[ntp:questions] 3 Peer server at same stratum

Richard B. gilbert rgilbert88 at comcast.net
Sun Mar 4 15:18:19 UTC 2007


Riccardo wrote:
> Ok, How is't possible that these three peer servers share time information
> among themselves ?
> 
> For example:
> Server "A" shall retrieve time information (for example "TI-1") from public
> server of stratum 1 (ntp1.ien.it),
> Server "B" shall retrieve time information (for example "TI-2") from public
> server of stratum 1 (ntp2.fau.de),
> Server "C" shall retrieve time information (for example "TI-3") from public
> server of stratum 1 (ptbtime1.ptb.de),
> 
> TI-1, TI-2, TI-3 are three time information which are many similar but they
> can't being the same time(for few milliseconds), so "two of them" must align
> with the other in order to share time information, I think.
> What's logic to select the server (among these 3 peers) which gives reliable
> time to two others ?

Server "A"  should get time from servers AS1, AS2, AS3 and AS4.  Four 
servers is the minimum for reliability.

Server "B" should get time from BS1, AS2, AS3, and AS4.  (note that one 
server, BS1, is unique.)

Server "C" should get time from AS1, CS2, AS3, and AS4.  Again, one 
server is unique.

Server "D" should get time from AS1, AS2, DS3, and AS4.

Without at least one unique server a peer really has nothing to contribute.

I believe that the peers are then supposed to debate with each other and 
converge to a common time.  See Professor Mills' slides (links at 
http://ntp.org/) for the details.




More information about the questions mailing list