Precise time - thanks to NTP

Nowadays the correct date and time play an important role in nearly every situation in life. Without correct time interconnected systems / networks could not collaborate efficiently, therefore defined processes would not work.

Most computers do not have an adequate stable internal timer to maintain the exact time reliably on the hardware. Therefore many computers drift from the exact time between 0.2 and 0.5 seconds per day.
Thereby differences between the internal system time and an external reference time arise over time (in Western Europe the external reference time is provided via the DCF77 long-wave transmitter in Mainflingen near Frankfurt am Main; GPS is used for worldwide distribution of reference time).

For this reason mechanisms to enable connected computers to exchange and synchronize the correct time among each other were developed at a very early stage.
The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a synchronization protocol which synchronizes a system via network with an external, exact time source and which measures and compensates packet running times on the net. Thereby the Network Time Protocol acts as a service with disciplinary effect on the system-internal clock. NTP was developed by Professor David L. Mills in 1981 and is currently available in version 4.

NTP time server are divided in different levels. A level is described as stratum – one stratum defines the distance between the NTP time server and the external time source.
A stratum 1 time server is directly connected with the external time source (e.g. atomic clock, GPS, DCF77) and uses this external time source as a reference. A stratum 1 time server is used as a reference for a stratum 2 time server and so on.

Normally no more than 4 stratum levels are used; otherwise the inaccuracy increases with every stratum.

One of many stratum 1 time server of hopf Elektronik GmbH is the modular NTP time server 6844DekaFlex.
This NTP time server is equipped with 3 mutually independent NTP time server by default and can individually be extended on purchase with up to 7 mutually independent NTP time server.

Therefore the NTP time server 6844DekaFlex allows in each stage the highly precise synchronization of networks and industrial applications.

Get more information as well as the opportunity to configure the individual NTP time server 6844DekaFlex online at www.hopf.com/en/6844dekaflex.html .

For more than 40 years hopf Elektronik GmbH develops, manufactures and distributes highly-precise master and submaster clock systems. Our innovative solutions are used by well-known companies across the globe for time synchronization and time stamping of industrial applications, eg. the synchronization of computers, industrial networks or for realizing complex industry projects.

hopf Elektronik GmbH
Stefan Hofbauer, B.A.
Marketing & Sales
Nottebohmstraße 41
58511 Lüdenscheid

This release was published on openPR.