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OpenNTPD

Overview​

Get standard NTP query metrics from OpenNTPD using the ntpctl command.

Below is the documentation of the various headers returned from the NTP query command when running ntpctl -s peers.

  • remote – The remote peer or server being synced to.
  • wt – the peer weight
  • tl – the peer trust level
  • st (stratum) – The remote peer or server Stratum
  • next – number of seconds until the next poll
  • poll – polling interval in seconds
  • delay – Round trip communication delay to the remote peer or server (milliseconds);
  • offset – Mean offset (phase) in the times reported between this local host and the remote peer or server (RMS, milliseconds);
  • jitter – Mean deviation (jitter) in the time reported for that remote peer or server (RMS of difference of multiple time samples, milliseconds);

Configuration​

[[inputs.openntpd]]
  ## Run ntpctl binary with sudo.
  # use_sudo = false

  ## Location of the ntpctl binary.
  # binary = "/usr/sbin/ntpctl"

  ## Maximum time the ntpctl binary is allowed to run.
  # timeout = "5ms"

Permissions​

It's important to note that this plugin references ntpctl, which may require additional permissions to execute successfully. Depending on the user/group permissions of the user executing this plugin, you may need to alter the group membership, set facls, or use sudo.

Group membership (Recommended)

$ groups cua
cua : cua

$ usermod -a -G ntpd cua

$ groups cua
cua : cua ntpd

Sudo privileges

If you use this method, you will need the following in your circonus-unified-agent config:

[[inputs.openntpd]]
  use_sudo = true

You will also need to update your sudoers file:

$ visudo
# Add the following lines:
Cmnd_Alias NTPCTL = /usr/sbin/ntpctl
cua ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: NTPCTL
Defaults!NTPCTL !logfile, !syslog, !pam_session

Please use the solution you see as most appropriate.