Domain Time II has four time clients for Windows systems. Each client offers its own advantages. See the summaries below to choose the one that best meets your needs:

Full Client
Runs as a background service to keep time updated automatically. Users do not require time change rights or need to be logged in.
Choose this client:

• If you want a client that can be either fully automatic or manually configured.
• If your time server uses a time protocol other than the Domain Time II protocol.
• If your time server is on a different subnet from the client.¹
• If you need to pass through a firewall to get to your time server.
• If you want to adjust the time check schedules, accuracy settings, or use security features.
• If you want to keep text and/or Windows event logs of client activity.
• If you want to be able to remote-control the client settings using Domain Time II Manager.

Thin Client
Runs as a background service to keep time updated automatically. Users do not require time change rights or need to be logged in.

Choose this client:

• When you want a simple, no-fuss, "zero-administration" automatic time client and
• You have a Domain Time II Server on the same subnet.¹

Ultra Thin Client
The Ultra Thin Client is a broadcast-only client that runs as a background service to keep time updated automatically. Users do not require time change rights or need to be logged in.

Choose this client:

• When you require broadcast time (see When to use Heartbeats and NTP Broadcasts)
• You have exactly one Domain Time II Server set to Broadcast Time on the same subnet.
• You want a client optimized for extremely low system overhead and maximum accuracy.

DTSET Command-line Client
DTSET is a manual client only. Any users or scheduled jobs running the program must have time change rights on the machine.

Choose this client:

• If you want to manually set the time from the command-line
• You want to set the time using batch files or scheduled jobs.
• If you need to pass through a firewall to get to your time server.
• If your time server uses a time protocol other than the Domain Time II protocol.

¹ In general, the fully automatic clients (Thin , Ultra Thin, and Full Client and domtimed daemons when in Automatic Mode) must be on the same subnet as their time servers. However, you may use a DHCP server to provide automatic clients the address of a time server on a different subnet. See the Using DHCP to Specify Time Servers page for more information on using DHCP.