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Why is there a time difference between system clock and SnapLock Compliance Clock?

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ontap-9
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Applies to

  • ONTAP 9
  • SnapLock Compliance
  • Tamperproof Snapshot

Answer

  • System clock and Compliance Clock are managed separately by design and are not expected to be perfectly synchronized.
  • Compliance Clock prioritizes rollback prevention and tamper resistance over time accuracy.
  • Once initialized, Compliance Clock cannot be modified on FAS/AFF platforms to prevent tampering with retention dates.
  • Outage or reboot behavior: 
    • Compliance Clock does not run during power outages;
    • It resumes from its last stored state, causing it to lag behind real time. 
    • SnapLock expiry delayed accordingly.
  • Virtual environments only (Cloud Volumes ONTAP, ONTAP Select): Compliance Clock can be corrected within 24 hours when NTP is configured.
  • Time differences do not affect ONTAP operations, Tamperproof Snapshot, or SnapLock retention calculations.

Additional Information

NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or reliability or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer's responsibility and depends on the customer's ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer's operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.