Can Cisco switches get time zone from NTP?

[payamesmaeili]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently configuring NTP on several Cisco switches (mainly IOS and IOS-XE) and syncing time from our FortiGate firewall, which acts as the NTP server.

I understand that NTP synchronizes time in UTC, but I’d like to confirm:

• Can Cisco switches also receive time zone and daylight saving time (DST) settings via NTP or any other automated method?

• Or is it required to manually configure the time zone and DST rules using "clock timezone" and "clock summer-time" on each device?

• Are there any workarounds or best practices to automate this part, especially in larger environments?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Best regards,
Payam

[Jens Albrecht]

Hello @payamesmaeili,

time zone and DST settings cannot be provided via NTP but are commonly manually configured.

If you want to use automated methods you can either write your own scripts (Python, Ansible, etc.) e.g. using Netconf or configure templates in case you use Catalyst Center.

HTH!

[M02@rt37 · Accepted solution]

Hello @payamesmaeili 

You have to manually configure timezone and DST. NTP stricly sync UTC only (see RFC 5905 _ Modes of operation).

If you drive your Switches wuith Catalyst Center you could push config templates !

[MHM Cisco World]

I never try but check 

NMS or NPM (solar) or DNA 

These give you op. To set 

Zone 

And 

DST

MHM

[Blue_Bird]

Hello,

NTP provides the current UTC time (Coordinated Universal Time) to the device. The time zone and daylight saving time (DST) settings must be configured manually on the switch

You can find similar discussion here: 

https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/timezone-vs-ntp/td-p/4473807

Best regards
******* If This Helps, Please Rate *******

[Joseph W. Doherty · Accepted solution]

As the others have already replied, settings up a device's NTP derived time to provide time in the current time zone and allowing for DST require manual configuration.

A fundamental issue underlying automating this is the local device would need to know where it's physically located (for applicable time zone) and for DST (the local rules can be very variable).  When network devices start coming standard with a GPS receiver, and have a database to consult for time zone and DST settings, automation would be rather easy.

In the meantime, for bulk device management, as the others have already suggested, the necessary configuration statements might be pushed by configuration management software or home grown scripts.  (Both also very useful for maintaining configuration standards.)

Personally, unless dealing with a very large number of devices, I've often found I can pretty rapidly apply "stock" global configuration statements by connecting to each device and paste either the statements directly or paste a file of such statements into the running config.