- Joined
- Jun 11, 2010
- Messages
- 6,849
- Location
- Powhatan, Virginia, United States
- Tagline
- WassupYa Mang?
Well at work today we had one HECK of a problem. The "domain" (where all the user accounts and whatnot are stored) is actually split into two separate domains (divisions). Both divisions "trust" each other i.e. if your user account is on one division/domain, the other domain still knows "who you are" and can allow you to access information "across".
Today it was completely BROKE. Neither side would allow the other to communicate. What we typically check (since SOME of us are on "India Time" and forget...) is the local times on the servers - all of that "looked" ok.
Well, actually, the TIME was fine... but on some of the servers the DATE got changed to 2000! This difference in time between one server and another is what causes them to fail communicating properly. If you recall ... on XP for example, the clock in the lower right only shows the time unless you stretch the "taskbar" for it to show the date as well as the time. So hell.. at first glance it was very deceiving.. the TIME (which is the only thing you see) looked A-OK.
So... how in the heck did some of our servers suddenly think it was 2000 again? Well, let's talk about what is called "NTP"... or "Network Time Protocol". What NTP does is essentially "automatically" set your local PC time and date to the "atomic" time standard that is kept by big organizations like the US Naval Observatory - essentially THE time standard for the USA.
So take a look at this - http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html
One of the servers at the USNO was rebooted last night, and for a certain period of time sent out to many MANY clients that it was the year 2000! Now THAT is definitely something that doesn't happen every day.
First twinkies.. now this... Hmm mebbe them Mayans had something about December 21st???
Today it was completely BROKE. Neither side would allow the other to communicate. What we typically check (since SOME of us are on "India Time" and forget...) is the local times on the servers - all of that "looked" ok.
Well, actually, the TIME was fine... but on some of the servers the DATE got changed to 2000! This difference in time between one server and another is what causes them to fail communicating properly. If you recall ... on XP for example, the clock in the lower right only shows the time unless you stretch the "taskbar" for it to show the date as well as the time. So hell.. at first glance it was very deceiving.. the TIME (which is the only thing you see) looked A-OK.
So... how in the heck did some of our servers suddenly think it was 2000 again? Well, let's talk about what is called "NTP"... or "Network Time Protocol". What NTP does is essentially "automatically" set your local PC time and date to the "atomic" time standard that is kept by big organizations like the US Naval Observatory - essentially THE time standard for the USA.
So take a look at this - http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html
One of the servers at the USNO was rebooted last night, and for a certain period of time sent out to many MANY clients that it was the year 2000! Now THAT is definitely something that doesn't happen every day.
First twinkies.. now this... Hmm mebbe them Mayans had something about December 21st???
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