I apologize if this is outside the scope of this forum.
Windows AD and Linux seem to have different levels of acceptable “Time Drift” or precision when using NTP. With Windows seeming to allow a larger skew in it’s operation.
The difference has proven significant enough to cause issues.
I would like to know, if anyone has some “Best Practices” for deploying NTP in mixed environments to ensure tighter synchronization between the different platforms?
I’d say always point to the *nix servers out there and let MS sort out how to handle it the best way. As long as the servers you’re connecting to aren’t drifting too far apart, it should be all up to the client to handle the local eventual drift right?
Typically to keep all the systems in your network in sync the best approach will be to have a smallish number of well maintained and well monitored servers syncing time from the internet.(or GPS or similar).
Then configure everything else in your network to sync time from those sources. Then you are “shielded” from mishaps on the internet and most of your systems will have a “local time source”.
Thanks for the replies. Ask, that’s basically what we’re doing. I’ll let you know if we come up with something innovative. ;p