Precision Time Protocol (PTP) is a widely adopted protocol for delivery of precise time over a computer network.
PTP may be implemented in hardware, software or a combination of both.
PTP is implemented in end systems and in PTP-aware networking hardware.
PTP implementations may have the ability to serve as a source of time for the network, a grandmaster, or operate as a slave and receive time and synchronize to the grandmaster.
Some implementations are able to operate as either master or slave.