NTP has featured prominently in the news recently following a spate of NTP based DDoS attacks. That's why everyone is raving about it. Discover six reasons why NTP time server use could be ideal for your company.
Precise time keeping is very useful for scheduling backups through to monitoring computer network security breaches. Such accurate time can only be achieved by a dedicated NTP server.
Whilst accurate time-keeping across your computer network may not be a high-priority for your company, it's worth understanding that accurate time will have a very significant bearing on computer networks in the future. Why? To improve computer network security...
Your computer network could be subjected to a DDoS attack at any time and you may not even be aware that it has happened. Yet, the presence of an NTP time server neutralises the impact, meaning you never have to worry about time-related security threats again.
However, let the clocks on your computers get out of sync and you risk losing data valuable to your business...
Reason #1 for NTP time server use - Scheduled Data Backups
Routine backups are critical to any business. However, systems that are way out of sync may fail to back up correctly, or even at all. This could result in the loss of valuable data and leave your system exposed to hackers.
Installation of an NTP time server means you would never have to worry about missing a scheduled data backup for your computer network again.
Reason #2 for NTP time server use - Maintaining Network Accelerators
Network Accelerators, and similar devices, use caching systems which could rely substantially on file time stamps to figure out which version of data is the most current. Poor time synchronisation can cause such devices to stop working properly and use incorrect versions of data.
The presence of an NTP time server would eliminate this problem meaning you never have to worry about incorrect data usage again.
Reason #3 for NTP time server use - Maintaining Network Management Systems
When errors occur across your computer network, using information stored in system logs is an essential part of diagnosing a fault. However, if the timing for these logs is not in sync the process of identifying a fault will take much longer, leading to delays in getting a system working again.
Reason #4 for NTP time server use - Security Breach Analysis
In the event of a network security breach, identifying how your network was compromised and how your data was infiltrated may only be possible if you have accurate, time-stamped server and router logs. Hackers will delete logs where they can, however, when they are unable to the job will be far more difficult.
If time data is inaccurate, hackers are presented with much more time to exploit your network and inflict greater damage. Purchase of an NTP time server would prevent this problem meaning you never have to worry about being unable to track security breaches again.
Reason #5 for NTP time server use - Compliance Regulations
Certain industry sectors, such as the financial sector and emergency services in the UK are required, by law, to keep an accurate time record of information. In the future, accurate time-stamps may become the norm across many industry sectors.
Reason #6 for NTP time server use - Maintaining Trading Systems
Organisations across some industry sectors could potentially engage in thousands of electronic transactions every second of every day. The stock exchange is one particular example and in such an environment the accuracy of system clocks is pivotal to keeping business moving.
What is NTP useful for?
The majority of companies throughout the world use Network Time Protocol (NTP), therefore without it, time synchronisation is practically unfeasible.
Galleon Systems specialise in the design and manufacture of Network Time Servers, which synchronise time across thousands of devices connected to a network. Units come complete with an industry leading 6 year warranty. Visit http://www.galsys.co.uk