Configure NTP in AIX

I will start by defining Network Time Protocol (NTP) which is a networking protocol for clock synchronization between computer systems.

To configure it, you have to edit the following file /etc/ntp.conf where you will configure the ntp server 

server ntp.time.es

Leave the driftfile and tracefile at their defaults. 


If you want that xntpd starts when the system boots, you have to uncomment the following line in /etc/rc.tcpip

# Start up Network Time Protocol (NTP) daemon
#start /usr/sbin/xntpd "$src_running"

To verify that your server is synchronizing properly with your ntp server, restart the daemon by running the commands below

stopsrc -s xntpd 
startsrc -s xntpd

wait for some minutes and check with lssrc -ls xntpd. You should pay special attention to two lines

The sys peer should addres to your server and sys stratum should be a number between 1 and 15 (Note: see the first reference link for more information about this). If this is not in this way, your server is not synchronizing properly

Good configuration:
Sys peer:        ntp.time.es
Sys stratum:     3

Bad configuration:
Sys peer:        no peer, system is insane
Sys stratum:     16

Another way of verifying your ntp server is by running ntpdate

ntpdate -d ntp.time.es

If it is working you should see information about the ntp server and synchronization details.  

If there is something wrong you will get the message "no server suitable for synchronization found"

If this is the case, check your firewall for any rule that could be blocking the communication

You can also synchronize manually the server by running (xntpd daemon has to be stopped)

ntpdate ntp.time.es

References

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Time_Protocol

http://www.ntp.org/

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1000653

http://aix4admins.blogspot.com.es/2011/09/time-synchronizationtimed-ntpd-setclock.html