| | | | | lost in a matter of seconds. |
| The world is becoming an ever smaller place. Modern | | | | Fortunately the world can trade in relative security |
| technology means that it is just as easy to make a | | | | thanks to UTC and NTP servers which allow the |
| purchase from the other side of the world as it is | | | | entire world to operate under one accurate time |
| buy something from our local high street. | | | | scale. |
| Everything from hotels and airline tickets to jewellery | | | | UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) was developed |
| and clothes can now be bought from the other side | | | | after the development of atomic clocks when it was |
| of the world with just a click of mouse. | | | | realised that the previous timescales (GMT) which |
| However, such global trade is only possible thanks to | | | | were based on the movement of the earth, were |
| accurate timing synchronisation made possible by the | | | | not very accurate as the Earth slows in its rotation. |
| use of UTC time and NTP servers. | | | | Instead UTC was developed which allows for |
| Just think next time you buy an airline ticket on the | | | | adjustments in the Earths rotation by adding leap |
| Internet, you may have bought the last seat on the | | | | seconds. UTC deals with timezones by simply adding |
| plane but what would happen if moments after | | | | or subtracting hours after the time such as UTC+5 or |
| somebody on a computer with a slower clock tried | | | | UTC-3. |
| to buy the same ticket. | | | | NTP (Network Time Protocol) was developed to |
| Obviously the seat has been sold but not according | | | | allow computer servers to synchronise all machines |
| to a computer which will check its log and could | | | | on a network to the same time. NTP servers usually |
| come to the conclusion that according to the clocks | | | | get their timing reference from either a specialist |
| the original transaction happened afterwards. | | | | UTC radio transmission or via the GPS network and |
| This type of confusion could lead to chaos particularly | | | | can synchronise all machines on that network to the |
| with time sensitive transaction and trading such as | | | | same time. |
| the stock exchange where millions can be made or | | | | |