Time synchronization

Y'all—

Do you need to have all your AS/400s set to the same time of day (within
.05 seconds)? You can do it for $500 US for the software.

All you need is the new SNTP client, available from ConsultLine at $480 US
for an enterprise license. That's right, not per 400, but for as many as
you have.

SNTP stands for Simple Network Time Protocol. It's an IP application that
connects to an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server and sets the clock on
your 400 to match. And it will be accurate over slow or fast network
connections, even dialup SNA lines (using IP over SNA—AnyNet).

We are going to run a time server internally. This server will connect to,
say, the Naval Observatory site and get the time. Then our 400s (and any
other machine, for that matter) can use this internal server. The one I'm
looking at is called Tardis (Dr. Who fans, unite!). It's home site is
<http://www.kaska.demon.co.uk> . It can be both a client and a server. It
costs $20 US for a single license, $40 US for unlimited use at one postal
address (whatever that means).

I think I'll recommend we get one license for the server. Then use one of
the free clients available for Win 95/NT boxes. One is called About Time,
siteis <http://www.arachnoid.com/abouttime/index.html> . It can also be an
SNTP server, but it didn't return a valid time to the 400 SNTP client.

The other client I've looked at is called Dimension 4, available at
<http://www.thinkman.com/~thinkman/dimension4/index.htm> . Highly
recommended, and free.

At this time, there is no SNTP server in the works from IBM. Anyone willing
to pay the upfront development costs—so the rest of us can get it for
$480—is encouraged to call ConsultLine. <vbg>

ConsultLine can be contacted at
<http://service.software.ibm.com/as400.us/go?/consultline/index.html> .

Check it out.



Vernon Hamberg
Systems Software Programmer
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
400 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN  55401-2499
(612) 371-1111 x480


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