NTP Server

Question

Which NTP server Windows server automatically use for their time synchronization. Is it time. windows.com.?

I have read that the domain controller is the default NTP server for all member servers. Is that correct.?

I would like to know what is the best way to configure NTP for servers in a production environment.?

Answer 1

Hello,

Try below commands:

w32tm /query /status

w32tm /query /source 

Best regards,

Molly

Answer 2

Hello,

For domain controllers, by default it is configured to synchronize with NTP servers time.windows.com, which is a default option provided by Microsoft.

For stand-alone computers, they typically synchronize their time using the Windows Time service (W32Time). By default, stand-alone computers are configured to synchronize with an internet-based time server, such as time.windows.com.

Best regards,

Molly

Answer 3

Hello,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

Based on the description, I understand your question is related to NTP server.

Windows servers use time.windows.com as NTP server for time synchronization, unless when a server is part of a domain, it typically synchronizes its time with the domain controller.

Network Time Protocol (NTP) is the default time synchronization protocol used by the Windows Time service in the operating system. NTP is a fault-tolerant, highly scalable time protocol and is the protocol used most often for synchronizing computer clocks by using a designated time reference.

Within an AD DS forest, the Windows Time service relies on standard domain security features to enforce the authentication of time data. The security of NTP packets that are sent between a domain member computer and a local domain controller that is acting as a time server is based on shared key authentication.

How the Windows Time Service Works | Microsoft Learn

Have a nice day. 

Best Regards,

Molly

Answer 4

Hi Molly,

Thank you for your reply.

I understand that all the member servers and domain-joined computers will synchronize their time with domain controller which connects to the external time source/NTP server to synchronize its own time. I wonder which external source or NTP server would domain controller link to. Is it time.windows or something else.?

Could you also explain to me how a stand-alone computer synchronizes its time.?