Difference between NTP and PTP

1. Network Time Protocol (NTP) :
It is a protocol that promotes the computer’s clock times to be synchronized in a system. This protocol is an application protocol that is qualified for the synchronization of hosts on a TCP/IP network. NTP was explained by David Mills in 1981 at the University of Delaware. This is needed in a communication mechanism so that a seamless connection is started between the machines. 

Features of NTP :
Some of the features of NTP are –

• NTP servers have entrance to highly accurate atomic clocks and GPU clocks.
• It utilizes Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to synchronize CPU clock time

2. Precision Time Protocol (PTP) :
It is a protocol that promotes the synchronization of clocks throughout a computer network. This protocol is used to synchronize clocks of different types of devices. PTP was led by John Edison in 1588 for the standardization and was published in the year 2002. This is required in achieving the exchange of messages across the communication medium in a synchronous medium. 

Features of PTP :
Some of the features of PTP are –

• It uses a Grand Master clock to synchronize the communication.
• It works on master-slave architecture.

Difference between NTP and PTP :

S. No	NTP	PTP
1.	It is short used for Network Time Protocol.	It is short used for Precision Time Protocol.
2.	NTP provides millisecond accuracy.	PTP provides sub-microsecond accuracy.
3.	It can achieve sub-microsecond accuracy by using hardware implementation.	It can achieve nanosecond accuracy using a better oscillator.
4.	It is designed to use in public networks and Wide Area Network’s (WAN).	It is designed in versions such as Version-1 for Local Area Network’s (LAN) and Version-2 for Wide Area Network’s (WAN).
5.	The NTP client can poll over various NTP servers.	In multicast mode, the single Grandmaster “pushes” time to one or more slaves.
6.	It provides security through Hash codes and improved clock selection.	It provides security through cryptography security mechanisms.
7.	Applications: Used in industrial automation, home networking, telecommunication, and military, etc.	Applications: Used in IT applications, generic time-stamping applications, and synchronization of computers, etc.