Rtc

This scenario shows how to configure NTP client/server authentication.

../../../../_images/client.svg

Test RTC Synchronization

Description

Checks that RTC is working properly on machines that have an RTC device.

Scenario

Step 1: Set the following configuration in DUT1 :

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.100.0.100/24
set protocols static route 0.0.0.0/0 next-hop 10.100.0.50
set system login user admin authentication encrypted-password '$6$GSjsCj8gHLv$/VcqU6FLi6CT2Oxn0MJQ2C2tqnRDrYKNF8HIYWJp68nvXvPdFccDsT04.WtigUONbKYrgKg8d6rEs8PjljMkH0'
set system ntp master prefer
set system ntp master stratum 3

Step 2: Set the following configuration in DUT0 :

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.100.0.50/24
set system login user admin authentication encrypted-password '$6$GSjsCj8gHLv$/VcqU6FLi6CT2Oxn0MJQ2C2tqnRDrYKNF8HIYWJp68nvXvPdFccDsT04.WtigUONbKYrgKg8d6rEs8PjljMkH0'

Step 3: Ping IP address 10.100.0.100 from DUT0:

admin@DUT0$ ping 10.100.0.100 count 1 size 56 timeout 1
Show output
PING 10.100.0.100 (10.100.0.100) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 10.100.0.100: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.779 ms

--- 10.100.0.100 ping statistics ---
1 packets transmitted, 1 received, 0% packet loss, time 0ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.779/0.779/0.779/0.000 ms

Step 4: Run command set date 2026-02-11 12:00:00 at DUT0 and expect this output: Step 5: Run command set date ntp 10.100.0.100 at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

skipping this server
Show output
Date was successfully updated!

Step 6: Run command show date at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

Wed
Show output
Thu 12 Feb 2026 23:26:31 +00:00

Step 7: Run command set date hwclock from-system debug at DUT0 and expect this output:

Show output
hwclock from util-linux 2.38.1
System Time: 1770938791.668879
Trying to open: /dev/rtc0
Using the rtc interface to the clock.
Last drift adjustment done at 1770938790 seconds after 1969
Last calibration done at 1770938790 seconds after 1969
Hardware clock is on UTC time
Assuming hardware clock is kept in UTC time.
RTC type: 'rtc_cmos'
Using delay: 0.500000 seconds
missed it - 1770938791.669099 is too far past 1770938791.500000 (0.169099 > 0.001000)
1770938792.500000 is close enough to 1770938792.500000 (0.000000 < 0.002000)
Set RTC to 1770938792 (1770938791 + 1; refsystime = 1770938791.000000)
Setting Hardware Clock to 23:26:32 = 1770938792 seconds since 1969
ioctl(RTC_SET_TIME) was successful.
Not adjusting drift factor because the --update-drift option was not used.
New /etc/adjtime data:
0.000000 1770938791 0.000000
1770938791
UTC

Step 8: Run command set date hwclock to-system debug at DUT0 and expect this output:

Show output
hwclock from util-linux 2.38.1
System Time: 1770938792.563755
Trying to open: /dev/rtc0
Using the rtc interface to the clock.
Last drift adjustment done at 1770938791 seconds after 1969
Last calibration done at 1770938791 seconds after 1969
Hardware clock is on UTC time
Assuming hardware clock is kept in UTC time.
Waiting for clock tick...
...got clock tick
Time read from Hardware Clock: 2026/02/12 23:26:33
Hw clock time : 2026/02/12 23:26:33 = 1770938793 seconds since 1969
Time since last adjustment is 2 seconds
Calculated Hardware Clock drift is 0.000000 seconds
Calling settimeofday(NULL, 0) to lock the warp_clock function.
Calling settimeofday(1770938793.000000, NULL) to set the System time.

Step 9: Run command show date at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

Wed
Show output
Thu 12 Feb 2026 23:26:33 +00:00

Test RTC Synchronization With Drift

Description

Tests that RTC is working properly on machines that have an RTC device (while adjusting the drift too).

