Glossary · Data, timing and communication
Time synchronization
Also known as: time sync, clock synchronization
German: Zeitsynchronisierung
In systems engineering, time synchronization is the coordination of clocks across system elements so that events and data can be interpreted consistently, for example with the Network Time Protocol (NTP) or the Precision Time Protocol (PTP).
- Data and interfaces
- Integrated systems
In one sentence
Time synchronization aligns clocks across devices so timestamps can be compared, which event analysis, stale-data checks and audit trails depend on.
Example
In an integrated production line, the PLCs, drives and vision system synchronize to one PTP time source so that a reject signal can be matched to the right product.
How it applies
- Integrated systems: Specify the time source, protocol, required accuracy and what devices do when synchronization is lost. Without it, timestamps from different devices cannot be compared and event sequences are reconstructed wrongly.
- Functional safety: Age checks for stale data depend on a consistent time base. A clock jump can make old data look fresh or valid data look stale, so monitor the synchronization status.
- Evidence: Incident analysis and audit trails need a reliable order of events across systems. Record the time source and store times in UTC or with a UTC offset.
- Cybersecurity: Time sources and synchronization protocols are part of the network's attack surface and belong in the security analysis.