Synchronise With NTP Time Server

The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a protocol for synchronizing the clocks of computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks.

A less complex form of NTP that does not require storing information about previous communications is known as the Simple Network Time Protocol or SNTP. It is used in some embedded devices and in applications where high accuracy timing is not required.

Synchronise the computer clock with a public Internet NTP Time Server to have constantly accurate time on your computer.

Synchronise a Windows domain controller with a public Internet NTP Time Server and all the computers on the domain will synchronise with the domain controller.

pool.ntp.org Project

http://www.pool.ntp.org/zone/uk

The pool.ntp.org project is a big virtual cluster of timeservers striving to provide reliable easy to use NTP service for millions of clients without putting a strain on the big popular timeservers.

United Kingdom — uk.pool.ntp.org
To use this pool zone, add the following to your ntp.conf file: 
server 0.uk.pool.ntp.org
server 1.uk.pool.ntp.org
server 2.uk.pool.ntp.org
server 3.uk.pool.ntp.org

Set the NTP Time Server

To set the NTP time server(s) on a Windows computer run this command in a console window:

net time /setsntp:"0.uk.pool.ntp.org 1.uk.pool.ntp.org 2.uk.pool.ntp.org 3.uk.pool.ntp.org"

To check the result run this command in a console window:

net time /QUERYSNTP

Force NTP Time Synchronisation

The Windows Time (W32Time) service periodically synchronises the computer time but it can take some time to update for the first time.

To force the time to synchronise on Windows 2003 Server simply stop and start the Windows Time (W32Time) service.

On Vista stopping a starting the Windows Time (W32Time) service does not work but running net time /set in a command console window will cause Vista to synchronise with a domain controller.

Proof of Life?

I know that the computer clocks on my domain are accurately synchronised because I have a Casio Wave Captor 3053 radio controlled digital watch automatically which synchronises with the time calibration signals in England (Rugby) . Other time signals are available in Germany (Mainflingen), United States (Fort Collins) and Japan.

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

It is possible that in the UK the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) time signal is now transmitted from the Anthorn VLF transmitter near Anthorn, Cumbria.

More Net Time Commands

Net Time options	Description
Net Time	Displays the time of your time server
Net Time \\computername	Displays the computer name time
Net Time /DOMAIN:domainname	Displays the time on a DC domain name
Net Time /domain/set	Sets computer time to match time on Domain Controller
Net Time /RTSDOMAIN:domainname	Displays the time on a time server in the domain name
Net Time /querysntp	Displays the SNTP source for the time server
Net Time /setsntp:ntpserver	Sets the SNTP source for the time server
Net Time /setsntp	Clears the SNTP source for the time server

Useful Links

http://www.pool.ntp.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_from_NPL
Mastering the Windows Time Service

Do your serves run on time…