OS Time Synchronization to SmartNIC Clock Reference

Time-Stamping and Time Synchronization

Platform
Intel® PAC
Napatech SmartNIC
Content Type
User Guide
Capture Software Version
Link™ Capture Software 12.10

Limitation

This section does not apply to the following SmartNICs.
  • NT400D11
  • NT50B01
  • NT40A11
  • The Intel® Programmable Acceleration Card with Intel® Arria® 10 GX FPGA

Description

The OS time can be synchronized to a Napatech SmartNIC installed in the server. Only one SmartNIC can be configured as the reference. Any NTP client, PTP client or similar synchronization service must be disabled when synchronization to a Napatech SmartNIC is activated.

Illustration

This figure shows an example where OS time in two servers is synchronized to a PTP grandmaster via two NT SmartNICs. This setup scales to as many servers as supported by the grandmaster and the network carrying PTP.

OS time in two servers is synchronized to a PTP grandmaster via two SmartNICs

ntservice.ini configuration

These ntservice.ini code lines configure NT SmartNIC #1 for the setup in Illustration.

TimeSyncOsTimeReference = adapter-1
TimeSyncReferencePriority = PTP, FreeRun

These ntservice.ini code lines configure NT SmartNIC #2 for the setup in Illustration.

TimeSyncOsTimeReference = adapter-2
TimeSyncReferencePriority = PTP, FreeRun