Thanks for all the hints!

I'm a good Linux guy and former IRIX nerd who's got thrown into an AIX/Oracle install. (I don't mind getting thrown in the deep end. I just wish the pool had water in it...)

- The ntp server and both clients are all in the same time zone and on the same subnet. (I'm doing the test environment install as backup to the guy doing the production install.)

- The AIX boxes have TZ in /etc/environment as

Code:

TZ=PST8PDT-7,M3.2.0/2:00:00,M11.1.0/2:00:00

- Where can I find the log files to examine?

- A default install of AIX 5.3 TL9 SP6 doesn't seem to install ntpdate.

- Shockneck: What chssys changes do you suggest?

Thanks!
dafydd

---------- Post updated at 11:31 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:06 AM ----------

Found bootlog and conslog. Bootlog has nothing related to xntpd. Conslog only notes that xntpd has received start requests.

Trying this

Code:

/usr/sbin/xntpd -l /tmp/xntpd.log -D 10

---------- Post updated at 11:40 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:31 AM ----------

Scratch the ntpdate thing. For some reason, even with /usr/sbin in the path, AIX will say ntpdate isn't found. Running it got me this:

Code:

# /usr/sbin/ntpdate -d <IPADDR>
13 May 11:33:27 ntpdate[462852]: 3.4y
transmit(<IPADDR>)
receive(<IPADDR>)
transmit(<IPADDR>)
receive(<IPADDR>)
transmit(<IPADDR>)
receive(<IPADDR>)
transmit(<IPADDR>)
receive(<IPADDR>)
transmit(<IPADDR>)
server <IPADDR>, port 123
stratum 11, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [127.127.1.0], delay 0.02574, dispersion 0.00000
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:      cf96c466.644973b0  Fri, May 14 2010  1:33:10.391
originate timestamp: cf96c49f.ac1255cd  Fri, May 14 2010  1:34:07.672
transmit timestamp:  cf95ff97.1a4c3000  Thu, May 13 2010 11:33:27.102
filter delay:  0.02582  0.02574  0.02579  0.02576
               0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
filter offset: 50440.56 50440.56 50440.56 50440.56
               0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.02574, dispersion 0.00000
offset 50440.569358

13 May 11:33:27 ntpdate[462852]: step time server <IPADDR>offset 50440.569358
# date
Thu May 13 11:33:53 PDT 2010

What occurs to me is the way smitty chtz changed the variable in /etc/environment:

Code:

TZ=PST8PDT-7,M3.2.0/2:00:00,M11.1.0/2:00:00

I don't see that "-7," or similar for other timezones, in any documentation, anywhere. So, I've changed the var to

Code:

TZ=PST8PDT,M3.2.0/2:00:00,M11.1.0/2:00:00

and rebooted (just to be thorough). I'll post what happens...

---------- Post updated at 11:49 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:40 AM ----------

And, after reboot, the time jumped forward 10 hours. WT*?

Fix that, rerun ntpdate...

This starts to look closer. Still digging...

---------- Post updated at 11:55 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:49 AM ----------

RTFM. Find out that the ntpdate -d switch doesn't actually change anything. Rerun as "ntpdate -b"

Okay, I've synchronized everyone. Now to see if xntpd will stay up for more than 15 minutes at a stretch...