9 Time and timekeeping
This chapter covers
- Understanding how a computer keeps time
- How operating systems represent timestamps
- Synchronizing atomic clocks with the Network Time Protocol (NTP)
In this chapter, you’ll produce an NTP (Network Time Protocol) client that requests the current time from the world’s network of public time servers. It’s a fully functioning client that can be included in your own computer’s boot process to keep it in sync with the world.
Understanding how time works within computers supports your efforts to build resilient applications. The system clock jumps both backwards and forwards in time. Knowing why this happens allows you to anticipate and prepare for that eventuality.
Your computer also contains multiple physical ...
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