Cisco CCNA (200-301)IP ServicesMedium
A network engineer needs to configure a Cisco router to synchronize its clock with a reliable external time source. Which command sequence would correctly configure the router to use an NTP server at IP address 192.168.1.100?
- Arouter(config)# clock timezone EST -5 router(config)# ntp peer 192.168.1.100
- Brouter(config)# ntp master 10 router(config)# ntp server 192.168.1.100
- Crouter(config)# ntp server 192.168.1.100
- Drouter(config)# ntp server 192.168.1.100 router(config)# ntp update-calendar
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. router(config)# ntp server 192.168.1.100
The basic command to configure an NTP client to synchronize with a server is `ntp server <IP_ADDRESS>` from global configuration mode. The other options include unnecessary or incorrect commands for this specific task.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. `ntp peer` is used for peer-to-peer relationships, not client-server, and `clock timezone` is for local time display, not NTP synchronization itself.
- B. `ntp master` configures the router as an authoritative NTP server itself, which is the opposite of the requirement to synchronize with an external source.
- D. `ntp update-calendar` is used to update the hardware clock with the NTP-synchronized time, which is a secondary step, not the primary command for server synchronization.
NTP Client Configuration
The process of configuring a device to synchronize its system clock with an external NTP server.
- Uses the `ntp server` command in global configuration mode.
- Ensures accurate timekeeping across network devices.
- Critical for logging, security, and troubleshooting.
Memory trick: To get time from a server, just point and serve it.