NTP Synchronization and FAQ
With a variety of acronyms and timescales the world of time synchronisation can be quite confusing here are some frequently asked questions we hope will help enlighten you.
What is NTP?
NTP is a protocol designed to synchronize computer networks across the internet or LAN (Local Area Networks). It is not the only time synchronization protocol available but it is the most widely used and the oldest having been conceived in the late 1980’s.
What are UTC and GMT?
UTC or Coordinated Universal Time is a global timescale, it is controlled by highly accurate atomic clocks but kept the same as GMT (Greenwich Meantime) by the use of leap seconds, added when the Earth’s rotation slows down. Strictly speaking GMT is the old civil timescale and based on when the sun is above the meridian line, however, as the two systems are identical in time thanks to leap seconds, UTC is often referred to as GMT and vice versa.
And a NTP Time Server?
These are devices that synchronize a computer network to UTC by receiving a time signal and distributing it with the protocol NTP which ensures all devices are running accurately to the timing reference.
Where to get UTC time from?
There are two secure methods of receiving UTC. The first is to utilize the long wave time signals broadcast by NIST (WWVB) NPL in the UK (MSF) and the German NPL (DCF) The other method is to use a the GPS network. GPS satellites broadcast an atomic clock signal that can be utilised and converted to UTC by the GPS NTP server.
