Lab 25: Configure Time Services

Objective Focus
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems
Configure time service clients

Official RHCSA EX200 Exam Objectives


What is meant by time services?

In order understand to time services, we have to explain what NTP, or Network Time Protocol, first. NTP is a networking protocol that that is used over the wire to synchronize the system clocks of computers with a remote source. NTP uses UDP port 123.

Even now, your computer is communicating with a time source to get an accurate clock. A time source can be on local network, over the internet, and radio clock. We mostly see devices connected to time sources over the internet. I recommend looking up atomic clocks, stratum levels and checking out ntp.org.


How does NTP work in RHEL?

In RHEL, NTP is handled by Chrony under Chronyd.service.

$ systemctl status chronyd.service
  • Run the above command to check that chronyd is running.
  • What time source is being used?

What file is used to manage the chrony service?
$ /etc/chrony.conf

$ man chrony.conf