Introduction

Qualifying, Fine-Tuning and Troubleshooting Time Synchronization

Platform
Napatech SmartNIC
Content Type
Application Note
Capture Software Version
N-ANL11
N-ANL10
N-ANL9
Link™ Capture Software 12.11
Link™ Capture Software 12.10
Link™ Capture Software 12.9
Link™ Capture Software 12.8
Link™ Capture Software 12.7
Link™ Capture Software 12.6
Link™ Capture Software 12.5
Link™ Capture Software 12.4
Link™ Capture Software 12.3
Link™ Capture Software 12.2
Link™ Capture Software 12.1
Link™ Capture Software 12.0
Link™ Capture Software 11.9
Link™ Capture Software 11.8
Link™ Capture Software 11.7
Link™ Capture Software 11.6
Link™ Capture Software 11.5
Link™ Capture Software 11.4
Link™ Capture Software 11.3
Link™ Capture Software 11.2

In this document

This document describes how the time stamp sampling feature of Napatech SmartNICs can be used with the monitoring tool to qualify and fine-tune time synchronization.

Time synchronization measurement

Traditionally, to qualify and fine-tune time synchronization between SmartNICs, you would need equipment such as high-resolution sampling oscilloscopes or specialized time measurement instruments.

image/svg+xml PPS PPS

PPS-triggered SmartNIC time samples

In many cases, the built-in time stamp sampling feature of Napatech SmartNICs can replace other equipment. The SmartNIC time clock of a time synchronization master SmartNIC can be sampled when a PPS signal is received on the external connector. The sampled values can be aggregated and monitored by the monitoring tool.

image/svg+xml FPGA PPS PPS sampling

If a PPS signal from a time synchronization slave SmartNIC is connected to the master, the propagation delay can be measured and verified to be as expected.

This is illustrated by an example in Using the monitoring Tool to Qualify and Fine-Tune Time Synchronization.