Configure NTP Servers

This topic provides instructions on how to configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers. NTP is a protocol designed to synchronize host machine clocks over a network. For more information on NTP go to their home page (http://www.ntp.org/).

Note: NetWitness Server Core hosts must be able to communicate with the NetWitness Server host with UDP port 123 for NTP time synchronization.

You use the netwitness_adminicon_25x22.png (Admin) > System > NTP Settings view to configure one or more NTP servers. After you configure an NTP server, NetWitness uses NTP to synchronize the host machine clocks. You configure multiple NTP servers for Fail Over purposes. This topic contains the following procedures:

  • Add an NTP Server
  • Modify an NTP Server

Add an NTP Server

To add an NTP server:

  1. Go to netwitness_adminicon_25x22.png (Admin) > System.
  2. In the options panel, select NTP Settings.
    The NTP Settings panel is displayed prompting you to enter the hostname (that is, the IP Address or FQDN) of an NTP server.
    122_NTP_1122.png
  3. Enter the IP address or FQDN for an NTP server.
    If the hostname syntax is invalid, NetWitness disables the Add and Apply buttons and displays Entered an invalid hostname.
  4. Click Add.
  • If the hostname syntax is valid and NetWitness can reach the server, it displays Validating.
  • If the hostname syntax is valid and NetWitness cannot reach a server, the following is displayed, where hostname is the hostname that you attempted to add: The NTP server hostname is unreachable. Please verify the address or check your firewall settings.
  1. Click Apply.
    A dialog displays notification that the settings have been saved and requests confirmation that you want to apply the settings now.
  2. Click Yes.
    The NTP server specified now ensures that your host machine clocks are synchronized. If you decide to configure multiple NTP servers and a server is down, NetWitness will fail over to next server configured.

For details of the parameters and descriptions, see NTP Settings Panel.

Modify an NTP Server

To modify an existing NTP server:

  1. Go to netwitness_adminicon_25x22.png (Admin) > System.
  2. In the options panel, select NTP Settings.
    The NTP Setting panel is displayed.
    122_NTP_1122.png
  3. Double-click the NTP Server hostname that you want to modify.
    The NTP Server textbox becomes editable and the Update and Cancel buttons are displayed.
    netwitness_ntp2.png
  4. Edit the hostname, click Update, and click Apply. (click Cancel before you click Apply to cancel the edit.)
    NetWitness changes the hostname according to your edits.