Time Synchronization in Guests Deployed from OVF Templates
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Time Synchronization in Guests Deployed from OVF Templates

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Article ID: 341180

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Updated On:

Products

VMware VMware Desktop Hypervisor VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides information on time synchronization in guests deployed from OVF templates.

When you deploy an OVF 0.9 or 1.0 virtual machine on an ESX/ESXi host or through vCenter Server, the VMware Tools time synchronization facility remains disabled after import. Time synchronization is advisable because it prevents clock skew between the host and its guest virtual machines.


Environment

VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)
VMware Player 5.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Linux)
VMware Player 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Windows)
VMware Player 6.x (Linux)
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware Fusion 8.x
VMware ACE 2.6.x
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Linux)
VMware Player 6.x (Windows)
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1
VMware Player 3.x (Windows )
VMware Player 4.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 7.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware Player 4.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 6.x
VMware Workstation 7.x (Linux)
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 4.x
VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ACE 2.7.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware Workstation 7.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 3.x
VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)
VMware Player 5.x (Linux)
VMware Player 7.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 5.x
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
VMware Player 3.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Linux)

Resolution

To synchronize time:
  1. Open the vSphere Client and connect to vCenter Server.
  2. Right-click the virtual machine you deployed from OVF and click Edit Settings > Options > VMware Tools.
  3. Under Advanced, select the Synchronize guest time with host option and click OK.
Note: An alternate solution is to run vmware-toolbox-cmd timesync enable in the guest operating system, assuming the operation is allowed (it is by default). This solution can be automated, but overrides the user's choice to disable time synchronization.

For more information, see:
For additional information, see: