This article applies to Domain Time II Server

12 June 2015

Problem

When you examine the Domain Time II Server logs, you may see the entry "Could not send level 1 cascade trigger to " followed by a computer name and the text "Error 10054: connection reset by peer." The named computer will be some machine on your network.

Details

Information on version 4.1 and earlier
By default, the Domain Time II Server acting in the Master Role (running on the PDC) examines Microsoft Networking browse list to find machines advertising themselves as time servers. These machines are automatically added to the Master's list of Slave servers. The Domain Time II Master sends Level 1 cascade triggers to notify Slaves to synchronize. See the Cascading Time Hierarchy page for more information.

If a server advertises itself as a Microsoft Networking time server, but isn't running Domain Time Server, then the Domain Time II Server log will record the warning message shown above. You should normally run Domain Time Server on all DCs in a Windows domain, because clients (either Domain Time or the built-in Windows Time (W32Time) service) expect their logon DC to have the correct time, and Windows DCs advertise themselves as being time servers whether they are or not.

If the named machine really is running Domain Time Server, then this warning means the Master could not contact the Slave. This indicates a network problem of some sort -- either the Slave was offline or unreachable, or the network is misconfigured. Examine the Server's log for IP addresses and names it is trying to use.

Information on version 5.x and later

Slave Servers validate their role with the Master when assuming the Slave role, so the older method of discovering Slaves via Microsoft Networking is avoided. Domain Time Server running as Master (running on the PDC emulator) keeps a list of all known Slave Servers and attempts to send cascades and advisory notifications. Typically you would only see the "Could not send level 1 cascade..." errors if a Domain Time Slave server service is offline or stopped or the network configuration has changed to prevent communication between the Master and Slaves (such as a firewall reconfiguration).

Solution


Install Domain Time II Server on all Domain Controllers (or resolve network errors, if any).

Workarounds


1. Disable cascades and triggers (not recommended). See KB2001.809

2. (Version 4.1 and earlier) Change the master Domain Time Server to use a specific list of slaves rather than using auto-discover. The slave list is controlled on the Slave List tab on the Server's control panel applet. See Slave Lists page of the Server documentation for more information.