Network Time Protocol overview

Network Time Protocol (NTP) maintains uniform time across all devices in a network. The NTP commands support the configuration of an external time server to maintain synchronization among all local clocks in a network.

To keep the time in your network current, it is recommended that each device have its time synchronized with at least one external NTP server.

Date and time settings

Extreme devices maintain the current date and time inside a battery-backed real-time clock (RTC) circuit. Date and time are used for logging events. Device operation does not depend on the date and time; a device with incorrect date and time settings can function correctly. However, because the date and time are used for logging, error detection, and troubleshooting, you should set them correctly.

Time zone settings

The time zone settings have the following characteristics: