Preventing ntpd from adjusting time (backwards)

[Matthew Seaman]

Mel Flynn wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Some coarse reading of ntpd(8) and ntp.conf(5) doesn't lead me to believe it's 
> possible to make ntpd *not* adjust the time. With adjust I don't mean the skew 
> operation, but really change the time. Backwards is my primary concern but if 
> it can be turned off completely it's fine with me.
> 
> Reason being dovecot bailing out when this happens:
> Apr  1 16:18:26 squish ntpd[1353]: time reset -6.711955 s
> 
> Apr  1 16:18:26 mx1 dovecot: Fatal: Time just moved backwards by 6 seconds. 
> This might cause a lot of problems, so I'll just kill myself now. 
> http://wiki.dovecot.org/TimeMovedBackwards
> 

This seems to be a bete-noir for the dovecot developer.  Whatever, it is
a royal pain in the arse, as my mailserver always steps the time
backwards on each reboot, and then dovecot does it's dying swan thing.

Three choices:

  * Don't run 'ntpd -g' as the documentation tells you is the modern and
    accepted method.  Instead, run 'ntpdate' as a separate process and
    run 'ntpd' without the '-g' flag.

  * Don't run dovecot.  Other IMAP servers do not suffer in the same
    way.

  * Put up with it.  Avoid reboots, and swear at all concerned any time
    you really do have to reboot.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       Flat 3
                                                      7 Priory Courtyard
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Ramsgate
                                                      Kent, CT11 9PW, UK

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