Synchronization for Data Center and MSO Infrastructure

Abstract

Synchronization is essential to modern data centers and MSO (Multiple-System Operator) infrastructures. Moreover, sync plane is inherent to the operations of both data center and MSO infrastructures. Data center infrastructure has traditionally used NTP for sync plane, but many applications today demand high-precision synchrony requiring a better sync plane strategy. To address the challenge of distributed database, live VM migration, and big data analytics, some hyperscalers have implemented a dynamic yet guaranteed clock service while others have replaced traditional ntp daemon with Chrony. Yet, such solutions are not equally applicable to many data centers. A better approach should be an application-centric sync plane that localizes PRTC providing guaranteed sync services while minimizing timing error due to network jitters. Furthermore, today’s technology allows extensibility of PTP-based high-precision application-centric sync plane distributed across geographically dispersed data centers or point of presences (POPs).

The MSO infrastructure on the other hand has two distinct issues to deal with: first, modernization of infrastructure to support today’s multiservice transport with on demand service and secondly, address sync plane issues that are inherent to its operations. From historical perspective, sync plane issues have been an inherent challenge for MSO infrastructure which has been addressed systematically and new technologies such as integration of PTP with DTP in MSO infrastructure create great potential for its suitability to time-sensitive traffic.