CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which protocol provides hardware-based time synchronization with precision in nanoseconds?

1. Network Time Protocol (NTP)

2. Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

3. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

4. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN)

The correct answer is: Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

The Precision Time Protocol (PTP) is designed specifically for high-precision time synchronization in network environments, achieving accuracy in the nanosecond range. Using mechanisms such as hardware timestamping, PTP minimizes the variability of timing signals across a network, allowing devices to synchronize their clocks with exceptional precision. This is essential in applications like financial trading, telecommunications, and industrial automation, where even tiny discrepancies can have significant consequences. In contrast, other protocols may not provide the same level of granularity or accuracy. The Network Time Protocol (NTP), for instance, typically achieves synchronization in the millisecond range, which is sufficient for most general applications but inadequate for scenarios that require nanosecond-level precision. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a protocol focused on securing communications over a network and does not address time synchronization at all. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is related to network efficiency and latency but does not specifically provide the precision in time synchronization that PTP offers. Thus, the uniqueness of PTP lies in its emphasis on high-precision synchronization for demanding applications, making it the correct answer.