Brian, As you & others pointed out, STP is the key-word here. Maybe I should have made that clear at the outset - we don't have it. I was looking for alternatives -- and inform the decision makers accordingly. Thanks for all the feedback.
Best Regards, Jasbir -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Peterson Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 3:50 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Network Time Protocol (NTP) client support question I'm wondering if you've asked the wrong question to the wrong support group. Basic concept. In mainframes, "Time" is a hardware function. For this reason, setting the time is best handled at the hardware level. You have a couple of alternatives, depending on your hardware configuration. For Parallel Sysplex based technology, IBM has supported the 9037 Sysplex Timer for many years. The Sysplex Timer can dial out to NIST ACTS in Boulder Colorado for a time synchronization accuracy of something like 0.1 second or better. OR IBM has introduced a follow-on technology called STP which is built into the mainframe itself. This technology is enabled by ordering a feature code to be installed on the machine, and is available on z990, z890, z9 and z10 servers. STP supports dial out to NIST ACTS in Boulder, and has just recently been enhanced to allow the STP service to synchronize to a local or internet-based NTP service. So, to answer the literal question of an NTP Client for z/OS, the literal answer is STP syncronized to an NTP service. To answer the more broad-based question of making sure a mainframe system automatically has the correct time, the broad-based answer is any one of the above options. Brian On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:31:29 -0400, Chauhan, Jasbir wrote: >Thanks for all your responses. 2nd Level support too came back with the >'z/OS currently is not implemented as SNTPD client' response. However, >they did add my name to the list of their 'Marketing database inquiries' >for such a request. Apparently there are others who have made similar >requests but the numbers aren't enough to get any consideration. The >fact that it would require a design change would lead me to believe that >there was no immediate plan to add this feature in the upcoming z/OS >releases either. > > > >Unfortunately, the PCI standard is big on absolute statements such as >"Synchronize all critical system clocks and times" and "Verify that NTP >or similar technology is used for time synchronization". Anything that >does not meet the specified standards must have a compensating control >that meets and exceeds the requirement. > > > >The assessor on-site, is here to both ensure we are in compliance with >the PCI standard and to help us find solutions to help us comply. In >our discussion yesterday he specifically stated that setting time >manually has not been accepted by Visa in their review of similar PCI >reports. Hopefully, we can come up with a compromise. > > > >Best Regards, > >Jasbir ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
