[ale] VMWare Server and time

[James Sumners]

Timing in a VM is different than on real hardware. Check out [1] for
configuration suggestions. Referenced in [1] is the document at [2],
which is a _really_ in-depth look at how timing works and how it
affects VMs.

[1] -- http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1006427
[2] -- http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/Timekeeping-In-VirtualMachines.pdf

On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 2:10 PM, Chris Fowler
<cfowler at outpostsentinel.com> wrote:
> I'm still running VMWare Server and have never really solved time issues
> in the guests.  The problem I'm halving is that the clock in each guest
> drifts so bad I have to constantly update it.  I have a script that will
> execute ntpdate every hour.  Here is a part of the log
>
>
>
> 10 Aug 00:53:15 ntpdate[16209]: step time server 69.31.13.210 offset
> 13.118829 sec
> 10 Aug 01:53:06 ntpdate[19433]: step time server 75.144.70.35 offset
> -12.301576 sec
> 10 Aug 02:53:13 ntpdate[22663]: step time server 69.10.36.3 offset
> 5.684093 sec
> 10 Aug 03:53:52 ntpdate[26002]: step time server 216.184.20.83 offset
> 37.277543 sec
> 10 Aug 04:54:08 ntpdate[29719]: step time server 207.171.30.106 offset
> 14.900770 sec
> 10 Aug 05:54:10 ntpdate[517]: adjust time server 69.93.111.178 offset
> 0.231262 sec
> 10 Aug 06:54:12 ntpdate[3808]: adjust time server 207.171.30.106 offset
> 0.045966 sec
> 10 Aug 07:54:13 ntpdate[7029]: step time server 64.73.32.134 offset
> -1.187768 sec
> 10 Aug 08:55:03 ntpdate[10259]: step time server 69.63.177.217 offset
> 47.613517 sec
> 10 Aug 09:54:40 ntpdate[13547]: step time server 208.94.240.2 offset
> -24.475964 sec
>
>
> It seems as the host's load increases the clock drifts more.  Is this
> just a fact of VMWare server?
>
> Chris


-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59