Scenario

Step 1: Set the following configuration in DUT1 :

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.100.0.100/24
set protocols static route 0.0.0.0/0 next-hop 10.100.0.50
set system login user admin authentication encrypted-password '$6$GSjsCj8gHLv$/VcqU6FLi6CT2Oxn0MJQ2C2tqnRDrYKNF8HIYWJp68nvXvPdFccDsT04.WtigUONbKYrgKg8d6rEs8PjljMkH0'
set system ntp master prefer
set system ntp master stratum 3

Step 2: Set the following configuration in DUT0 :

set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.100.0.50/24
set system login user admin authentication encrypted-password '$6$GSjsCj8gHLv$/VcqU6FLi6CT2Oxn0MJQ2C2tqnRDrYKNF8HIYWJp68nvXvPdFccDsT04.WtigUONbKYrgKg8d6rEs8PjljMkH0'

Step 3: Ping IP address 10.100.0.100 from DUT0:

admin@DUT0$ ping 10.100.0.100 count 1 size 56 timeout 1
Show output
PING 10.100.0.100 (10.100.0.100) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 10.100.0.100: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.378 ms

--- 10.100.0.100 ping statistics ---
1 packets transmitted, 1 received, 0% packet loss, time 0ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.378/0.378/0.378/0.000 ms

Step 4: Run command set date 2026-02-11 12:00:00 at DUT0 and expect this output: Step 5: Run command set date ntp 10.100.0.100 at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

skipping this server
Show output
Date was successfully updated!

Step 6: Run command show date at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

Wed
Show output
Thu 12 Feb 2026 23:26:41 +00:00

Step 7: Run command set date hwclock from-system update-drift debug at DUT0 and expect this output:

Show output
hwclock from util-linux 2.38.1
System Time: 1770938801.669858
Trying to open: /dev/rtc0
Using the rtc interface to the clock.
Last drift adjustment done at 1770938800 seconds after 1969
Last calibration done at 1770938800 seconds after 1969
Hardware clock is on UTC time
Assuming hardware clock is kept in UTC time.
Waiting for clock tick...
...got clock tick
Time read from Hardware Clock: 2026/02/12 23:26:42
Hw clock time : 2026/02/12 23:26:42 = 1770938802 seconds since 1969
Time since last adjustment is 2 seconds
Calculated Hardware Clock drift is 0.000000 seconds
RTC type: 'rtc_cmos'
Using delay: 0.500000 seconds
1770938802.500000 is close enough to 1770938802.500000 (0.000000 < 0.001000)
Set RTC to 1770938802 (1770938802 + 0; refsystime = 1770938802.000000)
Setting Hardware Clock to 23:26:42 = 1770938802 seconds since 1969
ioctl(RTC_SET_TIME) was successful.
Not adjusting drift factor because it has been less than four hours since the last calibration.
New /etc/adjtime data:
0.000000 1770938802 0.000000
1770938802
UTC

Step 8: Run command set date hwclock to-system debug at DUT0 and expect this output:

Show output
hwclock from util-linux 2.38.1
System Time: 1770938802.573884
Trying to open: /dev/rtc0
Using the rtc interface to the clock.
Last drift adjustment done at 1770938802 seconds after 1969
Last calibration done at 1770938802 seconds after 1969
Hardware clock is on UTC time
Assuming hardware clock is kept in UTC time.
Waiting for clock tick...
...got clock tick
Time read from Hardware Clock: 2026/02/12 23:26:43
Hw clock time : 2026/02/12 23:26:43 = 1770938803 seconds since 1969
Time since last adjustment is 1 second
Calculated Hardware Clock drift is 0.000000 seconds
Calling settimeofday(NULL, 0) to lock the warp_clock function.
Calling settimeofday(1770938803.000000, NULL) to set the System time.

Step 9: Run command show date at DUT0 and check if output does not contain the following tokens:

Wed
Show output
Thu 12 Feb 2026 23:26:43 +00:00