Configuring System Information 103
The device retrieves synchronization information, either by actively requesting information or at every poll
interval. If Unicast, Anycast and Broadcast polling are enabled, the information is retrieved in this order:
• Information from servers defined on the device is preferred. If Unicast polling is not enabled or if no servers
are defined on the device, the device accepts time information from any SNTP server that responds.
• If more than one Unicast device responds, synchronization information is preferred from the device
with the lowest stratum.
• If the servers have the same stratum, synchronization information is accepted from the SNTP server
that responded first.
MD5 (Message Digest 5) Authentication safeguards device synchronization paths to SNTP servers. MD5
is an algorithm that produces a 128-bit hash. MD5 is a variation of MD4, and increases MD4 security.
MD5 verifies the integrity of the communication, authenticates the origin of the communication.
To open the SNTP page, click System → SNTP in the tree view to open the SNTP page.
This section contians the following topics:
• "Defining SNTP Global Settings" on page103
• "Defining SNTP Authentication Methods" on page105
• "Defining SNTP Servers" on page107
• "Defining SNTP Interfaces" on page111
Defining SNTP Global Settings
The SNTP Global Settings page provides information for defining SNTP parameters globally. To open
the SNTP Global Settings page, click System → SNTP → Global Settings in the tree view.
Figure 6-10. SNTP Global Settings