Which time synchronization option is used to provide accurate timestamps in OT networks?

Which time synchronization option is used to provide accurate timestamps in OT networks?

• A. SSH and TLS
• B. NTP
• C. VPN
• D. Firewall rules

Answer: (D)

Keeping clocks in sync across OT devices is essential so every event, log entry, and alarm can be bundled together in a consistent sequence. The tool designed to distribute and adjust time across a network is NTP, the Network Time Protocol. NTP lets devices obtain the correct time from trusted time sources and slowly or abruptly adjust their local clocks to match, ensuring all timestamps align even as networks drift. In OT settings, time sources can be tied to stable references (for example, GPS-backed servers) and cascaded to other devices to maintain a coherent time across the system. The other options don’t provide clock synchronization: SSH and TLS secure communications; VPN creates a secure tunnel; firewall rules control what traffic is allowed. The purpose here is about aligning time, which is what NTP handles.

Keeping clocks in sync across OT devices is essential so every event, log entry, and alarm can be bundled together in a consistent sequence. The tool designed to distribute and adjust time across a network is NTP, the Network Time Protocol. NTP lets devices obtain the correct time from trusted time sources and slowly or abruptly adjust their local clocks to match, ensuring all timestamps align even as networks drift. In OT settings, time sources can be tied to stable references (for example, GPS-backed servers) and cascaded to other devices to maintain a coherent time across the system. The other options don’t provide clock synchronization: SSH and TLS secure communications; VPN creates a secure tunnel; firewall rules control what traffic is allowed. The purpose here is about aligning time, which is what NTP handles.