The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a networking protocol designed specifically for clock synchronization between computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks. In a wireless solution architecture, using an NTP server ensures that all network components—such as wireless controllers, access points, and management systems—share a consistent and accurate time source. This is critical for correlating log files for troubleshooting, validating security certificates which have time-based validity, and ensuring the proper sequencing of security events and network operations across the entire infrastructure.

A. IP addressing, whether automatic or semi-automatic, is managed by protocols like DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), not NTP.

B. While NTP can be secured, its primary function is not to provide AES encryption; its purpose is time synchronization.

D. Name resolution, the process of translating domain names to IP addresses, is the function of the Domain Name System (DNS).

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1. Mills, D., Martin, J., et al. (2010). Network Time Protocol Version 4: Protocol and Algorithms Specification. IETF. RFC 5905. The abstract states, "The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is widely used to synchronize computer clocks in the Internet." This document is the authoritative specification for NTPv4. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.17487/RFC5905)

2. Cisco. (2019). Enterprise Mobility 8.5 Design Guide. Chapter 3: Network Infrastructure Considerations, Section: Network Time Protocol. "Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an important element of network infrastructure... In the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, as in any network, it is important to have the clocks on all the network devices synchronized... for accurate log timestamping and for certificate validation."

3. Kurose, J. F., & Ross, K. W. (2017). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (7th ed.). In discussions of network management and security, the text emphasizes the role of NTP for synchronizing clocks to ensure that timestamps in logs from different devices can be correlated. This is a foundational textbook used in many university computer science programs.