OSF DCE Administration Guide--Core Components

OSF DCE Administration Guide—Core Components
Just as during initial DTS configuration, if you are creating a server, you must tell the
dce_config script the type of server that it is to create: global or local. Before you
choose the server type, you should consider the role that the server will play in
propagating the network time.
Local servers can have a noncourier role (the value of the courierrole attribute is set to
noncourier). A noncourier server does not participate in time propagation. Local
servers can also have a courier role (the value of the courierrole attribute is set to
courier) or a backup courier role (the value of the courierrole attribute is set to
backup). Courier servers have primary responsibility for synchronizing the clocks
between the nodes in a segment of the network. Backup couriers are secondary links,
which propagate the time when no courier server is available. When you create a local
server, the courier role is automatically set to backup.
Global servers must play the noncourier role. They cannot be designated as couriers or
backup couriers.
Section 25.6.1 provides more information about server courier roles and instructions for
changing the courier role after you create a server.
25.3.3 Setting Clerk and Server Attribute Values
Once you have created a new clerk or server on a node, you will want to set certain of the
entity’s attribute values.
If you reconfigure a node to be a server, you need to match the epoch (the epoch attribute
value) of the newly created server to the epoch that is shared by the preexisting servers in
the network segment. You want to do this so that the new server can synchronize
immediately with these servers. Instructions for changing server epoch numbers are
given in Section 25.6.2.
You may also want to check the rest of the attributes that apply only to servers to see that
they complement the value settings of the attributes for preexisting servers. For instance,
if the server has an external time-provider, you may want to check the checkinterval
attribute. This attribute specifies the amount of time that the server waits before
synchronizing with the other servers on the LAN.
If you have changed your mind about a server’s courier role since you created the server,
you can modify the courierrole attribute value.
If you created a clerk, you may want to check the new clerk’s attribute values against
those of the preexisting clerks and servers in the network.
General instructions for modifying the attributes of DTS clerks and DTS servers are
covered in Section 25.5.
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