Re: [Ntp] Symmetric mode

[Hal Murray <[e-mail]>]

>> It uses twice as many packets.
> No, it doesn't. Run it and check the packet traffic. Yes each side sends  a
> packet to the other the same as if both were referencing the other as
> servers 

We had a pronoun binding mixed up.

A setup with a pair of client/server connections will use twice as much 
traffic as a single symmetric connection.


>> It works with NTS.
> NTS dropped it in the interested of getting NTS out.

Same issue.  NTS works today if you use client/server mode.


>> You don't have to worry about bad guys setting up symmetric connections.
> We don't. I have no idea where this claim came from. A server that  doesn't
> know the client sending a symmetric mode peer packet will not  make it a peer
> and it will just act as responding to a client packet  (with the asymmetric
> mode response). 

Let me try again.  If you don't do something like "restrict nopeer", bad guys 
can setup peer connections and trash your clock.  If you do use "restrict 
nopeer", you have to poke a hole in it to let a good guy setup a symmetric 
connection or just setup your end of the connection with "peer other-guy".  
Either way, you have to make an edit ti the config files on both ends in order 
to setup a symmetric connection.  So what is the convenience?

--------------

Back to the important point.

Is there any case where a symmetric connection is necessary?

Should we devote effort to extending NTS to cover symmetric mode?



-- 
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