Configuring the Network Time Service
Original instructions
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Introduction
The network time protocol (NTP) service synchronizes the clock in the Ethernet communications module with the clock of a time server. The synchronized value is used to update the clock in the module. Time service configurations usually use redundant servers and diverse network paths to achieve high accuracy and reliability.
NOTE: When the BMENOC0301/11 module acts as an NTP client in an M580 Hot Standby system, the module polls the server in both primary and standby states. In this instance, the module does not act as an NTP server.
Refer to the System Time Stamping User Guide for detailed time synchronization information.
Time Synchronization Service Features
These are some of the features of the time synchronization service:
Time Synchronization Process
The NTP client sends requests to the NTP server in the network to get the reference time for synchronizing the local time of the Ethernet communications module:
Stage
Description
1
Through an Ethernet network, an NTP client requests a time synchronization signal from an NTP server.
2
The NTP client calculates the correct time and stores the value.
Power Up
To establish the accurate Ethernet system network time, the system performs these tasks at power up:
Once an accurate time is received, the service sets the status in the associated time service diagnostic.
The Ethernet communications module does not maintain the time. Upon power up or power cycle, the clock value of the module is 0, which is equivalent to January 1st 1980 00:00:00:00.
Stop or Run PAC
Configuring the Service
Configure the network time synchronization service in Control Expert:
Step
Action
1
Enable Network Time Service in the Services window.
2
In the navigation tree, expand (+) Services.
3
Select the Network Time Service node to see the configurable parameters.
4
Enter changes in the appropriate fields on the Network Time Service configuration page. (The following table describes the configuration page parameters.)
5
Press a button to finish:
  • Apply: Save changes and leave the window open.
  • OK: Save changes and close the window.
Configurable Parameters
Configure these time synchronization parameters:
Field
Parameter
Description
NTP Server Configuration
Primary NTP Server IP Address
Enter a valid IP address for each.
Secondary NTP Server IP Address
Polling Period
The polling period is number of seconds (1 ... 120, default = 20) between updates from the NTP server. A smaller polling period results in better accuracy.
Time Zone
pull-down menu
Select the desired time zone relative to UTC. (The default value is the time zone associated with the PC of your operating system.)
Time Zone Offset
The offset value (minutes) is the difference in your configured time zone and UTC.
NOTE: When you select a specific time zone, you cannot modify the Daylight Saving parameters (below).
Daylight Saving
Automatically adjust clock ...
Disabled: The local time is not subject to daylight saving adjustment.
Enabled: The Ethernet communications module automatically corrects the local time to account for daylight saving time. The Start Daylight Saving and End Daylight Saving fields are disabled because the dates are a part of the standard time zone info.
Start Daylight Saving, End Daylight Saving
Month: January ... December
Day of Week: Sunday ... Saturday
Occurrence: 1 ... 5 (Some months can have five occurrences of the same day. A selection of 5 uses the last occurrence in any month.)
Hour: Select the hour (0 ... 23) to change the time.
NOTE: To manually configure the Daylight Saving parameters, perform these steps:
  • Select Custom Time Zone in the Time Zone pull-down menu.
  • Select Enabled in the menu for Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving.
Update CPU time with this module
Check this box to enable one BMENOC0301/11.4 (or later) module as an NTP client that provides the NTP time to the CPU clock.
NOTE: