Configuring the Switch Modules using the Menu-driven Interface 
Configuring the Switch Module Date and Time 
The switch module can maintain the current date and time. This information displays on the 
management interfaces and is used to record the date and time of interconnect switch events 
in the history log.  
When a new switch module is first booted up, the firmware clock starts at zero (0) and counts 
the seconds since bootup. In order for the clock to display the real date and time, you must 
either 
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• 
• 
• 
• 
Manually set the date and time on the interconnect switch, or  
Enable Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) on the switch module, and then set the 
SNTP parameters. 
SNTP allows the switch to synchronize its real time to the network time. When SNTP is 
enabled, the switch module sends a request to a primary SNTP server in each period of a 
specified polling interval asking for the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). If the primary SNTP 
server is not available, the request is sent to a secondary SNTP server. 
When SNTP is enabled, the following events cause the switch module to request the date and 
time through SNTP: 
The polling interval time expires. 
Changes are made to the configuration settings for Daylight Saving Time, time zone, 
SNTP Server 1 or Server 2, or polling interval. 
SNTP state is changed from disabled to enabled. 
 
IMPORTANT: If the system clock is set and power is lost to the interconnect switch, manual time 
settings are reset  to factory defaults when the interconnect switch is powered on. If this occurs, 
manually reset the date and time. If SNTP is configured, losing power has no effect, so no manual 
resetting of time is required. 
 
HP ProLiant BL e-Class C-GbE Interconnect Switch Menu-driven Interface Reference Guide  2-45 
 
 
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