HP-UX system: abnormal change date

[Dags]

My system is running on hpux 11.11. My date changes frequently. I've already setup ntpdate to another server. But unfortunately this does not solve the problem. Any inputs?

TIA,
Dagz

[TTr]

What is it changed to?
The same date each time?
The same offset than the current date?
The epoch date?
Does it happen at the same time of the dayweek?
Does it happen after a specific task is performed?

All these will determine if it is a hardware issue or something changes the date deliberately.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

Running 'ntpdate' is only going to occur periodically. Running 'ntp' (the 'xntpd' daemon) allows continuous synchronization to reliable time sources.

That said, if your local system time is drifting vastly from true time, your server battery for providing power to the internal clock may need replacement.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Dags]

What is it changed to? to current date
The same date each time? no
The same offset than the current date? no
The epoch date? i don't know
Does it happen at the same time of the dayweek? only on saturdays
Does it happen after a specific task is performed? not sure... we are running billrun. we need specific date for this not the current date.

thanks for your reply

[Dags]

i don't think that it's the battery... although the server is a bit old.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again):

> Does it happen at the same time of the dayweek? only on saturdays

How very interesting. That would point to something done specifically on *your* server.

> Does it happen after a specific task is performed? not sure... we are running billrun. we need specific date for this not the current date.

So, you need a *specific date*. Does that mean that your application (or a wrapper around it; or an operator) is actually changing the system date? If so, you have problems in logging, software source control, auditing, etc. You can "manufacture" a date argument for your billing application and pass it to it.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Dags]

If my system date change, how will I know what causes that to happen, which user did that, how did that happens? I think this could help me.

[Patrick Wallek]

>>we are running billrun. we need specific date for this not the current date.

So rather than inputting a date into the software, you change the system date? If that is the case, then I would guess that is probably your problem.

[Dags]

>So, you need a *specific date*. Does that mean that your application (or a wrapper around it; or an operator) is actually changing the system date? If so, you have problems in logging, software source control, auditing, etc. You can "manufacture" a date argument for your billing application and pass it to it.
And additional info, earlier the server changes the date before the script/jobs executed.

No, I think only superusers could change the date, right? that user is not superuser.

>So rather than inputting a date into the software, you change the system date? If that is the case, then I would guess that is probably your problem.

Yes, I'm the one who change the date to another date, but not to current date, and that's my problem. For example, I'll be using Nov. 2, 2010 date, then after for a while it changes back to Oct. 16, 2010. Hope I'm being clear with this. :)

Regards,
Dagz

[Patrick Wallek]

>>Yes, I'm the one who change the date to
>>another date, but not to current date, and
>>that's my problem. For example, I'll be
>>using Nov. 2, 2010 date, then
>>after for a while it changes back to
>> Oct. 16, 2010. Hope I'm being
>>clear with this. :)

OK, I'm slightly confused! Is the problem that the date is changing **FROM** a future date back to the current date?

If so -- You mentioned above that you implemented 'ntpdate' to get a date from another server. How often does ntpdate run? What is the date on the other server? If the other servers date is current, then ntpdate will reset the date.