| Precision and time synchronisation is highly | | | | Now click Ok. |
| important for modern computer networks, | | | | To set the poll intervals locate: |
| without synchronisation many time sensitive | | | | tServicesW32TimeParameters |
| transactions would be impossible to carry out. | | | | In the right pane, right-click Period, then click |
| The internal clock in computers does keep time | | | | Modify. |
| and date information but these Real Time Chips | | | | In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, |
| are not designed to keep perfect time as | | | | type 24 then OK |
| computers are mass produced and optimized for | | | | Exit Registry Editor |
| low cost rather than being perfect clocks. | | | | Click Start, then Run then type the following and |
| Of course for a lot of applications this can be | | | | press Enter: |
| more than adequate but for time-sensitive | | | | Net stop w32time && net start w32time |
| transactions such as online purchasing not having a | | | | Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an Internet |
| network that is synchronised can cause errors in | | | | protocol used for the transfer of accurate time, |
| transactions and can even leave the network | | | | providing time information along so that a precise |
| vulnerable to fraud. | | | | time can be obtained |
| Fortunately Windows Server from 2000 onwards | | | | To enable the Network Time Protocol; NTPserver, |
| has a time synchronisation utility built in call | | | | locate and click: |
| windows time (w32time.exe) this can be | | | | tServicesW32TimeTimeProvidersNtpServer |
| configured to allow the machine to be used as | | | | In the right pane, right-click Enabled, then click |
| time server. | | | | Modify. |
| Windows time uses a form of NTP (Network | | | | In the Edit DWord Value box, type 1 under Value |
| Time Protocol) which was developed over 20 | | | | data, then click OK. |
| years ago. It uses an algorithm to synchronise | | | | Now go back and click on |
| time on a network. NTP (version 4) can maintain | | | | tServicesW32TimeParametersNtpServer |
| time over the public Internet to within 10 | | | | In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, then |
| milliseconds (1/100th of a second) and can | | | | Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value under Value |
| perform even better over LANs with accuracies | | | | Data type In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, |
| of 200 microseconds (1/5000th of a second) | | | | then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value under |
| under ideal conditions. | | | | Value Data type the Domain Name System |
| NTP uses a single time reference and | | | | (DNS), each DNS must be unique and you must |
| synchronises all machines on the network to that | | | | append 0x1 to the end of each DNS name |
| time. It can be configured to both synchronise a | | | | otherwise changes will not take effect. |
| network using the internal clock or an external | | | | Now click Ok. |
| time source. | | | | Locate and click the following |
| Note: Microsoft strongly recommends that you | | | | llInterval |
| configure a time server with a hardware source | | | | In the right pane, right-click SpecialPollInterval, then |
| rather than from the internet where there is no | | | | click Modify. |
| authentication. | | | | In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, |
| To configure the Windows Time service to use | | | | type the number of seconds you want for each |
| an external time source, click Start, Run and type | | | | poll, ie 900 will poll every 15 minutes, then click |
| regedit then click OK. | | | | OK. |
| Locate the subkey: | | | | To configure the time correction settings, locate: |
| tServicesW32TimeParameters | | | | tServicesW32Timeconfig |
| Right-click Type then Modify, in edit Value type | | | | In the right pane, right-click |
| NTP in the Value data box then OK. | | | | MaxPosPhaseCorrection, then Modify, in the Edit |
| Right click ReliableTimeSource, then click Modify. | | | | DWORD Value box, under Base, click Decimal, |
| In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, | | | | under Value Data, type a time in seconds such as |
| type 0, then click OK. | | | | 3600 (an hour) then click OK. |
| Right-click NtpServer in the right pane then click | | | | Now go back and click: |
| Modify. | | | | tServicesW32Timeconfig |
| In Edit Value, type the Domain Name System | | | | In the right pane, right-click |
| (DNS), each DNS must be unique. | | | | MaxNegPhaseCorrection, then Modify. |