Automatic definition of NTP servers in endpoint CE configuration

[rm760]

Hello

I have upgraded all of my endpoints to CE 8.3.   I am noticing diag failures detailing the lack of NTP entries.  If I do enter servers they are lost upon reboot or power failure.  Each of my devices is registered to CUCM version 11.5.1.  Is there a location where I can enter the NTP entries so as to have these conveyed upon registration?

[Darren Roback · Accepted solution]

The configuration of NTP settings on telepresence devices is a little different than phones that are registered to Communications Manager. For phones we can either instruct the devices to obtain time from the Communications Manager servers or configured NTP references, however, telepresence devices do not receive their NTP configuration in the same manner. Instead, telepresence devices can either have NTP settings set manually, or can receive them as a DHCP option. The Network Settings NTP Mode will drive the behavior of this on the endpoint, and is set to Auto by default.

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/telepresence/endpoint/ce83/sx80-administrator-guide-ce83.pdf

Thanks,
Darren

[rm760]

Darren

Thanks for confirming what I have been testing via DHCP option 42.

[haprinz]

Hello Darren,

We have the same issue with one customer, but no possibility to use DHCP.

Never the less, manually setting the NTP Server settings does not work, since CUCM requires to have a Timegroup configured for the devicegroup, and even if no timeserver is filled in, only the timezone and things, it overwrites the manual settings by provisioning. i don't see a possibility to not configure a devicegroup without a timegroup. am i wrong?

/hans

[Stanislav Matejovsky]

Hello,

I have the same issue like HAPRINZ, I can't find any way to have manual NTP servers on CE 8.x (8.3.0, 8.3.2 tested) registered to CUCM (10.5.2) because everytime when configuration is applied or device is rebooted it lost NTP settings and overwrites to defaul = no servers, automatic NTP mode .

Is there any way except DHCP ? Network of our customer is huge and customer's ISP doesn't cooperate.

[haprinz]

Hi Stanislav,

I have found a fix for it meanwhile (out from another discussion). The CE endpoints definitively cannot work with the default 'direct-broadcast' protocol definition for the default NTP service. By re-configuring the 'unfortunately one and only' NTP Server to 'unicast' it is still working with any phones (the ones we are using) as well as now with the CE endpoints.... it is now showing 'manual' and the correct IP of the NTP Server.

thanks

Nick Halbert-Lillyman mentioned:

If you are registered to CUCM, check the SX20's "Phone NTP source" (it's set in the Device Pool).

TP endpoints only support NTP sources that are set to "Unicast" rather than "Directed Broadcast" in CUCM.

regards, hans

[Stanislav Matejovsky]

Thanks, it works

I tried it with only one NTP reference with unicast but it works with more too. This is really great solution but not "great" documented .

[voip7372]

"By re-configuring the 'unfortunately one and only' NTP Server to 'unicast' it is still working with any phones (the ones we are using) as well as now with the CE endpoints.... it is now showing 'manual' and the correct IP of the NTP Server."

Are you saying, we can change the 'Phone NTP Reference' entry in CUCM from the default of 'Directed Broadcast' to 'Unicast' (phones will keep getting the correct time) and then the video devices such as the Room Kit Plus will get the correct time settings without making any changes on the video device's web interface?...or we still need to manually change it on the video device but but it will no longer be overwritten by CUCM as long as we have the Phone NTP Reference in CUCM set to 'Unicast'?   Our video devices are all registered to CUCM.  

EDIT:

I noticed this note from Cisco regarding the video devices:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/collaboration-endpoints/dx70/213278-configure-a-phone-network-time-protocol.html

I went ahead and changed the only Phone NTP Reference entry we have in CUCM (left the video devices in the original device pools they were in) and then manually set the NTP entry on the video devices to see if it would stick (without CUCM overwriting the change).  So far so good, but I think I need to give it more time to see if it holds.  Seems ok so far.  Also the phones still have the correct time in different time zones (using the same Phone NTP Reference in CUCM).   I'll just have to keep an eye on it and see what happens.  Looks promising so far though.