Tuning ntpd
Charly's Column – ntpd
© Photo by Fabrizio Forte on Unsplash
Charly Kühnast, sys admin columnist for 15 years, is searching for lost microseconds.
Time is the topic I'm focusing on right now. On the one hand, I am of course happy to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Linux Magazine and the fact that I have been allowed to contribute this column for more than 15 years. On the other hand, I am currently working on configuring my time servers. In the last issue [1], I briefly touched on the topic when we looked at ntpviz, the statistics visualization tool for the Network Time Protocol daemon (ntpd).
How to tune the time server for maximum accuracy using quite simple means was the topic in the October 2017 issue [2]. (Is it really already two years ago? How time flies.) At the time, I picked up a high-precision pulse per second (PPS) signal from GPS satellites. This allowed me to line up ticks received locally or from remote time servers to achieve microsecond accuracy on my server. Apart from scientific applications, nobody really needs that, but it's cool, so it was done.
When I tackled this configuration back in 2017, it was still by a fairly circuitous route. Feeding the PPS signal to ntpd required additional software, which I found on GitHub. It's easier today. The two daemons involved, gpsd and ntpd, work hand in hand on my Debian 10 – and without any extra software.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.
-
Gnome Working on Test Center App to Make Testing Easier
It's now possible to test experimental features on the Gnome desktop without worrying that you'll break things.
-
New Vulnerability Discovered in Linux Kernel
Hiding out for nearly 15 years, the Ghostlock vulnerability allows a standard logged-in user to gain root privileges.