CTS offers network time services to UCLA. These services allow your Macintosh, Windows, or Unix workstation to obtain and maintain accurate time.
CTS, in conjunction with the U.S. Naval Observatory, operates a Stratum 1 time source which is directly synchonized to atomic clocks onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.

General information on time services can be found at the Time Synchronization Server page.

Internet Time Protocols
There are three Internet time protocols:

The Time Protocol (RFC 868) provides a simple way for a system to poll for the current time from a time server.

The Network Time Protocol, or NTP (RFC 1305), is a much more sophisticated protocol which allows a system to continuously synchronize its clock against multiple time servers (to protect against transiently misbehaving servers), with adjustment for network latency and clock drift. An NTP FAQ is available, and current discussion on NTP can be found in the comp.protocols.time.ntp newsgroup (accessible through a web browser if a news server is set, or through a newsreader). See also the NTP pages at the University of Delaware.

The Simple Network Time Protocol, or SNTP (RFC 1769), is a simplified RFC 1305 implementation for clients. This allows a client to take advantage of some of the features of an RFC1305 service without a full RFC1305 implementation.

RFC 1305 (or RFC 1769 if appropriate) should always be used in preference over RFC 868 wherever possible.

What are UCLA’s time servers?
There are four time servers on campus:
CTS tick.ucla.edu
Stratum: 1
164.67.62.194
RFC 1305/1769

CTS tock.ucla.edu
Stratum: 2
164.67.62.212 RFC 1305/1769

Library time3.ucla.edu
Stratum: 2
164.67.80.80 RFC 868, RFC 1305/1769

Library time4.ucla.edu
Stratum: 2
164.67.41.8 RFC 868, RFC 1305/1769

As IP addresses are subject to change, always use the host name in preference to the IP address if possible. Unfortunately, some time software will only accept an IP address.

Where do I obtain software?
Software is available for DOS, Java, Macintosh, OS/2, Unix, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows NT. Please refer to the Time Synchronization Software page.

For Unix running the xntp software (ftp://ftp.udel.edu/pub/ntp), be sure to update it to fit your network environment.

I need help getting this to work.For For client software, please contact your Computing Support Coordinator (CSC).

Tell me more about the Stratum 1 Time Source.
Located within the CTS Network Control Center, the time source is an HP9000 A-Class Model A180C computer with a GPS satellite receiver card. It receives time from up to six GPS satellites. The GPS satellites each contain two cesium (Cs) and two rubidium (Rb) atomic clocks. Time is distributed via NTP to USNO stratum 1 servers in Washington, D.C. and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and to Stratum 2 servers around the world.