Disabling time synchronization with Hyper-V

Time synchronization is a critical part of any IT infrastructure, and Hyper-V is no exception. Hyper-V's built-in time synchronization capabilities allow for a more precise, accurate, and reliable synchronization of the host and guest virtual machines (VMs) running on the Hyper-V server. However, in some cases, it is necessary to disable time synchronization on the Hyper-V host.

There are several scenarios in which disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host may be beneficial. One of the most common scenarios is when the host and guest VMs are running in different time zones. If time synchronization is enabled, the host and guest VMs may drift out of sync, resulting in time-related issues. Disabling time synchronization ensures that the time remains in sync across both the host and guest VMs.

Another common scenario in which disabling time synchronization is beneficial is when the Hyper-V server is running in a cluster. If time synchronization is enabled, it can cause network latency issues for the cluster, as the clocks of the various cluster nodes become out of sync. Disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host will ensure that the clocks remain in sync, thus avoiding any latency issues.

Disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host can be done through the Hyper-V Manager. To do this, open the Hyper-V Manager, select the host, and then click on the “Settings” button. On the left-hand side, select “Integration Services” and then uncheck the “Time Synchronization” box.

It is also possible to disable time synchronization through the command line. To do this, open an administrative command prompt and enter the command “sc config vmms start=disabled”. This command will stop the time synchronization service on the Hyper-V host.

It is important to note that disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host does not affect the time synchronization of the guest VMs. The guest VMs will still synchronize their time with the host, unless they are configured to use an external time source. If a guest VM is configured to use an external time source, then disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host will not affect the time synchronization of the guest VM.

In conclusion, disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host can be beneficial in certain scenarios, such as when the Hyper-V server is running in a cluster or when the host and guest VMs are in different time zones. Disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host can be done through the Hyper-V Manager or through the command line. It is important to note that disabling time synchronization on the Hyper-V host does not affect the time synchronization of the guest VMs, unless they are configured to use an external time source.