Chapter 3 - StreetTalk for Windows NT Time Services
In a stand-alone environment, the time setting on the Windows NT operating system determines the time on a StreetTalk for Windows NT server. In a network that includes more than one StreetTalk for Windows NT server, servers can continuously share information to maintain a consistent network time. You can configure your network so that a few StreetTalk for Windows NT servers control the time settings on the entire network.
StreetTalk for Windows NT servers and native VINES servers can communicate with one another to synchronize time across the network. Server Service is responsible for coordinating time.
You can run StreetTalk Explorer or MLIST to create a Trusted Source Time List to manage the exchange of time information among StreetTalk for Windows NT servers and native VINES servers on a network. Server Service can keep a list of the servers from which it accepts broadcasts of time changes and a list of servers to which it broadcasts time changes. This is referred to as time synchronization.
You can control from what services a time synchronization is accepted and to what services a time synchronization is sent by creating lists of servers. Chapter 15 of the Banyan Server Operations Guide describes how to manage time on a StreetTalk for Windows NT server.
The following time-related tasks that affect time on a StreetTalk for Windows NT server are performed on the Windows NT operating system using Windows NT tools:
![]()
Setting or changing the time zone ![]()
Setting or changing the time and date ![]()
Scheduling an automatic dial-out to a reliable time service
See your Windows NT documentation to set time on a Windows NT server.
If your network has a native VINES server that is configured to dial out to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Automated Computer Time Service (ACTS) of Boulder, Colorado (or any other time service that follows the NIST format) for accurate time, you can configure your StreetTalk for Windows NT server to accept time settings from that server.
You can use the VSETTIME utility to propagate time immediately from your server to StreetTalk for Windows NT or VINES servers 0 to 2 hops away. Time is propagated to servers on your server's TimeOut@servername@Servers list according to the logic of the Time and TimeOut lists as described in the Banyan Server Operations Guide. The format is:
VSETTIME
You must be logged in to StreetTalk and be on the AdminList of the server to run VSETTIME.
When you run VSETTIME, program messages are displayed on the screen:
OK> VSETTIME
vsettime: ST Server: USCHI002
vsettime: ST User: Eric Various@CHI_Admin@WCTUS
vsettime: ST AdminList: AdminList@USCHI002@Servers
vsettime: System Time: Tue Oct 20 11:12:35 1998
vsettime: Successfully sent system time to VINES Time Service.
Run VSETTIME from the system prompt or from a batch file in conjunction with tools that synchronize the local time with a NIST service.
VSETTIME is in the \bin directory (for example, \Program Files\Banyan\bin).