Specifications

66 Chapter 8 Network Time Protocol (NTP) Sources
NTP Sources
on a Ring
Topology
Force10 recommends using the adjacent nodes as the primary and secondary NTP
sources in a ring configuration. Use the Management Gateway Node (MGN) or the
node closest to the MGN as the primary source and the other adjacent node as the
secondary source. The following example shows NTP sources in a ring topology.
Figure 9 NTP Sources on a Ring Topology
In the above example, the MGN selects the management server as the primary NTP
server and does not select a secondary server. At Node 2, you would configure the
primary server as Node 1 (the MGN), and the secondary server as Node 3.
NTP Sources
on a Linear
Chain
Topology
On a linear chain topology, Force10 recommends using the upstream node as the
primary NTP source and the management server as the secondary NTP source.
In the following example, Node 1 (the MGN) selects the management server as the
primary NTP server and does not select a secondary server. At Node 2, you would
configure Node 1 as the primary NTP server and the management server as the
secondary source.
Figure 10 NTP Sources on a Linear Chain Topology
Primary NTP Server
Management Server
NTP1 = Node 1
NTP2 = Node 3
NTP1 = Node 2
NTP2 = Node 4
NTP1 = Node 3
NTP2 = Node 1
Management Gateway Node
NTP1 = Management Server
Node 1
Node 2
Node 3
Node 4
Primary NTP Server
Management Server
NTP1 = Node 1
NTP2 = Management Server
Node 2
NTP1 = Node 2
NTP2 = Management Server
Node 3
NTP1 = Node 3
NTP2 = Management Server
Node 4
NTP1 = Management
Server
Node 1
Management Gateway Node