The World Cup and the NTP Server

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As half the world is engrossed in the four yearly football tournament, it is a good opportunity to highlight the importance of accurate time and how it enables the entire world to watch events such as the Fifa World Cup.

Many of us have been glued to the love football coverage that is being broadcast by a multitude of different broadcasters and TV companies to nearly all countries across the globe.

But nearly all the technologies that enable this mass global live transmission: from the communication satellites that beam the signal across the globe, to the receivers that distribute them to our dishes, cable boxes and aerials.

And with online broadcasting now part and parcel of the whole live sporting event package – accurate time is even more important.

NTP time servers

With signals being bounced from football stadiums to satellites and then to our homes, it is essential that all the technologies involved are synchronised as accurately as possible. Failure to do so could cause the signals to get lost, create interferences or cause a qhole host of other problems.

Most technologies rely on time servers to ensure accuracy and synchronisation. Most time synchronisation servers use the protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol) to distribute time across technology networks.

These devices use a single time source, often acquired from an external atomic clock that is used to set all system clocks on devices to.

Most modern computer networks have a NTP time server that controls the time. These devices are simple to set up and in a modern, global world, are a must have for anybody conscious about accuracy and security (Many security and malicious network attacks are caused due to a lack of synchronisation).

A single NTP time server can keep a network of hundreds and even thousands of machines accurate to within a few milliseconds to the world’s global timescale UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

A New Slim 1U Rackmount Dual Time Server from Galleon Systems

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Leading providers of time synchronisation equipment and Network Time Protocol Products, Galleon Systems, have released a compact new 1U rackmountable dual time server.

Galleon’s new NTS 6001 1U rackmountable NTP time server can receive atomic clock timing signals from both the Global Positioning System (GPS) and national time and frequency radio transmissions.

Designed to fit snugly into any server rack, the 1U NTS 6001 is a stratum 1 time server capable of symphonizing a network of hundred of machines to within a few
milliseconds of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

The NTS 6001 consists of both an integral GPS receiver that can simultaneously track up to 12 satellites, and a high gain radio receiver that can receive the MSF (UK), WWVB (USA) and DCF (Germany) radio transmissions.

The NTS- 6001 dual time server features:

  • NTP Version 4
  • Ethernet NTP output jitter typically within 50 microseconds of UTC.
  • High Reliability – solid state design and convection cooled
  • Easy to use – web based user interface for system configuration and management.
  • Free firmware upgrades.
  • LCD display
  • 3 Year Warranty.

The NTS 6001 is the latest in a long line of highly precise NTP time synchronisation devices from atomic clock experts Galleon Systems.

Manufactured in the UK, Galleon Systems have a wide range of other NTP and time synchronisation devices used worldwide by thousands of organizations who need accurate, reliable and precise time.

For more information please contact:
https://www.galsys.co.uk/
0121 608 4433
sales(at)galleonmail(dot)com

Ensure Accurate Time with an Atomic Wall Clock

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Written By Richard Williams for Galleon Systems

Accuracy in timekeeping is forever becoming more important in the modern global economy. Industries and business around the globe are now often communicating with each despite the time zone differences.

There was a time when a few minutes here or there rarely mattered but now, knowing exactly what time it is has become more and more important as conference calls and over-the-internet webinars are often scheduled as part of regular business.

Global Timescale

Fortunately, to prevent the headache of working out all the different time-zones you may have to deal with, there is a global timescale that is now adopted by the global community. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is an atomic clock controlled time used globally and kept precise and accurate by physics laboratories around the world.

UTC enables accurate communication and forms and is used by many high end technologies to ensure accuracy such as the network time server (NTP server – Network Time Protocol). Often these devices receive the UTC time directly from atomic clocks thanks to radio broadcasts from people like NIST (USA’s National Institute for Standards and Time) and NPL (UK’s National Physical Laboratory)

Atomic Wall Clocks

And when it comes to people telling the time, these same radio signals can also be utilised by an atomic wall clock. Atomic wall clocks, despite what the name suggests, are not atomic clocks. In essence they are comprised of a standard clock device and a radio antenna and receive. The atomic clocks signals broadcast by the physics laboratories can be received and the clock regularly adjusts itself to ensure that the clock is accurate to UTC to the second.

Do I Really Need A NTP Server For Time Synchronisation?

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Time synchronisation is a critical aspect to modern computing, especially when computers are on a network or need to communicate with other networked machines.

Timestamps are crucial for computers to acknowledge when an event occurred and it is the only information they have to ascertain if an event has occurred. Without accurate time stamps the consequences can include:

• Loss of data
• Difficult to log errors
• Difficult to debug
• Failure to save
• Time sensitive applications may fail

Modern operating systems like Windows 7 have automatic synchronisation software already installed. W32Time has been a part of Microsoft’s different generations of operating systems for some time but in Windows 7 it is set to be automatically on (Rather than the user having to set it) – synchronising your PC straight out of the box.

With such NTP (Network Time Protocol) based synchronisation available by using internet time servers (normally Microsoft and NIST) many people may wonder if a dedicated time server is still required.

Problems with Internet Time Servers

There are several drawbacks to using this Internet time as a source of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time – the global timescale often referred to as GMT).

The first and most important drawback to internet time servers is their location through the firewall. Having to rely on a source of time across the internet means keeping the TCP port open – a crucial security weakness that can be used by malicious users or bots.

Another downside to internet time servers is their lack of guaranteed accuracy. While places like NIST (National Institute for Standards and Time) and Microsoft have reliable and accurate time servers – the accuracy can be dependent on how far away you are peering from. And many other time servers available as a source of internet time are less reliable – and as NTP can’t authenticate a time signal from across the internet – it can be difficult to assess.

Benefits of an External NTP Server

Dedicated external NTP servers are far more secure. They receive their tie from GPS satellites of Long Wave transmissions so the signals can’t be intercepted by computer hackers or malicious software. Also, NTP can authenticate the signals ensuring you know where they are coming from and how accurate they are.

With time being so important on modern networked computers, taking a risk with internet time may cost a lot more than any minor investment in a dedicated NTP time server.