External Time-Provider Support
For most networks, it is desirable to synchronize the system clocks with the UTC time standard. Many commercial devices are available for obtaining the UTC time that is provided by standards organizations; these devices receive signals by short-wave radio, satellite, and telephone. If your network or cell is larger than a single LAN, it is recommended that you use at least one external time-provider in combination with the DTS software. (See Appendix C for a list of suppliers of time-provider hardware. Sample time-provider programs are available online in dcelocal/usr/examples/dts.)
DTS servers can synchronize with time-providers by means of the Time-Provider Interface (TPI), which is described in OSF DCE Application Development Guide - Core Components. The TPI specifies the communications between the DTS server process and the time-provider process.
When a DTS server attempts to synchronize, it uses the TPI to check for a time-provider process. If one is available, the server synchronizes only with the time-provider. If no time-provider is present, the server synchronizes with other servers in the network.
By using a time-provider with a DTS server, you can ensure that the server is closely synchronized with UTC. When other servers request a time from the server with the time-provider (the TP server), the TP server's precise time is propagated throughout the network. (See Basic DTS Concepts for further information about time-providers and the server synchronization process.)