SNTP on HP Procurve 2530

SNTP is used to synchronize time from a switch (HP in this case) with any time server. SNTP is actually fully compatible with NTP so life is easy in that respect . SNTP is a scaled down version off NTP. There are a few difference between the protocols – some being simplicity in how the time is synchronized between server and client, and processing of server failures.

I had to configure SNTP on a few HP Procurves (2500, 3800, 2900, 2500)  of all makes and models today and thought it would be good to document/share. I was setting SNTP on the switch to synchronize time with an AD controller within the network for timestamps in logs, etc.

On the 2530 Code is as follows:

config t

sntp server priority 1 10.44.130.10  — Sets the server priority, and the server IP/NAME

sntp unicast — changes from Broadcast to Unicast.

timesync sntp — Sets timesync to use SNTP instead of NTP or other options.

  • On some older HP firmwares/switches I found that the priority command was not avaliable.

After these changes you can check the time with the “show time” command, and dig deeper with “Show sntp” commands.

show

 

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