[Dovecot] Linux Bootup: Dovecot Failure

[Stan Hoeppner]

Christopher Metter put forth on 10/31/2010 1:51 PM:

> To sum it up:
> Config with packet ntp installed runs properly and I still think that
> ntpdate throws the errors.
> Even system Startup is faster without it. Its 60seconds vs ~18seconds on
> rc2.d startuptime.

ntpdate is a mostly, to me, a command line utility.  It is not a daemon.
 If installing the package "ntpdate" is causing problems at boot, it is
very likely that your Linux distribution has an ntpdate install script
that is sticking an ntpdate command in rc.local or some other place that
causes it to run at boot.  When this occurs, it's probably tying up the
socket when ntpd tries to grab it.  Install ntpdate again, and
afterward, check rc.local and the rc*.d directories for a script that is
running ntpdate at startup.  Remove the reference to the script or
command once you locate it.

ntpdate is useful for a sysadmin to do a manual check or set of the
local clock against a specified ntp time source (possibly different from
those configured for use by ntpd).  It should not interfere with ntpd,
at least not when using the query only switch.  Debian Linux, for
example, in my experience, doesn't have this problem you are
experiencing while both ntpd and ntpdate are installed.  I've never had
a problem with it.

> If I aint wrong, my system time is still accurate.
> And the problem is solved, or did I miss something?

If you never need to use ntpdate then I guess you could say your problem
is solved.  For me, personally, I use ntpdate specifically as a sanity
check on occasion against ntpd to make sure what the latter is doing or
reporting is accurate.  ntpq -p doesn't necessarily guarantee that.

If you never have used ntpdate from the prompt in the past, and never
intend to, then I guess you're good to go.  Carry on. ;)

-- 
Stan