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Troubleshooting Abnormal NTP Server Connection in Sangfor HCI
  

George Fady Lv2Posted 2026-Sep-03 15:31

Hello Sangfor Community,
I am George Fady, Technical Support Engineer, and I would like to share a practical troubleshooting case related to Sangfor HCI v6.11.2 involving an Abnormal Connection to NTP Server alert.
Problem Description
An alert was detected indicating:
“Abnormal connection to the NTP server. Unable to communicate with the NTP server. Please check the network connection or related settings.”
At the same time, another alert indicated that DRS was not functioning properly due to insufficient cluster resources.
Root Cause
The issue was related to insufficient cluster resources, which affected cluster resource scheduling.
When the resources reserved for HA (High Availability) are insufficient, the HCI platform may not have enough redundant resources to recover VMs and maintain business high availability.
To address this situation, it is recommended to:
  • Increase the resources reserved for HA.
  • Shut down non-essential VMs to free up cluster resources.
  • Ensure that sufficient resources are available for HA and DRS operations.

Resolution and Troubleshooting Steps1. Verify NTP Configuration
Navigate to:
System → General → Date and Language
Verify the following:
  • The Local NTP Server IP is configured correctly.
  • Set Time Sync is enabled.

2. Check Management Network Connectivity
If the NTP server is located within the local network, all HCI nodes must be able to communicate with it through their management interfaces.
Verify connectivity between:
HCI Management Interface (ETH0) → Local NTP Server
Also ensure that the firewall allows:
UDP Port 123
3. Run HCI Health Check
Use the built-in Health Check tool to identify potential communication or configuration issues.
Run checks for:
  • Running Status
  • Configuration

If an issue is detected, the Health Check may provide a recommended solution. The results can also be exported for further investigation.
4. Verify BIOS Time
If the network connectivity and NTP configuration are correct but the alert persists, verify the BIOS time on all physical HCI nodes.
Ensure that the hardware clocks are correctly synchronized.
Incorrect BIOS time can cause time synchronization problems and may contribute to other system-related issues.
Key Takeaway
When troubleshooting an Abnormal NTP Server Connection alert in Sangfor HCI, it is important not to focus only on the NTP server.
A complete troubleshooting approach should include:
NTP Configuration → Management Network Connectivity → UDP 123 → HCI Health Check → HA/DRS Resources → BIOS Time
This case highlights the importance of checking both NTP connectivity and cluster resource availability, as resource-related issues can also affect HCI services and cluster operations.
I hope this case helps other engineers troubleshoot similar issues in Sangfor HCI.
Feel free to share your experience or troubleshooting methods for NTP, DRS, or HA-related issues in the comments.
#Sangfor #SangforHCI #HCI #NTP #DRS #HighAvailability #Virtualization #TechnicalSupport #Troubleshooting

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Arsalan Israr Lv1Posted 2026-Sep-04 01:32
  
Thanks for sharing