NTP - Using an Atomic Clock Receiver for Time Synchronisation

This article explores Atomic Clock Technology in computer time synchronization

Atomic clocks are the most accurate timekeeping devices developed by man. Modern atomic clocks are so accurate that even in 100 million years less than a second of time would be lost.

This accuracy makes them ideal references for a NTP server (Network Time Protocol). NTP is a protocol widely used to synchronize computer networks across the Internet of local Area Network (LANs).

This article explains how to synchronise a computer network using NTP to an atomic clock source.

NTP Time Server - The Art of Synchronisation

This article explains network time synchronization

Even when the Internet when was its infancy, with no more than a few computers connected together it became apparent that there was a need for time synchronisation. Computers are easily confused particularly with time which can only travel in one direction.

When a communication is sent from one computer and received by seems to have arrived before it was sent and this can cause unforeseen problems.

Think about buying an airline ticket only to turn up at the airport to find somebody has bought your seat after you did because they booked it on a computer with a slower clock!

Installing a Dedicated NTP GPS Time Server

This article explains how to install a dedicated rack-mounted NTP GPS server that will synchronise a network to UTC time.

Configuring Windows 2003 to run as a NTP Network Time Server

This article explains how to configure Windows 2003 to run as a Network Time Server.

Time Server’s and the Importance of Synchronisation.

How a NTP server works

Copyright (c) 2008 Richard Williams

Time servers are like other computer servers in the sense they are usually located on a network. A time server gathers timing information, usually from an external hardware source and then synchronises the network to that time.

Often time servers are synchronised to a UTC (Coordinated Universal time) source which is the global standard time scale and allows computers all over the world to synchronised to exactly the same time. This has obvious importance in industries where exact timing is crucial such as the stock exchange or airline industry.

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