Configure a Controller as an SNTP Server

The AADvance controller can fulfill the role of a primary or secondary SNTP server to provide a network time signal throughout the network.
TIP: Always select both Ethernet ports of a processor slice whether configuring SNTP as a client, server, or both. Also when only requires a primary server.
SNTP servers operate in broadcast and unicast time synchronization signal modes. Specify a directed broadcast address for an interface enables serving time on the interface for both modes. This method of configuring is derived from the NTP configuration command language. The directed broadcast address for an interface:
= ( (IP address for interface) bitwise-and (subnet-mask) ) bitwise-or (bitwise-not subnet-mask)
Example: if the IP address for an interface is 10.10.1.240 and its subnet-mask is 255.255.255.0, then the directed broadcast address is:
= ((10.10.1.240) bitwise-and (255.255.255.0)) bitwise-or (bitwise-not 255.255.255.0)
= (10.10.1.0) bitwise-or (0.0.0.255)
= (10.10.1.255)
IMPORTANT: Modifications to the SNTP settings are active after the power has cycled.
cmv_ccss
The SNTP server settings provide this information to the controller:
Setting
Description
Enable SNTP Server
The controller is configured as an SNTP server
SNTP Server Mode
Operating mode for the time synchronization signal used by the processors for setting their real-time clock. Configure the 9110 processor module as one of these:
  • Unicast
    , where the server waits to be polled by a client and then responds with a time signal; it will not broadcast any time signals.
  • Broadcast
    , where the controller regularly transmits a time signal: it will also respond to unicast polling requests from clients.
    Broadcasting is the most efficient mode when several devices rely on the server for the time of day.
Ethernet Port
Ethernet port of the controller
SNTP Broadcast Address Mask
IP address for the interface. Setting the
Broadcast IP Address
to zero (0.0.0.0) for a processor disables the server on that interface.
Broadcast Poll (seconds)
The broadcast polling time, in seconds. Possible values range from 4 to 1024; The default value is 10.
To configure a controller as an SNTP server
  1. In the
    Communication View
    , expand the required controller, and then double-click
    SNTP
    .
    The
    SNTP
    property page displays.
  2. From the
    SNTP
    property page, in the
    SNTP Server
     section, select
    Enable SNTP Server
    .
  3. Select the required
    Ethernet Ports
    , and then define the
    SNTP Server Broadcast Address Mask
     and
    Broadcast Poll (seconds)
     properties for the required servers.
    • To disable the server, set the IP address to 0.0.0.0
    • For a non-fault tolerant operation, define one SNTP server for only one processor. The other processors will automatically synchronize to the first processor and inherit the time.
    • For a system requiring a fault-tolerant operation, define more than one server IP address.
  4. Specify the
    SNTP Server Mode
     for each server:
    • To use the unicast mode where the controller waits to be polled by a client and responds with a time signal without broadcasting any time signals, from the drop-down combo box, click
      Unicast
      .
    • To use the broadcast mode where the controller regularly broadcasts and responds to unicast polling requests on the network, from the drop-down combo box, click
      Broadcast
      .
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