Can the NTP and PTP services run simultaneously on an ESXi host?

NTP (Network Time Protocol) and PTP (Precision Time Protocol) serve the same fundamental purpose of synchronizing time across devices in a network, but they operate in distinct ways and are optimized for different environments.

When both are deployed on an ESXi host, they cannot function simultaneously because they would conflict with each other. Only one service can actively control the system clock at any given moment. If both protocols were allowed to operate simultaneously, it could lead to inconsistencies in time synchronization, negatively impacting applications and processes reliant on accurate timekeeping. Thus, the ESXi host enforces a limitation that allows only one of these protocols to be active.

Understanding this ensures that you can set up your time synchronization strategy effectively, knowing that you will have to choose between NTP and PTP based on your specific requirements for time precision and the intended use case within your virtualized environment.