What is Time server?
A '''time server''' is a special [[computer]] in a [[computer network]]. It is important that computers on a network use the same time. Time servers use an [[atomic clock]], or they ask other computers on the network about the time. They then tell this time to all the other computers in the same network. Common [[protocol]]s to do this are the [[Daytime Protocol]] and the [[Network Time Protocol]] (NTP). NTP calls the quality of a time server its stratum. Stratum can be anything form 0 to 255 and lower is better. It is rare to see a network with a source worse than stratum 5. *Stratum 0 time sources are the actual clocks that track the time, usually an [[atomic clock]] or [[GPS]] receiver. *Stratum 1 time sources are what most people mean when they talk about a time server. They get their timing information from a master clock and send it out to the network. *Stratum 2 time sources are computers that get their clock information from a stratum 1 time server. They use NTP to talk to each other as well as their stratum 1 servers so they can have the best time information possible. Every level that is added of time servers getting information from a source close to the master clock and passing it farther away from the master clock increases the stratum level. {{Tech-stub}} [[Category:Servers]]