Managing server systems entails ensuring that the system time is set correctly. This includes configuring the appropriate timezone, which is crucial for logging, task scheduling, and other time-dependent operations. In this article, we will explore how to set the timezone in the CentOS 7 operating system, widely used on servers worldwide.

Prerequisites

Before changing the timezone, it's good to verify the current settings. This can be done using the date command in the terminal. If a timezone change is necessary, follow the steps below.

Discovering Available Timezones

CentOS 7 utilizes the timedatectl system for time and date management. To discover available timezones, you can use the command:

timedatectl list-timezones

This command will display all available timezones. For easier searching of a specific timezone, you can use grep, for example:

timedatectl list-timezones | grep Europe

Setting the Timezone

Once you've found the correct timezone, you can set it using the timedatectl set-timezone command. For example, to set the timezone to Prague (Czech Republic), use:

sudo timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Prague

This command will immediately update the system timezone, and system or service restarts are not necessary.

Verifying the Setting

After changing the timezone, it's recommended to verify if the change was successful. This can be done using the command:

date

The output should now reflect the set timezone.

Automatic Time Synchronization

To maintain accurate time, it's also recommended to set up automatic time synchronization with network time servers (NTP). This will ensure that your system time is always precise. CentOS 7 facilitates this using the chronyd service. To enable and start it, use:

sudo systemctl enable chronyd
sudo systemctl start chronyd

To check the synchronization status with NTP servers, you can use the command:

chronyc tracking

Proper timezone configuration is crucial for effective server and application management. In CentOS 7, this process is straightforward thanks to the timedatectl tool. Additionally, time synchronization with NTP servers will ensure that your system always operates with accurate time.