---
title: ''
description: Telegraf plugin for collecting metrics from OpenNTPD
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/input-plugins/openntpd/
estimated_tokens: 1065
product: Telegraf Enterprise
version: v1
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/input-plugins/openntpd/
date: '2026-06-08T21:54:11+02:00'
lastmod: '2026-06-08T21:54:11+02:00'
---

==========

* Telegraf v1.12.0+

[Plugin source](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/tree/v1.39.1/plugins/inputs/openntpd/)[Download configuration](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/influxdata/telegraf/refs/tags/v1.39.1/plugins/inputs/openntpd/sample.conf)

# OpenNTPD Input Plugin

This plugin gathers metrics from [OpenNTPD](http://www.openntpd.org/) using the `ntpctl`command.

> [!Note]
> The `ntpctl` binary must be present on the system and executable by Telegraf.
> The plugin supports using `sudo` for execution.

**Introduced in:** Telegraf v1.12.0**Tags:** server, network**OS support:** all

## Global configuration options

Plugins support additional global and plugin configuration settings for tasks
such as modifying metrics, tags, and fields, creating aliases, and configuring
plugin ordering. See [CONFIGURATION.md](/telegraf/v1/configuration/#plugins) for more details.

## Configuration

```toml
# Get standard NTP query metrics from OpenNTPD.
[[inputs.openntpd]]
  ## Run ntpctl binary with sudo.
  # use_sudo = false

  ## Location of the ntpctl binary.
  # binary = "/usr/sbin/ntpctl"

  ## Maximum time the ntpctl binary is allowed to run.
  # timeout = "5s"
```

### Permissions

It’s important to note that this plugin references `ntpctl`, which may require
additional permissions to execute successfully. Depending on the user/group
permissions of the telegraf user executing this plugin, you may need to alter
the group membership, set facls, or use sudo.

#### Group membership (recommended)

```bash
$ groups telegraf
telegraf : telegraf

$ usermod -a -G ntpd telegraf

$ groups telegraf
telegraf : telegraf ntpd
```

#### Sudo privileges

If you use this method, you will need the following in your telegraf config:

```toml
[[inputs.openntpd]]
  use_sudo = true
```

You will also need to update your sudoers file:

```bash
$ visudo
# Add the following lines:
Cmnd_Alias NTPCTL = /usr/sbin/ntpctl
telegraf ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: NTPCTL
Defaults!NTPCTL !logfile, !syslog, !pam_session
```

Please use the solution you see as most appropriate.

## Metrics

* openntpd

  * tags:
    * remote (remote peer address or hostname)
    * stratum (remote peer stratum)
    * state\_prefix (ntpctl state indicator, e.g. `*` for active peer;
      omitted when absent)

  * fields:
    * delay (round trip delay to the remote peer in milliseconds; `float`)
    * jitter (mean deviation (jitter) for remote peer in milliseconds; `float`)
    * offset (mean offset (phase) to remote peer in milliseconds; `float`)
    * poll (polling interval in seconds; `int`)
    * next (number of seconds until the next poll; `int`)
    * wt (peer weight; `int`)
    * tl (peer trust level; `int`)

* openntpd\_sensors (one metric per hardware/GPS sensor)

  * tags:
    * sensor (sensor device name, e.g. `nmea0`)
    * refid (sensor reference ID, e.g. `GPS`)
    * state\_prefix (ntpctl state indicator, e.g. `*` for active sensor;
      omitted when absent)

  * fields:
    * wt (sensor weight; `int`)
    * gd (sensor good count; `int`)
    * st (sensor stratum; `int`)
    * next (seconds until next poll; `int`)
    * poll (polling interval in seconds; `int`)
    * offset (sensor offset in milliseconds; `float`)
    * correction (sensor correction in milliseconds; `float`)

* openntpd\_status (one metric per gather, system-level summary)

  * fields:
    * peers\_valid (number of currently valid peers; `int`)
    * peers\_total (total number of configured peers; `int`)
    * sensors\_valid (number of currently valid sensors; `int`)
    * sensors\_total (total number of configured sensors; `int`)
    * constraint\_offset\_s (constraint offset in seconds; `int`)
    * clock\_synced (1 if the local clock is synced, 0 otherwise; `int`)
    * stratum (local clock stratum; `int`)

## Example Output

```text
openntpd,remote=194.57.169.1,stratum=2 tl=10i,poll=1007i,offset=2.295,jitter=3.896,delay=53.766,next=266i,wt=1i 1514454299000000000
openntpd_sensors,sensor=nmea0,refid=GPS,state_prefix=* wt=10i,gd=1i,st=0i,next=1i,poll=15i,offset=-0.673,correction=0.6 1514454299000000000
openntpd_status peers_valid=12i,peers_total=12i,sensors_valid=1i,sensors_total=1i,constraint_offset_s=-1i,clock_synced=1i,stratum=1i 1514454299000000000
```