Use this procedure to update the NTP server information that you provided during VMware Cloud Foundation bring-up.

VMware Cloud Foundation uses NTP servers to synchronize time between the various components in the system. You must have at least one NTP server. When you update the NTP server configuration, VMware Cloud Foundation updates the components in a specific order:
  • Platform Services Controllers
  • SDDC Manager
  • vCenter Servers
  • ESXi hosts
  • NSX Managers
  • NSX-T Managers
  • vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager
  • vRealize Log Insight
  • vRealize Operations
  • vRealize Automation
If the update fails, SDDC Manager rolls back the NTP settings for the failed component. Fix the underlying issue and retry the update starting with the failed component.
Note: There is no rollback for the vRealize components. Check the logs, resolve any issues, and retry the update.

Updating the NTP server configuration is a disruptive process and can take some time to complete, depending on the size of your environment. Schedule NTP updates at a time that minimizes the impact to the system users.

Prerequisites

  • Any new NTP server is reachable by all components.
  • Time skew between new NTP servers is less than 5 minutes.

Procedure

  1. Using SSH, log in to the SDDC Manager VM using the vcf user account.
  2. Get the current NTP server configuration information. 
    curl localhost/inventory/system-info | json_pp
  3. Validate the new NTP server configuration information. 
    curl -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST http://localhost/system/configurations/ntp-servers/validator -d '{"ntpServers":[{"server":"<ntp-server-ip>"}]}' |json_pp
    Replace <ntp-server-ip> with the IP address of the new NTP server. To enter multiple NTP servers, use the following format: {"ntpServers":[{"server":"<ntp-server-ip-1>", {"server":"<ntp-server-ip-2>"}]}.
    The validator verifies that the VMware Cloud Foundation components can communicate with the new NTP server.
  4. Monitor the status of the validation task. 
    curl http://localhost/operationsmanager/system/configurations/ntp-servers/validator/status | json_pp
  5. Check the result of the validation task. 
    curl http://localhost/operationsmanager/system/configurations/ntp-servers/validator/result | json_pp
    If validation succeeds, you can proceed to change the NTP server configuration. If validation fails, correct any issues and try again.
  6. Change the NTP server configuration information. 
    curl -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -X POST http://localhost/system/configurations/ntp-servers -d '{"ntpServers":[{"server":"<ntp-server-ip>"}]}' |json_pp
    Replace <ntp-server-ip> with the IP address of the new NTP server. To enter multiple NTP servers, use the following format: {"ntpServers":[{"server":"<ntp-server-ip-1>", {"server":"<ntp-server-ip-2>"}]}.
    Note the <id> that gets returned.
  7. Track the status of the NTP update. 
    curl http://localhost/tasks/registrations/<id> | json_pp
    Replace <id> with the ID from the previous step. Note the <taskURL>. 
    curl <taskURL> | json_pp
    Wait for the task to complete.
  8. Verify that the NTP configuration was updated. 
    curl localhost/inventory/system-info | json_pp