====== Network Time Protocol (NTP) ======

**General Information**

Time is important on any system for automated jobs, log files, security, etc. This quick how to will get NTP up and running on a Linux server.

**Checklist**
  * Distro(s): Enterprise Linux 6

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===== Install NTP Packages =====

The packages:
  * ntp - the ntp daemon service
  * ntpdate - a utility to run ad-hoc for time setting
  * ntp-doc - ntp documentation

<code bash>
yum install ntp ntpdate ntp-doc
</code>

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===== NTP Service On Boot =====

<code bash>
chkconfig ntpd on
</code>

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===== Ad-hoc Initial Time Sync =====

<code bash>
ntpdate pool.ntp.org
</code>

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===== Edit /etc/ntp.conf and Setup Time Servers =====

Visit http://www.pool.ntp.org/zone/north-america and verify the current ntp servers.

They most likely are still (2015-01-07):
  * server 0.north-america.pool.ntp.org
  * server 1.north-america.pool.ntp.org
  * server 2.north-america.pool.ntp.org
  * server 3.north-america.pool.ntp.org

Add the above server lines to /etc/ntp.conf in place of the default servers.
<code bash>
vim /etc/ntp.conf
</code>

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===== Start NTP Service =====

Finally, start the NTP daemon service.
<code bash>
/etc/init.d/ntpd start
</code>