Configure Time Synchronization Across Servers Using Puppet

Create a Puppet module structure in the /etc/puppetlabs/code/modules directory like this

Using these commands

cd /etc/puppetlabs/code/modules
This moves you into the modules directory

sudo mkdir ntp_service
This creates the ntp_service directory

Here is one I prepared earlier

Change into the ntp_service directory
cd ntp_service

Then create the subdirectories 'manifests, files and templates' using these commands

sudo mkdir manifests
sudo mkdir files
sudo mkdir templates

Change into the manifests directory

cd manifests

Create the init.pp files using

sudo touch init.pp

Then edit the file using

sudo nano init.pp

In the init.pp file put this code

class ntp_service {
include ntp_service::install, ntp_service::config, ntp_service::service
}

class ntp_service::install {
package { "ntp":
ensure => present,
}
}

class ntp_service::config {
if $hostname == "mgmt-a" {
$restrict = "restrict 10.25.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0 nomodify notrap"
$server = "server 127.127.1.0"
$fudge = "127.127.1.0 stratum 10"
} else {
$restrict = ""
$server = "server mgmt-a prefer"
$fudge = ""
}
file { "/etc/ntp.conf":
ensure => present,
owner => "root",
group => "root",
mode => "0444",
content => template("ntp_service/ntp.conf.erb"),
}
}

class ntp_service::service {
service { "ntp":
ensure => running,
enable => true,
}
}

Initially I forgot to edit the line in the file from 'mgmt-x' to 'mgmt a'

I attempted to check the status of ntp but the service could not be found, I needed to restart the puppetserver using this command

sudo systemctl restart puppetserver

Then I could check the status of ntp

sudo systemctl status ntp
sudo /opt/puppetlabs/bin/puppet agent --test

After that, this command worked to check the status of ntp on the server and the clients

sudo systemctl status ntp

Then with the command

ntpq -p

We can check the synchronization

When initially attempting to check the synchronization I encountered an error, the ntpstat command was not found I needed to install it.

To do this I entered the command

sudo apt install ntpstat

I needed to restart the dbus service, on this screen I hit 'Tab' to get to 'OK' and hit enter

Then the command

ntpstat

Was able to show the puppets were synchronized with the mgmt server

This configuration is continued in Wiki page 'Ticket #195'