[libvirt] [PATCH] libvirt-guests: wait for ntp service

[Martin Kletzander]

On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 10:09:40AM +0200, Michal Privoznik wrote:
>On 20.09.2014 01:36, Jim Fehlig wrote:
>> Martin Kletzander wrote:
>>> On Fri, Sep 19, 2014 at 02:37:12PM -0600, Jim Fehlig wrote:
>>>> Michal Privoznik wrote:
>>>>> On 08.09.2014 18:30, Jim Fehlig wrote:
>>>>>> If an NTP server is configured on the host, it is possible for
>>>>>> libvirt-guests to start before the NTP service, in which case
>>>>>> guest clocks won't be synchronized to the host clock.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Add ntp-wait.service to "After" in libvirt-guests systemd service
>>>>>> file, ensuring NTP has synchronized the host clock before starting
>>>>>> any guests.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Signed-off-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig at suse.com>
>>>>>> ---
>>>>>>    tools/libvirt-guests.service.in | 2 +-
>>>>>>    1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> diff --git a/tools/libvirt-guests.service.in
>>>>>> b/tools/libvirt-guests.service.in
>>>>>> index d8d7adf..226b3bd 100644
>>>>>> --- a/tools/libvirt-guests.service.in
>>>>>> +++ b/tools/libvirt-guests.service.in
>>>>>> @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
>>>>>>    [Unit]
>>>>>>    Description=Suspend Active Libvirt Guests
>>>>>> -After=network.target libvirtd.service
>>>>>> +After=network.target libvirtd.service ntp-wait.service
>>>>>>    Documentation=man:libvirtd(8)
>>>>>>    Documentation=http://libvirt.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Well, guest can have their own ntp-client (and in most cases they do,
>>>>> right?).
>>>>
>>>> I think most do, but know of at least two users who want to use kvmclock
>>>> with no ntp in the guests :).
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'm sure there are way more users without ntp clients inside their
>>> guests.  I'm just wondering what's the difference when libvirt-guests
>>> starts before or after ntp has synchronized their clocks.  Is it that
>>> they have the time reset to a little bit inaccurate time?  Or are they
>>> off way too much?
>>
>> They are off by the ntp adjustment.  As I understand it, the guests
>> start and read the host clock, which is later adjusted by ntp.
>>
>>>
>>>>> I mean, since guests can be paused, saved & restored back, their time
>>>>> is often off. So the best is to have an ntp-client running inside the
>>>>> guest.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Yes, but if it's way off, ntp will refuse to update the time; that's
>>> why we are resetting the time, isn't it?
>>>
>>>> Yep.  I mentioned this, but seems they don't use save, restore, migrate,
>>>> et. al., since it wasn't a concern.  But I'm fine handling this
>>>> downstream.  Thanks!
>>>>
>>>
>>> Well, if they use libvirt-guests, they use at least save/restore :)
>>
>> They have ON_SHUTDOWN=shutdown.
>>
>>>
>>> Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with systemd files, but my guess
>>> is that After=ntp-wait.service means it should be started after the
>>> time is synchronized if and only if the ntp-wait.service unit is
>>> enabled, otherwise it doesn't require it.
>>
>> Yes, this is my understanding too.
>
>And so is mine. The only concern I have is that syncing time on cold
>boot of the host may take ages. But on the other hand, it's better to
>start domains later and with correct time than start asap with
>inaccurate time. ACK then,
>

Maybe we could use After=ntpdate.service instead of ntp-wait.service;
although starting an ntpdate.service should result in the
ntp-wait.service to be automatically active, but this is just my
guess, I have no idea how /usr/sbin/ntp-wait works.

Wither way, ACK from me too,

Martin
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