PTP: Timing accuracy and precision for the future of computing

This post details Meta's deployment of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) across its data centers to achieve nanosecond-level timing accuracy and precision, surpassing the millisecond-level capabilities of NTP. It explains the technical challenges of network latency and clock synchronization, highlighting PTP's use of hardware timestamping and transparent clocks. The post also describes the development of custom hardware, the Time Appliance and Time Card, to support PTP at hyperscale, and the open-sourcing of these components through the Open Compute Project. The benefits of PTP for current products (messaging, gaming, video conferencing) and future technologies (metaverse, AI synchronization) are emphasized.