Internet Timekeeping Around the Globe

Abstract

This paper describes a massive survey of Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers and clients in order to discover statistics of time and frequency errors, as well as determine the health and welfare of the NTP synchronization subnet operating in the global Internet. Among the conclusions of the survey are that most NTP clocks are within 21 ms of their synchronization sources and all are within 29 ms on average. However, additional errors up to one-half the roundtrip delay are possible, but relatively rare. There is, however, a disturbing incidence of improperly operating sewers and misguided server configurations.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA509552

Entities

People

  • Ajit Thyagarjan
  • Brian C. Huffman
  • David L. Mills

Organizations

  • University of Delaware

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Algorithms
  • Clocks
  • Data Analysis
  • Databases
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Errors
  • Frequency
  • Internet
  • Intervals
  • Measurement
  • Networks
  • Operating Systems
  • Oscillators
  • Servers (Computer Hardware)
  • Time Intervals

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Educational Psychology
  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.