Network Time Server screen

Use Network Time server screen to specify the time source that the Avaya media server uses to set the time of day. The time of the media server can be synchronized with one of the following sources:

• The duplicate server
• An external time source on the corporate network

This topic covers:

Specifying the time source for the Avaya media server.

Providing a keys.install file if needed

Specifying the time source

To specify the time source for the Avaya media server:

1. Specify the Avaya media server as time source. To not specify a network time source, select the first  button, which is a Network Time Server. The Avaya media server use its own clock to handle time- of-day functions and synchronize its clock with the duplicate server.

• To set the server clock, use the Set Server Time / Timezone screen. You can set the clock, or you complete the configuration.
• Click Continue.

2. Specify an external time source. To use a network time source, select the second radio button: Use these Network Time Servers. Complete steps 3 through 5.
3. Specify up to three network time servers by IP address or DNS name in the order you want the Avaya media server to check them.
4. Specify whether the Avaya media server is to support multicast timing messages:

• Select Yes if the NTS routinely broadcasts its timing messages to multiple clients.
• Select No if the Avaya media server is to poll on request the time directly from the NTS.

5. If the Avaya server is synchronizing its time with an external time source, set the media server's time now:

• In the main menu of the web administration interface's under Server, click Set Server Time/Timezone.
• Set the time for the media server within a few minutes of the time, date, and time zone of the NTS so that synchronization can occur.  
• When you finish, to continue, click Configure Server wizard.
• Use keys (optional): If you want to encrypt the messages between an NTS and the Avaya media server, list the valid key numbers provided by your LAN administrator on the preinstallation worksheet.

6. Use a blank space as a delimiter if there is more than one key, for example, 2 3 6 to specify valid keys 2, 3, and 6,. These numbers are associated with encryption codes in a "keys" file. See step 7.
7. If more than one external NTS is listed, be sure to add valid keys for all time servers in each category as required. The server tests all the keys in turn to find the correct key to encrypt or decrypt messages to a particular NTS.
8. The different keys have the following uses:

• Trusted key. Functions like a checksum to make sure the time packets are valid.
• Request key. Allows an administrator to send a remote query request.
• Control key. Allows an administrator to query and request changes to an NTS.

9. Provide a keys file. If you specify keys in Step 6, you must provide a file named keys.install to allow the media server to communicate with the NTS.
10. If a new keys.install file is used, upload or create the file now if possible. See Providing the keys.install file.

• If you upload the keys file later, you must run the Configure Server wizard again so that the system recognizes the new key file. Click Continue through the wizard until you come to this page,  specify the keys file location, then Continue through the end of the wizard to update the system files.

Providing the keys.install file

If encryption between the NTS and Avaya media server is to be used for additional security, you must provide a keys.install file that specifies for each key:

• Key number
• Encryption type
• Key code

The keys file can be installed in several ways:

Upload the keys file. If a keys.install file was previously created on or downloaded to the services laptop or another computer on the network, it can be installed now as follows:  

• In the main menu under Miscellaneous, click the Upload Files to Server link.
• Locate the keys.install file on your computer or network, then click Load File. The file is uploaded to the /var/home/ftp subdirectory.
• When finished, click on the Configure Server wizard window to resume server configuration.

Create the keys file. If the keys file is short, the network administrator can create one now during configuration if needed:

• On a directly connected laptop or other computer, create a flat-text file named keys.install with the correct keys information using any ASCII application.
• Next, upload it using the Upload Files to Server screen as described above.
• When finished, click on the Configure Server wizard window to resume server configuration.

Download or copy the keys file. Longer files may be transferred from the network time server to the Avaya media server as follows:

• Using either the Download Files to Server screen or the Copy files using FTP procedure to access the keys file listed on your preinstallation worksheet.
• In both cases, the file is transferred to the /var/home/ftp subdirectory.
• When finished, click the Configure Server wizard window to resume server configuration.