10 NTP Server Manufacturers in 2023
This section provides an overview for ntp servers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 ntp server manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
What Is an NTP Server?
An NTP server is a server that sends the current time over the Internet.
Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a protocol for retrieving and correcting time data between servers on a network and providing accurate current time to client PCs. Network devices such as PCs and routers use this protocol to obtain the current time from an NTP server.
Network devices, such as PCs and routers, use this protocol to obtain the current time from an NTP server, because if network devices were to communicate without an NTP server, they could cause problems by being out of sync with each other. Currently, an NTP server provide extremely accurate time based on atomic clocks.
Uses of NTP Servers
As mentioned earlier, NTP servers are used by all kinds of PCs and network devices. Home and office PCs also obtain their time from NTP servers.
NTP servers are also used by a variety of organizations, including the following:
- National and private universities
- Major telecommunications providers
- Major corporations
- Astronomical observation sites such as the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
- Independent administrative agencies in the information field
Principle of NTP Servers
The definition of one second was conventionally based on the speed of the earth's rotation, but is now defined by an electronic clock using cesium. The period of radiation of an atom of cesium-133 between two points is defined as one second.
This is the method of measuring seconds with the greatest precision at present. It is defined as the basic unit in the International System of Units (SI). In Japan, the NICT (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology) is used as the standard.
Hierarchical Structure of NTP
For the purpose of load balancing, NTP has a hierarchical structure, called a Stratum, which is numbered sequentially starting from 0.
Stratum 0 is the atomic clock and Stratum 1 is NICT's NTP servers, which uses the high precision time from the atomic clock to correct the time on the server.
The NTP server, Stratum 1, has a throughput of more than 1 million requests per second and is currently accessible from all over Japan. However, there is a concern that access to Stratum 1 may become so concentrated that normal processing will not take place.
To avoid this problem, we are currently operating the system with Stratum 2 and lower hierarchies, but we are concerned that a slight error will accumulate each time the hierarchy is lowered after Stratum 2. Therefore, the lower the hierarchy, the larger the error.
Other Information on NTP Servers
1. NTP Servers and Quartz Crystals
The quartz crystal is the traditional device used to accurately mark time. When a voltage is applied to this element, it vibrates with a fixed period. The PC hardware board uses these vibrations to keep time.
However, the quartz crystal oscillator deviates once per million seconds. This error is problematic because computers work in synchronization with each other's time data.
NTP servers are used to maintain more accurate time, and they obtain accurate time from an atomic clock and provide this data to network devices. This mechanism allows each PC to obtain the correct time and execute its own processes with high accuracy.
2. Major Public NTP Servers
A number of public organizations have made their NTP servers available to the public. Users can freely use these NTP servers. These public NTP servers are called Public NTP servers.
The most famous Public NTP servers are the Public NTP servers operated by NICT, whose address is "ntp.nict.jp". Cloudflare, a well-known CDN service provider, also provides Public NTP servers."
Google also provides public NTP servers, which are based on Google's own atomic clock and have no accuracy problems.
3. How to Set Up NTP Servers
The use of NTP servers requires some configuration work, but it can be done easily. The configuration method varies depending on the OS, but in Windows, it is as follows:
Select "Date and Time" from the Control Panel.
Select the "Internet Time" tab.
Set the address of the NTP servers you wish to use in the "Server" field.
If the OS time display is inaccurate, it is likely that the NTP servers settings have failed; changing the NTP servers settings will ensure that the time display is accurate.
List of 10 NTP Server Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Germany
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Microsemi
Network Time Servers
Company Overview
Microsemi Corporation was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. Microsemi is a subsidiary of Microchip Technology Incorporated. Microsemi is a provider of semiconductor and system solutions for aerospace, communications, data center, and industrial markets. A few of Microsemi’s product lines include high-performance and radiation-hardened analog mixed-signal integrated circuits, FPGAs, power management products, timing and synchronization devices, and RF solutions. Microsemi’s technological strengths are in connectivity, energy efficiency, miniaturization, power management, and security.
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GE Gas Power
NTP Server
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Cisco Systems, Inc.
Network Time Protocol
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National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST authenticated Network Time Protocol(NTP) server
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TimeTools Limited
TimeTools T300 GPS NTP Server
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TimeMachines
NTP Server
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Brandywine Communications
Network Time Servers (NTP & PTP)
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NTP Server Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of April 2023 Globally
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandywine Communications | 100% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the ntp server page as of April 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
- WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.: 1996 (27 years ago)
- Microsemi: 1986 (37 years ago)
- Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co: 1979 (44 years ago)
Company with a History
- Meinberg Funkuhren GmbH & Co: 1979 (44 years ago)
- Microsemi: 1986 (37 years ago)
- WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.: 1996 (27 years ago)
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