Knowledge Base
Clear explanations of time synchronisation protocols and hardware. Written by Daylight bv from 35 years of installation experience. Every article references the official IETF and IEEE sources.
What is NTP? Network Time Protocol explained
What is NTP? Network Time Protocol synchronises clocks across a network down to milliseconds. How does it work, and why do modern networks need it?
5 min read protocolsNTP vs PTP: when to choose which protocol?
NTP vs PTP is the core choice in time synchronisation: NTP delivers milliseconds, PTP delivers nanoseconds. What is the precise difference, and when does PTP justify the extra investment?
6 min read protocolsGNSS disciplining: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou together
GNSS disciplining combines GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou in modern time servers. Why is that multi-constellation approach a significant upgrade over GPS-only?
5 min read hardwareHoldover NTP: TCXO, OCXO and Rubidium compared
Holdover NTP determines how long your time server keeps running when the GNSS feed drops out. TCXO, OCXO or Rubidium: the oscillator type decides minutes, hours or days of autonomy.
5 min read protocolsIEEE 1588 vs IEC 61850 Power Profile: what is the difference?
IEEE 1588 and IEC 61850-9-3 are both PTP standards, but IEC 61850-9-3 adds requirements for electrical substations. What are the practical consequences when choosing a protocol?
4 min read installationPoE NTP clock: requirements in practice
A PoE NTP clock makes installations far cheaper, but three pitfalls come up every month. PoE class, switch budget and cable length decide whether the clock keeps running stably.
4 min read protocolsNTP stratum levels and accuracy budgets
NTP stratum runs from 0 to 15: the further from the source, the larger the time deviation. How do you plan the stratum hierarchy for your network, and what accuracy budgets apply per layer?
4 min read serviceMasterclock warranty: 5-year coverage via Daylight
The Masterclock warranty is a standard 5-year limited warranty. What is included, what is excluded, and how does the process run via Daylight as authorised Masterclock distributor?
3 min read protocolsWhat is PTP? Precision Time Protocol explained
What is PTP? Precision Time Protocol (IEEE 1588) synchronises clocks across a network down to nanoseconds. How does it work, where does it differ from NTP, and which profiles exist?
8 min read protocolsPower Profile IEC 61850-9-3 vs IEEE C37.238 compared
Power Profile IEC 61850-9-3 and IEEE C37.238 are the two PTP profiles for digital substations. What distinguishes them, and how do you choose the right grandmaster for your power grid?
7 min read protocolsSMPTE timecode LTC VITC: variants for broadcast
SMPTE timecode LTC and VITC are the classic timestamp formats for audio and video. How do they compare, and what role does the modern SMPTE 2059-2 PTP variant play in broadcast?
8 min readSpecific question about your use case?
The articles give a general framework. For advice tailored to your scale, environment and compliance requirements, call Daylight bv. We review the site survey and architecture with you before issuing a quote.
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