Port 525
Timed Timeserver
The Timed Timeserver is a legacy service used primarily on Unix-based systems to synchronize time across networked devices. Operating over UDP port 525, it helps keep system clocks consistent on connected machines within a local network, which is essential for accurate log timestamps, scheduled tasks, and overall network coordination..
Technical Details
The Timed Timeserver protocol is a simple network service designed to maintain clock synchronization across multiple hosts on a local area network. Running over UDP port 525, this daemon exchanges time information between systems through a series of broadcast or unicast messages to detect discrepancies in system times.
Timed is mainly found on older Unix systems, leveraging a relatively straightforward algorithm for choosing the most accurate clock among connected hosts, then adjusting participant clocks to align within an acceptable margin of error. Unlike more modern approaches, Timed lacks sophisticated error correction or resilience features.
Today, Timed has largely been superseded by the Network Time Protocol (NTP), which offers greater accuracy, security, and scalability. Nonetheless, Timed may still be encountered in legacy Unix environments that have not transitioned to more modern time synchronization protocols.