Computer network time synchronization
Computer network time synchronization
The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a client/server protocol used for synchronizing of the internal clock of computers connected in standard computer networks. There is also a simplified version of NTP - Small Network Time Protocol (SNTP). SNTP doesn't use as sophisticated synchronization algorithms as NTP does. SNTP also lacks some other functions, e.g. verification of clients, encryption, broadcasting, etc. SNTP is quite sufficient for standard time synchronization.
NTP/SNTP is supported by majority of operating systems. TCP/IP packet structure is used for NTP communication in a computer network.
In the computer network there are one or more NTP servers (providers of synchronized time information), and NTP clients - synchronized computers.
OSC offers solution for synchronizing of local networks using NTP standard. This offer includes NTP servers and clients.
NTP servers:
- HW server: GPSNTP - miniature SNTP server with integrated GPS receiver, GNTP - miniature NTP server with integrated GPS
- SW server: software package NTPD for PC. It can be operated under the WindowsNT and higher or under QNX/LINUX. It realizes NTP server whose time is derived from central time system GPSD or GPSA
NTP clients:
- SW client: OSCNTP client for WidowsNT and higher. It realizes function of NTP client on PC and synchronizes its internal clock with NTP server.
- HW client: Ethernet NTP digital wall clocks - DT100-4-E, DT100-8C-E, DT20-6v6 or DT20-6v11. It displays time information received from NTP server.
