Time Server Synchronisation The basics
NTP (Network Time Protocol) is an internet based protocol designed to synchronise the clocks on a computer network. It is the main time synchronisation software used in computer networks and is also packaged with most operating systems.
An NTP server is a dedicated device that receives a single time source then distributes it amongst all devices on a network. The protocol NTP monitors the drift of the internal clocks on a network and corrects for them.
An NTP server can receive a time source from either a national physical laboratory such as the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL), however, these time signals are broadcast via long wave radio and have finite range.
GPS NTP servers are designed to receive the time source generated by the atomic clocks onboard GPS satellites (Global Positioning System). GPS is available anywhere on the planet as a time source as long as there is a clear view of the sky.
Without correct synchronisation all sorts of potential problems can occur such as leaving a computer system vulnerable to fraud, malicious users and hackers. An unsynchronised computer network may also lose data and be difficult to audit.
A global timescale called UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) has been developed to ensure the entire world uses the same timescale. The NTP server utilise UTC ensuring the computer network is telling the same time as every other computer network.
