Re: [foxboro] I/A Master Timekeeper

We've written a shell script that uses the date/time from a remote "time 
standard" UNIX system and the set_mtk utility to set a node master time keeper.

It does not directly use NTP for the standard time source to avoid messing with 
the time zone differences between Foxboro AW/Ps and the rest of the (sane) 
world. Instead it uses a simple remote shell job to get the remote date and 
time from an NTP-synchronized UNIX server (any UNIX/LINUX/*X server with proper 
remote shell tools, permissions and a reliably synchronized clock), then checks 
:

if the time offset is greater than a minimum value (default 5 seconds) 
        simply exits if the delta is less than the min correction value 
        to avoid messing with the MTK clock unnecessarily
else if the time offset is greater than a maximum value (default 60 seconds)
        exits with an error message.
else if the time offset is above a warning limit, 
        issues a "large correction" warning message and continues
Finally updates the MTK with the acquired time.

The script allows for forced time correction (don't check anything) and for 
large offset correction; 
e.g. for xDT <-> xST transitions.

Most everything is configured via command line arguments.

A description with command line options are displayed if argument 1 is entered 
as "-?" 
(uses a structured header somewhat similar to man pages).

Correction protocols, warnings and error messages may be mailed out to an 
(SMTP) mail server using mailx and is always logged in monthly log files, 
assuming mail forwarding to an SMTP server is configured on the AW/P (we tend 
to let our scripts run "silently", unless something of interest happens which 
is sent out via e-mail).

In our client's applications, the script is run from cron only once a day in 
the early morning hours, with two large-correction cron jobs for the 
spring/fall daylight savings time transitions.
In addition to the cron jobs it is called in the boot sequence to force the 
node MTK, so one avoids the manual operation after a server reboot.

In our experience time drifts and the required correction frequencies depend 
very much on the power and load of the Foxboro AW/P server.
We have one fairly loaded AW51e that seems to drift off by > 5 secs within 3-5 
days.
Another one requires correction only every few weeks (much less loaded).

The script has been in use for about a year and runs on something like 10 
AW51's using Solaris and Linux time standard servers.  Never tried so far to 
make it run on AW70's under the NutCracker shell.

If there is interest, I'll volunteer to modify it to meet the "Casssandra 
Programming Guidelines and Standards", have it posted in the site archives and 
work with interested users (as time permits) to get them going...

Joachim Hirche
CIM Concepts Inc.
200 Continental Drive Ste 112  Newark  DE  19713  USA
302 368 8982 x111
mailto:Joachim.Hirche@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: Schouten, Frits JF [mailto:Frits.Schouten@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 17:36
To: 'foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: Re: [foxboro] I/A Master Timekeeper


Hi,
I've pasted the 'README' that comes with set_mtk.
Talk to Jeremy Milum about this program.
I think it's also available on the TheCasandraProject.
Cheers,
Frits.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The utility 'set_mtk' sets the Master Timekeeper on the I/A
system.  It is a command line utility similiar to the 'Set Time'
function in the SMDH.  I make no guarentees about this program,
so caveat emptor.  I have used it on versions 6.1.1, 6.2, and
6.2.1 of the Foxboro I/A systems. 

The program takes up to 6 command line arguements that
specifiy the date and time:

./set_mtk YEAR MONTH DAY HOUR MINUTE SECOND

Only the first three are required, but unless you want the
new time to be 12:00:00 AM, you need to have the last three
also.  Valid ranges for each arguement are as follows:

year: 1970 - 2100
month: 1 - 12
day: 1 - 31
hour: 0 - 23
minute: 0 - 59
second: 0 - 59

After running the command, about 10 lines of diagnostic messages
will be displayed.  I didn't write this program. but got the source
code from TAC, and Foxboro IS NOT supporting this utility. I had to 
make a few modifications to get it to run.  So if you have any 
questions contact me, not Foxboro.

Contact Info:
Jeremy Milum
Huntsman Corporation
jeremy_milum@xxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: Hicks, Gaylon F. [mailto:gfhicks@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, 12 July 2002 09:19
To: Foxboro Mail List (E-mail)
Subject: [foxboro] I/A Master Timekeeper



I think this question may have been posted before, but I seem to remember
not liking the answer, so I'll ask again.  It occasionally works for my
kids.

Is there any way to set the I/A time and date (master timekeeper) from a
script file, or must this be done only from the System Management display?
The reason I am asking is that I would like to synchronize our I/A node with
our plant process computer time using NTP, but it won't do a lot of good to
set the time on just the AW51B host box.  This isn't terribly critical, just
a nice to have.  If no one on this list knows how to do this, I'll give up.

Thanks,
==================================================
Gaylon Hicks
Tennessee Valley Authority, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Mail Stop PEC-2C
PO Box 2000
Decatur, AL  35609
Phone: (256) 729-7804           Fax:  (256) 729-2047
email:  gfhicks@xxxxxxx
FedEx Address:          Shaw Road, Athens, AL  35611
==================================================

 
 
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_______________________________________________________________________
This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process
Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at
your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html
 
foxboro mailing list:             http://www.freelists.org/list/foxboro
to subscribe:         mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=join
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_______________________________________________________________________
This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process
Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at
your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html
 
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