A timeserver consists of a computer networking device that reads the actual time from a reference clock and distributes this information to its clients using a computer network.

The most important and widely used protocol for distributing and synchronizing time is NTP, the Network Time Protocol, although other less-popular or outdated time protocols continue in use.

The time reference used by a timeserver could be another timeserver, a connected radio clock or atomic clock. See the NTP-FAQ (http://www.ntp.org/ntpfaq/NTP-a-faq.htm) for detailed descriptions of reference clocks used by a computer timeserver.

Commonly timeservers are multi-purpose network servers or dedicated timeservers. While a multi-purpose network server provides a number of different services to its clients, the only thing a dedicated timeserver offers is accurate time.

If you want to set up a timeserver by using an already existing network server (e.g. a file server), you need to install additional software. The widely used reference implementation of NTP can act as a server and a client and is freely available at the NTP-Homepage (http://www.ntp.org). A number of ports for the most popular operating systems is available, too.

If no network server is available to become a timeserver or if it is not desirable to install additional software on the existing servers of a computer network, a dedicated server could be the right choice.

There are several manufacturers of dedicated timeservers including:

• Meinberg Radio Clocks ( http://www.meinberg.de/english )
• FEI-Zyfer, Inc. ( http://www.fei-zyfer.com )

See Also

• NTP Network Time Protocol

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