Learning how to measure time has been an age-old endeavor. For the past 5,000 to 6,000 years, humans have focused on finding more efficient ways to keep accurate time. The ancient Egyptians, for example, are believed to be the first to tell time using obelisks as sundials. By the 14th century, however, the first mechanical clocks were invented in Europe.
It’s interesting to note that the Soviet Union and France both attempted to manipulate time to no avail. Time is, after all, relative. Or is it? Between1929 and 1931, the Soviet Union tried to enforce five and six-day weeks and failed to do so. Following the French Revolution, the French revolutionaries attempted to create a ten-hour clock and failed.
Network Time Protocol (NTP) was in operation prior to 1985. While it is one of the oldest Internet protocols, it continues to be currently used. In 2002, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers defined and standardized Precision Time Protocol (PTP). As a result, clocks can be synchronized throughout a computer network. In order to synchronize time, Power Over Ethernet (PoE) clocks are used. When using a single cable that is connected to the Ethernet, both power and time updates are delivered to the system.
It may often appear that data retrieval is instantaneous. “Planck time,” as you may be aware, is the smallest unit of time. This is measured by how long it takes for light to travel Planck’s length, which is roughly 3.3 x 10 to the -44 power of a second. Currently, there are 31 working satellite within the Global Positioning System (GPS). Each one of these has a built-in, highly accurate atomic clock. Due to the capacity of these GPS time clocks, data retrieval, analysis, and other vital functions seem to be accomplished at near light-speed. Furthermore, given the existence of GPS time clocks, traffic conditions and other vital data can be relayed to computers, smartphones, and other devices.
Even though there have been so many technological advancements to determine the time, errors do occur. This is particularly the case when time sheets aren’t filled out properly. As a result of these types of errors, the United States’ economy loses approximately $7.4 billion every day. While a large percentage of these errors are likely due to employees not noting the actual hours that they worked, it is also likely that they don’t have access to the standard time.
Are your office computers all synchronized with a time clock server? Do you also have a WiFi digital wall clock? If you’re experiencing issues with your network time clock or other devices, such as your GPS time clock, then it makes good business sense to have this addressed by a professional firm. Since you want all of your employees to accurately fill out their time sheets and be in sync with other important matters, such as global connectivity, it’s essential that they’re aware of your office’s standardized time.
