Contents
Summary
Use chrony as the default NTP client.
Owner
- Name: David Walser
- Email: luigiwalser@yahoo.com
Resources
- Packager for chrony package - David Walser
- Developer to do DrakX changes
Current status
- Targeted release: Mageia 4
- Last updated: 2024/04/19
- Percentage of completion: 90%
This feature was implemented as of Mageia 4, but there are some remaining bugs:
Detailed Description
Fedora Features: ChronyDefaultNTP
This feature has been adopted in Fedora. The description below has been copied from the above page.
Chrony is an NTP client and server designed to work well without permanent network connection. It uses different algorithms to discipline the clock which gives chrony several advantages over ntp:
- works well even with irregular polling of NTP servers, useful for laptops or systems without permanent network connection
- much faster synchronization, it usually needs only minutes instead of hours to minimize the time and frequency error, useful for systems not running 24/7
- larger range for frequency correction (100000 ppm vs 500 ppm), useful for systems running in virtual machines which may have quickly drifting clocks
- after the initial synchronization the clock is never stepped, this is good for applications which need system time to be monotonic
- better response to rapid changes in the clock frequency, useful for systems running in virtual machines
- better stability with temporary asymmetric delays, e.g. when the link is saturated by a large download
- smaller memory footprint (1.3MB vs 6MB resident size)
- no unnecessary process wakeups, this is good for powersaving. The ntpd process normally wakes up every second.
Why it would be good for Mageia to include it
As explained by Fedora, it is better for laptops and mobile devices, desktops that don't run 24/7, and virtual machines (a use case of increasing importance).
Test case
- Should make sure time synchronization is configured and enabled successfully when using the installer and when doing it through the Mageia Control Center.
- From a fresh install, it should default to using chrony.
- From an install that has ntpd and not chrony, it should configure ntpd as before.
- From an install that has both ntpd and chrony installed, it should configure chrony.
Software / Packages Dependencies
- chrony (package still needs to be imported)
- drakx-installer-stage2
- drakxtools
In Summary > Timezone in the installer, as well as System > "Manage date and time" in the Mageia Control Center, when you choose to sync the clock using NTP, it should:
- Detect whether chrony or ntpd are installed.
- If one of those are already installed, use it.
- If both are installed, default to using chrony.
- If neither are installed, install chrony.
- Configure the appropriate config file, chrony.conf or ntp.conf. Luckily, they have the same syntax.
- Not configure /etc/ntp/step-tickers if it is using chrony.
- Enable the appropriate service.
What could disrupt development of this new feature
Not getting all of the needed changes done in the DrakX code.
Planning
- Import chrony package
- Update DrakX code
- Test
Contingency
Continue defaulting to ntpd as we currently do.
Release Notes
Mageia now installs chrony as the default NTP client.
