[Ntp] Antw: [EXT] Opsdir last call review of draft-ietf-ntp-mode-6-cmds-08

>>> Linda Dunbar via Datatracker <noreply@ietf.org> schrieb am 09.06.2020 um 00:52
in Nachricht
<14380_1591656804_5EDEC163_14380_220_1_159165674337.26758.11645384633524120985@i
tfa.amsl.com>:
> Reviewer: Linda Dunbar
> Review result: Has Nits
> 
> I have reviewed this document as part of the Ops area directorate's ongoing
> effort to review all IETF documents being processed by the IESG.  These
> comments were written primarily for the benefit of the Ops area directors.
> Document editors and WG chairs should treat these comments just like any 
> other
> last call comments.
> 
> This document describes the structure of the control messages that were
> historically used with the Network Time Protocol. Being historical document, 
> I
> would expect the document to give a description on what the Control Message 
> are
> for, who is the sender, and who is the receiver, is the Control Message
> broadcast to every node in the network? or only between some nodes? The
> document describes the bits in detail for Mode =6 and Mode =7. The RFC1305 
> has
> a lot of information, but can't pinpoint the Control message's purpose. Are 
> the
> control messages for distributing time from Stratum 0 to Stratum 1?  or 
> between
> network nodes?

Hi!

I think these question (if not answered in the document) are very valid ones.
In my view of things the control protocol (both mode 6 and 7) was designed and used to "control" (surprise!) a running NTP daemon, where "controlling" means "see what it is doing" and "change (some) settings". You can also get the current time, but not for adjusting purposes, but for monitoring purposes (more or less at a one-second resolution).
Servers never echange control messages; only admin type of users (processes) initiate requests, and servers answer them (hopefully).

That was my little view of things.

Regards,
Ulrich

> 
> Thank you.
> Linda Dunbar
> 
> 
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