the time up update however. 

[UmeshAhuja]

Hi,

Configure ESX/ESXi NTP and Likewise Clients

Configure ESX/ESXi to synchronize time with the Windows server Active Directory Domain Controller:

1. Connect to the ESX/ESXi host or vCenter Server using the vSphere Client.
   
2. Select the ESX/ESXi host in the inventory.
   
3. Click the Configuration tab.
   
4. Under the Software heading, click Time Configuration.
   
5. Click Properties.
   
6. Ensure that the NTP Client Enabled option is selected.
   
7. Click Options.
   
8. Click NTP Settings.
   
9. Click Add and specify the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the Windows server Domain Controller(s).
   
10. Click OK.
    
11. Click OK to save the changes.
    

Additional configuration must be done from the command line.

1. Open a console to the ESX or ESXi host. For more information, see Connecting to an ESX host using a SSH client (1019852) or Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 (1017910).
   
   
   
2. Open the file /etc/ntp.conf in a text editor. For more information, see Editing configuration files in VMware ESXi and ESX (1017022).
   
   
   
3. Add the tos maxdist command on its own line:
   
   tos maxdist 30
   
   
   
4. Save the configuration file.
   
   
   
5. Make the file /etc/likewise/lsassd.conf writable using the command:
   
   chmod +w /etc/likewise/lsassd.conf
   
   
   
6. Open the file /etc/likewise/lsassd.conf in a text editor. For more information, see Editing configuration files in VMware ESXi and ESX (1017022).
   
   
   
7. Locate the sync-system-time option, uncomment it, and set the value to no:
   
   sync-system-time = no
   
   
   
8. Save the configuration file.
   
   
   
9. On ESXi, save the configuration changes to the boot bank so they persist across reboots using the command:
   
   /sbin/auto-backup.sh
   
   
   
10. Restart the ntpd and lsassd service for the configuration change to take effect using the commands:
    
    service lsassd restart
service ntpd restart

Note: To restart the ntpd and lsassd services on an ESXi host use these commands:

./etc/init.d/lsassd restart
./etc/init.d/ntpd restart
    

If the ntpd and lsassd services are not restarting, consider restarting the management agents first. For more information about restarting the management agent, see Restarting the Management agents on an ESX or ESXi Server (1003490).

Once the configuration changes are completed, ensure that the time is synchronized between the ESX/ESXi host and the Windows server. For more information, see Troubleshooting NTP on ESX and ESXi (1005092).