How Do You Synchronise A Computer Network Using The Time Protocol (NTP)?
Synchronisation of modern computer networks is vitally important for a multitude of reasons, and thanks to the time protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol) this is relatively straightforward. NTP is an algorithmic protocol that analyses the time on different computers and compares it to a single time reference and adjusts each clock for drift to ensure synchronisation with the time source. NTP is so capable at this task that a network synchronised using the protocol can realistically obtain millisecond accuracy. Choosing the time source When it comes to establishing a time reference there really is no alternative than to find a source of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). UTC is the global timescale, used throughout the world as a single timescale by computer networks. UTC is kept accurate by a constellation of atomic clocks throughout the world. Synchronising to UTC The most basic method of receiving a UTC Time source is to use a stratum 2 internet time server. These are deemed stratum 2
