Linux server time getting out of sync frequently.

[Josh Miller]

John Horne wrote:
>> as i recall, there are a few parameters you can set within the vmware app
>> for the guest os, in order to sync the timing, and to stop the skew from
>> occuring...
>>
>> i think you might also have to modify the kernel startup attributes.
>>
> The only solution I have found to work is to stop NTP on the guest and
> simply run ntpdate (getting the time from other reliable server) every
> hour or so via cron. The only 'solution' I have not tried is rebuilding
> the kernel. Suggestions like use the PIT time source on the kernel
> startup line may well improve the timekeeping, but it still loses time.

Hi, coming into this late, but I have been very successful with the 
following solution:

1. make sure all ESX hosts are syncing time via NTP with a reliable source
2. disable NTPD in all guests
3. set each guest to sync time via VMware tools by setting 
tools.SyncTime=TRUE
4. in each guest, on the kernel line in grub.conf, set clock=pit and reboot

That has been a bulletproof method for me with over 70 linux guests.

re:  http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vmware_timekeeping.pdf

HTH,
Josh Miller - RHCE, VCP