System Clock Sliding

Paravirtualized kernels tend to do that. Install ntp.

He isn't running a paravirt kernel – /proc/sys/xen/independent_wallclock only exists on non-paravirt kernels.

The solution is the same :P

apt-get install ntp-simple

I think the point of the original post was that a non-paravirt kernel with /proc/sys/xen/independent_wallclock = 0 should be locked to the host clock. Since the op's Linode clock is clearly not locked to the host clock, something is wrong.

One of my Linodes runs 2.6.18.8-linode22 and keeps perfect time without needing to run ntp.

It's possible the host's ntpd is simply malfunctioning. Try an "ntpq -p $yourhost.linode.com". Some of them allow such queries; some do not.

File a ticket, too.

@mnordhoff:

It's possible the host's ntpd is simply malfunctioning. Try an "ntpq -p $yourhost.linode.com". Some of them allow such queries; some do not.
If that were true, I wouldn't expect things to be corrected on a reboot, since it would still be getting the incorrect host clock. (Unless there's something in reboot processing that is doing a one-time sync like an ntpdate call from a network location).

Definitely sounds odd though, so once it gets resolved I'd be curious as to what it turns out to have been.

– David

Erk, you're right, db3l! I'm operating on way less sleep than usual right now. :P

I opened a ticket and it seems ok now. They didn't say what the fix was, but that's ok with me. Time will tell if the fix takes.

@BarkerJr:

Time will tell if the fix takes.

Ha