Network Time Protocol Client

Introduction

Sierra Chart has an advanced Network Time Protocol implementation to synchronize your local computer clock to a highly accurate network time protocol server which references an atomic clock.

This feature is used to ensure your clock is within milliseconds, of the actual time. The Network Time Protocol client is implemented in a way to ensure continuous high accuracy of your local computer clock.

Usage

The NTP client can be enabled in Sierra Chart through Global Settings >> NTP Settings. In that window, set Enable NTP Client to Yes. Press OK.

Additional Implementation Notes

The Network Time Protocol client in Sierra Chart is based upon RFC 5905.

Sierra Chart uses multiple NTP peers at the same time using the UDP protocol. The reason for this is that the connection to a single peer may not be fast or stable or there may not be a symmetric time between sending and receiving.

By using multiple peers, we are able to determine the correct offset value to correct the system clock. The more NTP peers that Sierra Chart connects to, means a more accurate offset value for correcting the system clock.

When the NTP Client when it is destroyed/deleted within Sierra Chart, it releases all resources and returns back to Operating System the time adjustment control.

Multiple threads are used in the NTP client in Sierra Chart for receiving NTP packets, processing these packets and adjusting the system time.