Setting the time-zone offset using syntax "set system time-zone <zone-name> <zone-offset> " seems to adjust the clock the wrong way. However, this is by design to comply with the POSIX time-zone standard.
Setting the time-zone offset using syntax "set system time-zone <zone-name> <zone-offset> " seems to adjust the clock the wrong way. For example, intending to set the time-zone to UTC+10 by using "+10" as the time-zone value, adjusts the clock to UTC -10; while setting the time-zone to "-10" adjusts the clock to UTC +10. Quite confusing!
(This peculiarity may be particularly noticeable for Eastern Hemisphere users where they are used to using the "+" symbol in their time-zone settings, while Western Hemisphere users, being used to using no sign, may not notice the odd behaviour.)
The customer example below is from Brisbane, Australia region which is at UTC+10 time zone (known locally as Eastern Standard Time or "EST"). The configuration, entered at approximately 1:45pm on 11-Mar-2010 local time (3:45am GMT/UTC), was captured as follows..
[edit] lab@srx210a# set system time-zone EST+10
[edit] lab@srx210a# commit commit complete
[edit] lab@srx210a# run show system uptime Current time: 2010-03-10 17:43:53 EST <-- clock should be 3:43pm 11/Mar, but instead adjusted to 5:43pm of previous day. This is set to UTC-10, not UTC+10! ...
[edit] lab@srx210a# set system time-zone EST-10
[edit] lab@srx210a# run show system uptime Current time: 2010-03-11 13:46:50 EST <-- clock now adjusted to correct time, UTC+10 ...
Some other settings were tested with the following summarized results..
Time-zone setting Local-time result "EST+10" GMT-10 "EST-10" GMT+10 "EST10" GMT-10 "Australia/Brisbane" GMT+10 <-- predefined regional time-zones work correctly.
While the time-zone settings appear to be adjusted the wrong way, this behaviour is by design as it complies with the POSIX time zone standard. To save confusion, it is best to use the predefined, regional time-zone settings where possible, however if this is not practical or not desired, then you need to take care and verify the setting is correct.
See also http://kb.juniper.net/KB9892 [juniper.net] on setting time-zone.