Prerequisites

• Ensure that the IP address of the NTP server to be added can communicate with the northbound IP address of the management node properly.

  

  The northbound IP address refers to the IP address of the network port whose usage includes the northbound IP address. You can view the network port usage on the Configure IP Address page.

• You have logged in to the PowerEcho. 

• You have obtained the IP address and encryption mode of the NTP server, and the port 123 has been enabled. If the encryption mode is NTP v4 Authentication, the digest type, key index, and key of the server are also required.

• If the UTC time difference between the node and the NTP server is too large (larger than 1000 seconds), the node time cannot be synchronized with the NTP server time and an unknown error may occur. To prevent this exception, change the UTC time of the node to be consistent with the NTP server. You are advised to keep the time zone of the node consistent with that of the NTP server. 

Context

NTP-based time synchronization operations include identifier authentication and information integrity authentication. This ensures time information integrity and protects servers from being attacked during time synchronization.

• A maximum of 10 NTP servers can be added on the PowerEcho. Only one active NTP server can be configured and the active NTP server is mandatory.

• After the active NTP server is configured, the PowerEcho node will first synchronize time from the NTP server, time on all product nodes will be synchronized from the PowerEcho node.

• If the active NTP server fails, the PowerEcho will select an available NTP server from the standby NTP servers within 15 minutes. The PowerEcho node then synchronizes time with the selected NTP server. If multiple NTP servers configured on the PowerEcho become invalid, the PowerEcho node cannot synchronize time from the NTP servers, and the product nodes will no longer synchronize time from the PowerEcho node.

• If you do not configure an NTP server, the PowerEcho node functions as the clock source by default.

If the PowerEcho is deployed in cluster mode, the preceding PowerEcho node indicates Management0 and Management1.

Precautions

• Do not set a Windows-based server as the NTP server. Otherwise, the time may fail to be synchronized.

• The IP address of the PowerEcho node or the IP address of any product node cannot be set to the IP address of an NTP server. Otherwise, the time of product nodes may be incorrect.

• If multiple NTP servers are configured, ensure that the time is consistent between the NTP servers. Otherwise, NTP services are abnormal.

• Do not set a VM as the NTP server. This prevents frequent time changes caused by the interaction between the VM time and host time.

• Do not set the clock source in a circular manner. For example, do not set A as the clock source of B, B as the clock source of C, and C as the clock source of A.

• If any management node is faulty, restore the node first. Otherwise, the NTP server cannot be configured.

Procedure

1. On the PowerEcho, choose Maintenance > Time Management > Configure NTP from the main menu.

2. On the Configure NTP page, perform operations based on Table 1.

   
   

   Table 1 Adding or reconfiguring NTP servers

   Task	Operation
   Adding NTP servers	Click Add, and perform the operations based on Table 2.
   Reconfiguring NTP servers	If an alarm of abnormal NTP service is generated for the NetEco and the possible cause indicates that the time synchronization relationship between nodes is abnormal, reconfigure the NTP server. Click Reconfigure and perform operations as prompted.

   Table 2 NTP parameters

   Parameter	Description
   NTP Server IP Address	IP address of the NTP server.
   Encryption Mode	Set this parameter to NTP v4 Authentication or NTP v4. For security purposes, O&M personnel of the NTP server is advised to configure the NTP server with more secure NTP v4 authentication mode.
   Calculation Digest	Digest algorithm type of the time synchronization packet. This parameter is mandatory if Encryption Mode is set to NTP v4 Authentication. The digest algorithm type must be consistent with that on the NTP server. NOTE: Setting Calculation Digest to MD5 may pose security risks. Exercise caution when setting this parameter. For security purposes, you are advised to select the more secure SHA256 protocol.
   Key Index	Parameter used to quickly search for the key and digest algorithm type for authentication during the communication with the NTP server. This parameter is mandatory if Encryption Mode is set to NTP v4 Authentication. The key index must be consistent with that on the NTP server. NOTE: The key index is an integer from 1 to 65534, excluding 10000. By default, the index of the PowerEcho is 10000, so the key index cannot be 10000.
   Key	An important part used to generate a digest for authentication during the communication with the NTP server. This parameter is mandatory if Encryption Mode is set to NTP v4 Authentication. The key must be consistent with that on the NTP server. NOTE:
   Role	The active or standby status of the NTP server.
   Time Sync Status	Time synchronization status between the NTP server and the PowerEcho.

   
   

• The key must contain 1 to 30 characters.

• The key cannot contain spaces or number signs (#).

• NTP v4 Authentication: Authentication is required.

• NTP v4: Authentication is not required.

In the NTP server list, check that the NTP server has been successfully added.

• If the time synchronization status of the NTP server is Synchronizing, the time between the PowerEcho and the NTP server is being synchronized. Wait for 5 to 17 minutes. After the synchronization between the PowerEcho and the NTP server is complete, check the synchronization status of the NTP server, and perform the following operations based on the time synchronization status of the NTP server. For details, see ALM-51023 NTP service abnormal.

• If the time synchronization status of the NTP server is Normal, the time between the PowerEcho and the NTP server is successfully synchronized. Go to 4.

Forcibly synchronize the time and time zone on the PowerEcho to the product nodes.

• After you click Forcibly Synchronize, the PowerEcho and product nodes gradually adjust the time until it is consistent with the NTP time. This prevents functions with high requirements on time accuracy, for example, the backup and restore function, from being affected by sudden time change.

• If you want to perform other configuration operations that need to restart product services or product databases after forcibly synchronizing the time zone and time, do not select Automatically start the product databases and product services after the forcible synchronization in the Warning dialog box. In this case, after the forcible synchronization, product databases and product services will not be automatically started, preventing the product services or product databases from being restarted for several times.

1. On the PowerEcho, choose Maintenance > Time Management > Configure Time Zone and Time from the main menu.

2. On the Configure Time Zone and Time page, click Forcibly Synchronize.