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BFanguyFlag for United States of America

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vmware vsphere 5.5 host time configuration ntp server should it be enabled

I have 3 blade servers esxi host 5.5,  i have one windows 7 virtual running on one of the blades.  when the windows 7 machine boots up, i noticed the time is off 14 min.  eventually it fixes itself (time synced with local domain server).  I found that the blade it is running on is 14 min off. and that time configuration is set to stopped.

Question 1.  should it be set to Start and Stop manually (current setting), or Start and stop with port usage or start and stop with host?

Question 2.  what are the ramifications if i change the setting to the running servers and windows 7 machine?  i.e. do i need to shut them all down before making the change.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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Q1. It should be set to start and stop with host, this is the ESXi host time, and we always recommend using a good Internet Time Source, or your local NTP server (not Windows!), e.g. GPS ot Time Clock, or router!

Q2. None.

We also recommend that your Windows DC Servers are set to sync time with the same external time source as your ESXi servers.

Windows Servers will sync with domain, do not sync time with host.

Linux and Unix servers, sync time with external time source as ESXi and Windows DCs.
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ASKER

Thanks.  is there any harm in making these changes while virtuals are running?
None at all.

But just check, if you do make a change, the time is correct, because if VMs are syncing with Hosts, they will get the wrong time!
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ASKER

i am unable to make the changes, i get: A general system error occurred: Command /sbin/chkconfig failed
you need to check the logs on the server /var/logs, and also check /sbin/chkconfig

you are logged with with "root" rights?
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ASKER

i am logged in with root.

logs... Monitor Log Browser?  which one?
vmkernel.log, also use /sbin/chkconfig

do you know how to use /sbin/chkconfig
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ASKER

don't know how to use /sbin/chkconfig
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ASKER

putty into ip login as root  try /sbin/chkconfig   also /sbin/chkconfig vmware - neither did anything
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ASKER

The time and date of this login have been sent to the system logs.
~ # /sbin/chkconfig --list
vsantraced     on
netlogond      off
lsassd         off
iked           off
ntpd           on
lwiod          off
DCUI           on
SSH            on
ESXShell       on
vmamqpd        off
cmmdsd         off
osfsd          off
usbarbitrator  on
clomd          off
swapobjd       off
vsanvpd        off
hp-oem.init    on
hostd          on
vprobed        off
sensord        on
lbtd           on
storageRM      on
rhttpproxy     on
vmfstraced     on
sdrsInjector   on
slpd           on
smartd         on
nscd           on
dcbd           on
cdp            on
memscrubd      on
lacp           on
vobd           on
vpxa           on
hpsmx.init     on
hpilo.init     on
hpcru.init     on
sfcbd-watchdog on
snmpd          on
sfcbd          on
wsman          on
xorg           on
hp-mst.init    on
vmware-fdm     on
hp-ams.sh      on
~ #
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ASKER

Generating system log bundles never finishes.   Also i found a task on one of the blades for deleting a data store that shows as still running since 11/15/2015
ntpd is listed as on....

so it's currently started.

when configured, did you just change to start and stop with host ?

and it states currently running ?
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ASKER

Client - Enabled,
Current Server Status - stopped
set to start stop manually

any change i make fails with the error mentioned above.
even tried to manually change the time - fails
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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ASKER

All three blades same.  can't make changes to Time Configuration and they all have different times 14 min off, 7 min off, 2 min off.
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ASKER

ok, just going to shut down all the vm's and power off blades and restart all on sunday.
thank you for your assistance.