NTP service remains disabled

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Hello experts,

On one of our OpenVMS servers I am trying to run a NTP server. I have edited the config for our needs.

Using @sys$startup:tcpip$config I am starting/enabling the service, at least this is what is says. After going through these steps I execute the following:

>> tcpip show service ntp/full

This command returns that the service is still disabled, instead of enabled as shown by @sys$startup:tcpip$config.

>> tcpip enable service ntp; returns nothing (no error)

While exucuting the following:

>> tcpip disable service ntp, returns a messages that the service is disabled all ready.

Indeed the service is not running, because I tried to sync the time with a Windows client, but it did not suceed.

Please any advise is welcome.

Best regards,

Raymond

[Ian Miller.]

sounds like the ntp process is failing to start. Look at the log file in
SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$NTP]

[Albert Öttl]

Hi Raymond,
did you try a @SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$NTP_STARTUP after enabling the service?

LG
Albert

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Hello Ian,

Thanks for your reply. Indeed I checked the log file, but this file hasn't be renewed since March of this year.

What could be he problem?

Ray

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Hello Albert,

Thanks for your reply too. After executing of @SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$NTP_STARTUP it returns that the service is already running, but TCPIP SHOW SERVICE NTP tells me differently.

Regards,

Raymond

[Andy Bustamante]

I think Albert is on the right track. Please try

@SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$NTP_SHUTDOWN
@SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$NTP_STARTUP

This will stop the present service which may be having problems if the previous config file didn't define a reachable server. The restart will pick up the changes in your new config file.

Andy

[labadie_1]

You should have error messages in sys$manager:operator.log (or if the logical is used, opc$logfile_name). Post the error messages about NTP here, we should know more then.

Or just do
$ reply/ena
and then
$ tcpip enable service ntp

[Petr Spisek]

Hi,
- what version TCPIP and VMS do you have? (actual ECOS?)
- did you upgrade from UCX (on this instalation)? ... difference TCPIP$NTP vs UCX$NTP
- check logicals *NTP*
- check location SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$NTP] and NTP configuration there
- did you enable NTP service from privilege SYSTEM account?

Petr

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Hello All,

As suggested by Andy, I tried
@sys$manager:tcpip$ntp_shutdown and
@sys$manager:tcpip$ntp_startup


I have attached the operater log file suggested by Labadie. In this file the following error appears.

%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 11-OCT-2006 09:16:00.75 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user INTERnet on VISB
INTERnet ACP Error during process startup, Nolisten Service Disabled - NTP Server.

It does not say anything to me, cause I am not an expert ;). But I have an identical machine running with the NTP service properly.

Regards,

Raymond

[labadie_1]

I extract this from your attachment

Message from user INTERnet on VISB
INTERnet ACP AUXS error during process exit Status = %CLI-E-NOCMDPROC

So could you compare on the "working" node and the other
dir SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$NTP]login.com
and the contents of this file

[Petr Spisek]

Raymond,
check also the account TCPIP$NTP that's not expired.
Petr

[Raymond Mouthaan]

From both nodes I compared the content of SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$NTP].
The content is the same (login.com, log file, config and drift).
As suggested I compared both LOGIN.COM files and they are equal.

I have attached two files "NodeA.txt" and "NodeB.txt", where commands from both systems are listed. NodeA is the "working" node and NodeB is the "not working" node.

I don't know how to check the version of TCP services, but I assume that it is equal on both systems.

Regards,

Raymond

[Steven Schweda]

> I don't know how to check the version of
> TCP services, [...]

TCPIP SHOW VERSION

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Thanks ...

Here is the version of TCPIP Services:

"HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha version v5.4 - eco1 on a Alphaserver DS25 running OpenVMS v7.3-2

Regards,

Raymond

[Karl Rohwedder]

The latest version seems to be V5.4-Eco6, but there were some NFS problems reported here.

Is anything in AUDIT (ANA/AUD/SELE=USE=TCPIP$NTP /FULL ...)?

regards Kalle

[labadie_1 · Accepted solution]

Can you post the output of
$ dir/sec login.com
in the NTP directory, for the 2 nodes ?

If the login.com has a different UIC from the account TCPIP$NTP, it may explain the problem.

[Steven Schweda]

I know nothing, and it shouldn't be the
problem, but the %CLI-E-NOCMDPROC complaint
makes me wonder if the TCPIP$NTP account is
set up properly. Does SHOW TCPIP$NTP in
AUTHORIZE show the same stuff on both
systems? (Like "CLI: DCL"?)

[Albert Öttl]

Hi Raymond,
can you attach the output of the command
TCPIP>
TCPIP> sho config enable service

Enable service
LPD, NFS_CLIENT, NTP, SMTP, ....

It seems to me that the ntp service is not
startup anabled.

LG
Albert à ttl

[Raymond Mouthaan]

This is the output of
$DIR/SEC LOGIN.COM in the ntp directory.

NodeA (working):
Directory VISA$DKA0:[000000.SYS0.TCPIP$NTP]
LOGIN.COM [TCPIP$AUX,TCPI$NTP]

NodeB (not working):
Directory VISA$DKA0:[000000.SYS0.TCPIP$NTP]
LOGIN.COM [1,1]

It seems to me that this is the origin of the problem, but how do I change this?

Regards,

Raymond

[Petr Spisek]

SET FILE VISA$DKA0:[000000.SYS0.TCPIP$NTP]LOGIN.COM;* /OWNER=[TCPI$NTP]/PROT=W:RE

Petr

[Raymond Mouthaan]

Thx Petr, but I figured it out myself already ;)

Anyway, the service is running perfectly. All the clients (mostly Windows)in the network are able to sync with either NodeA or NodeB. Thanks you all for the responses.

Besides this functionality (that clients are sync-ing with A or B) both servers should sync with each other (a bit strange, I know ;) ).

I have attached an picture with the network architecture to give an overview. In this picture VISA corresponds with NodeA and VISB with NodeB. NTP-server in the picture could be an gps-receiver as well.

Also the ntp.conf files are attached. In these files I have comment out the NTP-Server at VPT Network, because it's not available at the moment. When it's not available then VISA and VISB should sync with each other, but they don't with current ntp.conf files.

To me it's very confusing when to use "SERVER" and when to use "PEER".

Regards,

Raymond