>Number:         32035
>Category:       kern
>Synopsis:       3.0 MP machines can't keep time on busy nameservers
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       critical
>Priority:       high
>Responsible:    kern-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Thu Nov 10 04:29:00 +0000 2005
>Originator:     Tracy Di Marco White
>Release:        NetBSD 3.0_BETA
>Organization:
Iowa State University
>Environment:
System: NetBSD ns-3.iastate.edu 3.0_BETA NetBSD 3.0_BETA (GENERIC.MP) #6: Sun Oct 2 17:56:09 CDT 2005 gendalia@satai.home.:/usr/obj/i386/GENERIC.MP i386
Architecture: i386
Machine: i386
>Description:
Running NetBSD 2.0 (UP) on Dell MP hardware, Poweredge 1850, the machine
can keep time just fine.  Running NetBSD 3.0 (MP) on same hardware, with
pthreaded named 9.3.1 from pkgsrc, ntpd cannot sync the clock, and the
hardware loses just under 1 second every minute.  Running without a
threaded named, still 9.3.1, ntpd can sync the clock for a while, but
eventually it too loses, as the hardware loses only about 1/3rd second
every minute.  I am unable to reproduce this problem without putting
the nameserver into production as one of ISU's nameservers, in tests
with thousands more identical queries a second it will not lose time.
The machine can sync time just fine in production as long as the
name server is not running, starting named causes immediate loss of
time.  The loss of time is the same without HT (MP) or with HT (MPACPI).
Will be attempting 3.0 UP kernel tomorrow, and possibly a current kernel.
>How-To-Repeat:
Install NetBSD 3.0_BETA on a busy, production name server.  watch
time pass slower and slower.
>Fix:
Install 2.0 branch NetBSD. :(