The SNTP module implements the Simple Network Time Protocol. The module (by default) updates its internal time every 10 minutes using a pool of public global time servers. It then calculates reference times on any call to SNTPGetUTCSeconds using the internal Tick timer module.
The SNTP module is good for providing absolute time stamps. However, it should not be relied upon for measuring time differences (especially small differences). The pool of public time servers is implemented using round-robin DNS, so each update will come from a different server. Differing network delays and the fact that these servers are not verified implies that this time could be non-linear. While it is deemed reliable, it is not guaranteed to be accurate.
The Tick module provides much better accuracy (since it is driven by a hardware clock) and resolution, and should be used for measuring timeouts and other internal requirements.
Developers can change the value of NTP_SERVER if they wish to always point to a preferred time server, or to specify a region when accessing time servers. The default is to use the global pool.
Name |
Description |
Functions and variables accessible by the stack application | |
Functions and variables intended to be accessed only by the stack | |
Functions and variables internal to the SNTP Client module |