After the TP process is successfully contacted, DTS makes the ServerRequestProviderTime procedure call to obtain the timestamps from the external time-provider. The parameters passed in the ServerRequestProviderTime procedure call consist of the following elements:
· Binding Handle
An input parameter that establishes the relationship between DTS and the TP process. A binding handle enables the client (DTS) to recognize and find a server (the TP process) that offers the same interface.
· Time Response Message
An output parameter that contains a TP process status value (K_TPI_SUCCESS or K_TPI_FAILURE), a count of the timestamps that are returned, and the timestamps obtained from the external time-provider. The timestamp count is an integer in the range K_MIN_TIMESTAMPS to K_MAX_TIMESTAMPS. Each timestamp consists of three utc time values:
- The system clock time immediately before the TP process polls the external time source. (The TP process normally obtains the time from the utc_gettime( ) DTS API routine.)
- The time value returned to the TP process by the external time source.
- The system clock time immediately after the external time source is read. (The TP process obtains the time from the utc_gettime( ) DTS API routine.)
· Communication Status
An output parameter that contains a status code returned by the DCE RPC runtime library. The status rpc_s_ok is returned if the TP process is successfully contacted.