Abstract: An external portion or burb of a host computer receives messages from external servers representative of accurate time from one or more peer computers coupled by a network. A process called a client on the external burb processes the messages and then accurately sets a host computer clock. Processes called servers running on an internal burb which may not communicate directly with peers, then access the clock to obtain a correct indication of network time without having to communicate directly with the peer computers. The time is then provided to internal clients. This allows a host computer without an expensive clock to update its clock and enable it to provide accurate time to processes running on the host.