Basic Packages for Linux® From Scratch - Version 2018-09-21

Chapter 4. Administration Tools

ntp-4.2.8p12

Introduction to ntp

The ntp package contains a client and server to keep the time synchronized between various computers over a network. This package is the official reference implementation of the NTP protocol.

This package is known to build and work properly using an LFS-8.3 platform.

Package Information

ntp Dependencies

Required

LWP::Protocol::https-6.07

Optional

libcap with PAM, libevent, libedit, and libopts from AutoGen

User Notes: http://wiki.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/wiki/ntp

Installation of ntp

There should be a dedicated user and group to take control of the ntpd daemon after it is started. Issue the following commands as the root user: 

groupadd -g 87 ntp &&
useradd -c "Network Time Protocol" -d /var/lib/ntp -u 87 \
        -g ntp -s /bin/false ntp

The update-leap command needs to be fixed in order to run properly: 

sed -e 's/"(\\S+)"/"?([^\\s"]+)"?/' \
    -i scripts/update-leap/update-leap.in

Install ntp by running the following commands: 

./configure CFLAGS="-O2 -g -fPIC" \
            --prefix=/usr         \
            --bindir=/usr/sbin    \
            --sysconfdir=/etc     \
            --enable-linuxcaps    \
            --with-lineeditlibs=readline \
            --docdir=/usr/share/doc/ntp-4.2.8p12 &&
make

To test the results, issue: make check.

Now, as the root user: 

make install &&
install -v -o ntp -g ntp -d /var/lib/ntp

Command Explanations

CFLAGS="-O2 -g -fPIC": This environment variable is necessary to generate Position Independent Code needed for use in the package libraries.

--bindir=/usr/sbin: This parameter places the administrative programs in /usr/sbin.

--enable-linuxcaps: ntpd is run as user ntp, so use Linux capabilities for non-root clock control.

--with-lineeditlibs=readline: This switch enables Readline support for ntpdc and ntpq programs. If omitted, libedit will be used if installed, otherwise no readline capabilites will be compiled.

Configuring ntp

Config Files

/etc/ntp.conf

Configuration Information

The following configuration file first defines various ntp servers with open access from different continents. Second, it creates a drift file where ntpd stores the frequency offset and a pid file to store the ntpd process ID. Third, it defines the location for the leap-second definition file /etc/ntp.leapseconds, that the update-leap script checks and updates, when necessary. This script can be run as a cron job and the ntp developers recommend a frequency of about three weeks for the updates. Since the documentation included with the package is sparse, visit the ntp website at http://www.ntp.org/ and http://www.pool.ntp.org/ for more information. 

cat > /etc/ntp.conf << "EOF"
# Asia
server 0.asia.pool.ntp.org

# Australia
server 0.oceania.pool.ntp.org

# Europe
server 0.europe.pool.ntp.org

# North America
server 0.north-america.pool.ntp.org

# South America
server 2.south-america.pool.ntp.org

driftfile /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
pidfile   /var/run/ntpd.pid

leapfile  /etc/ntp.leapseconds
EOF

You may wish to add a “Security session”. For explanations, see https://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/accopt.html#restrict. 

cat >> /etc/ntp.conf << "EOF"
# Security session
restrict    default limited kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery
restrict -6 default limited kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery

restrict 127.0.0.1
restrict ::1
EOF

Synchronizing the Time

There are two options. Option one is to run ntpd continuously and allow it to synchronize the time in a gradual manner. The other option is to run ntpd periodically (using cron) and update the time each time ntpd is scheduled.

If you choose Option one, then install the /etc/rc.d/init.d/ntp init script (System V based systems) or the ntpd.service unit (systemd based systems) included in the blfs-bootscripts-20180105 or blfs-systemd-units-20180105 packages respectively. 

make install-ntpd

If you prefer to run ntpd periodically, add the following command to root's crontab: 

ntpd -q

For System V systems, execute the following command if you would like to set the hardware clock to the current system time at shutdown and reboot: 

ln -v -sf ../init.d/setclock /etc/rc.d/rc0.d/K46setclock &&
ln -v -sf ../init.d/setclock /etc/rc.d/rc6.d/K46setclock

The other way around is already set up by LFS.

Contents

Installed Programs: calc_tickadj, ntp-keygen, ntp-wait, ntpd, ntpdate, ntpdc, ntpq, ntptime, ntptrace, sntp, tickadj and update-leap
Installed Libraries: None
Installed Directories: /usr/share/ntp, /usr/share/doc/ntp-4.2.8 and /var/lib/ntp

Short Descriptions

calc_tickadj

calculates optimal value for tick given ntp drift file.

ntp-keygen

generates cryptographic data files used by the NTPv4 authentication and identification schemes.

ntp-wait

is useful at boot time, to delay the boot sequence until ntpd has set the time.

ntpd

is a ntp daemon that runs in the background and keeps the date and time synchronized based on response from configured ntp servers. It also functions as a ntp server.

ntpdate

is a client program that sets the date and time based on the response from an ntp server. This command is deprecated.

ntpdc

is used to query the ntp daemon about its current state and to request changes in that state.

ntpq

is a utility program used to monitor ntpd operations and determine performance.

ntptime

reads and displays time-related kernel variables.

ntptrace

traces a chain of ntp servers back to the primary source.

sntp

is a Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) client.

tickadj

reads, and optionally modifies, several timekeeping-related variables in older kernels that do not have support for precision timekeeping.

update-leap

is a script to verify and, if necessary, update the leap-second definition file.

Last updated on 2018-09-22 16:32:07 -0700