This article explains the importance of time synchronisation in modern computer networks and explores NTP (Network Time Protocol) and how it is used.

Time
servers are like other computer servers in the sense they are usually located
on a network. A time server gathers timing information, usually from an
external hardware source and then synchronises the network to that time.

Often time
servers are synchronised to a UTC (Coordinated Universal time) source which is
the global standard time scale and allows computers all over the world to
synchronised to exactly the same time. This has obvious importance in
industries where exact timing is crucial such as the stock exchange or airline
industry.

Are you someone who couldn’t find your way out of a paper bag? Or do you have kids who, unfortunately, can find their way into more dicey situations than they have a right to, and you only wish you had a way of keeping tabs on their whereabouts? Do you own a business with a fleet of vehicles and have a sneaking suspicion that not all the miles being logged on them are legitimate? Do you love to spend hours or days out on the water?

With the price of gas rapidly approaching 4 dollars per gallon, can you afford to be driving around looking for a location you need to be? Not to mention the cost of your time, or the aggravation of not finding what you’re looking for. People die every year because they take a wrong turn and get stuck on a snowy, isolated road. With the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS) you never have to be lost again.

You may have bought, or rented, a car with a GPS system to help you navigate your way in strange locations; if not, you have almost certainly seen commercials advertising vehicular onboard systems which can help pinpoint your position in case of an emergency. You may even have GPS technology in a PDA or on your cell phone; GPS systems are gradually becoming commonplace. But you may not know exactly how GPS systems work.

Global Positioning System, or GPS, is a satellite based navigational technology which enables companies with large fleets of vehicles spread out over a large amount of territory to have a constant fix both on where their vehicles are, and where they have previously been.

Better Than Cellular

GPS fleet tracking has a great advantage over cellular communications between a company and its fleet drivers, simply because the satellite providing location information will not encounter dead zones the way cellular technology can. The link between GPS fleet tracking receivers and GPS satellites remains intact evening the presence of tall buildings or heavy foliage.

A GPS unit can be purchased in stores for anywhere between $100-$1000 dollars and allows a user to know their location anywhere in the world. Unlike the GPS receiver the actual global positioning system is composed of approximately 30 satellites, which orbit the earth. Furthermore, at any time of the day, anywhere in the world, there must be at least 3 GPS satellites visible for a receiver (unit) to function properly. By using radio frequencies to contact the GPS network of satellites a receiver can pin-point a users location via a process called three dimensional trilateration.

GPS (Global Positioning Systems) have been around for quite some time now. Its first use was with the military, but they have more recently been associated with civilian navigation devices. The latter is the topic of this discussion.

There are three components necessary for the success of a Global Positioning System. Those components are made up of 24 satellites, GPS Receivers, and ground stations. Each component must work in harmony or there will be inaccurate readings. A brief description of each and their functionality follows.

The GPS, or Global Positioning System, was originally developed by the military to pinpoint targets anywhere in the world. It has been used for a host of civilian applications for some years now.

Today, GPS devices are now portable - they can not only be fitted in your car, but also come as hand-held devices the size of a cell phone! If you have a GPS device, or are planning to get one, here are a just a few things you can do with it: