Timing & Synchronization

Overview

	Synchronization Systems & Services Modular Synchronization Systems Carrier Grade NTP & PTP Grandmasters Enterprise Network Time Servers GPS Instruments		Clock Management Clock Synthesis Clock Fan-out Buffers Frequency Conversion & Jitter Attenuation Nummerically Controlled Oscillators
	System Clocks and Frequency References Active Hydrogen Maser Cesium Frequency Standards Rubidium Frequency References Quartz Ultra-Clean Oscillator		Precision Crystal and SAW Oscillators Space-grade Crystal Oscillators Military Crystal Oscillators RF/Microwave SAW Oscillators Custom Products
	Timing Accessories GPS Lightning Arrestor Kit GPS Inline Amplifiers and Splitters GPS Up/Down Converter Kits IRIG Time and Frequency Boards GPS Time and Frequency Boards		Embedded Atomic Clocks Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) Low Noise (LN-CSAC) Miniature Rubidium Atomic Clock (MAC) High Reliability Atomic Clock
	Synchronization Services Audits, Consulting & Special Projects Engineering & Installation Training Maintenance Precision Time Scale Services		GPS Disciplined Oscillators 5 MHz, 10 MHz and 100 MHz outputs Up to ±10 ns 1 PPS accuracy As little as ±0.6 μs holdover stability after 24 hours As little as 1.4W consumption Up to ±0.7e-10 frequency stability over temperature
	Switches and PHYs 10G-400G Ethernet PHYs 10G Ethernet PHYs 1G Ethernet PHYs Ethernet Switches Ethernet Software WinPath Network Processors		Network Synchronization ICs Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) PLLs IEEE 1588 PLLs and Software OTN PLLs GPS PLLs SDH/SONET and PDH (T1/E1) PLLs

Timing and synchronization are indispensable in our increasingly digital, networked world. Precise, accurate time enables virtually all infrastructures such as data centers, wired and wireless communications, financial exchanges, industrial networks, smart power grid, and other secure communications. Wireless networks, for example, rely on highly accurate timing and synchronization for smooth cell-to-cell transfers of the mass of voice, video and mobile data deluging the networks on a daily basis. Precise timing is similarly vital for financial networks processing billions of dollars in transactions daily.

Achieving highly accurate precision time is no easy feat from a technology perspective, so it’s important to find a resource you can trust. Our end-to-end timing solutions generate, distribute and apply precise time for multiple industries, including communications, aerospace/defense, IT infrastructure, financial services, industrial and more. Microsemi customers range from communications service providers and network equipment manufacturers to governments and their suppliers worldwide.

Explore our timing and synchronization portfolio options:

Leveraging Microsemi’s advanced portfolio of timing technologies, services and solutions, we enable our customers to build more reliable networks and systems supporting today’s precise timing standards, including:

GPS-based timing
IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP)
Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) and
Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) timing

Ready to learn more? Contact your local Microsemi sales office to find the right products and technologies for your timing needs.

Expertise

Our Precise Time Heritage

Microsemi, the world leader in network synchronization and precise time solutions, sets the world's standard for time. Microsemi’s timing and synchronization portfolio harnesses the breadth of experience and deep expertise of world-class teams.

Our end-to-end portfolio of precise time solutions includes:

Timing & Synchronization Systems for highly accurate “precise time” distribution using today's precise timing standards: GPS-based timing, IEEE 1588 (PTP), Network Time Protocol (NTP), Synchronous Ethernet and DOCSIS® timing, as well as network supervision and management for timing problem notification, analysis and SLA compliance;
Clock & Frequency References including hydrogen, cesium and rubidium standards, and quartz oscillators to generate the world's precision timing references
Clocks & Timing ICs for clock management (clock synthesis, rate conversion, jitter attenuation and fan-out buffer timing), Optical Transport Network (OTN) timing solutions and packet timing, delivering field-proven high-performance time and frequency synchronization solutions for packet networks

Microsemi solutions are currently adopted in Tier 1 LTE/LTE-A small cells and have passed timing and synchronization deployment trials at major operators. Additionally, Microsemi IEEE 1588 Grandmasters are deployed in over 200 service provider networks globally.

Ready to learn more? Contact your local Microsemi sales office to find the right products and technologies for your timing and synchronization needs.

Resources

White Papers

GNSS/GPS

IEEE 1588 PTP

GPS Everywhere versus Synchronization Systems - Challenges and Benefits
Timing & Sync for LTE-TDD, LTE-A Mobile Networks
Measuring Software Based IEEE 1588/PTP Slave Accuracy
IEEE 1588 Precise Time Protocol: The new standard in time synchronization
Designing and Testing IEEE 1588 Timing Networks
Deployment of Precision Time Protocol for Synchronization of GSM and UMTS Base Stations
Best Practices for IEEE 1588/ PTP Network Deployment
Profile for the Use of the Precision Time Protocol in Power Systems
Building a Unified Synchronization Platform for IP Wireless Backhaul
Synchronization for Next Generation Networks - The PTP Telecom Profile
Synchronizing IP Mobile Networks
Improving Mobile Backhaul Network Reliability with Carrier-Class IEEE 1588-2008 (PTP)
Improving Real World Synchronization Accuracy with IEEE-1588 Transparent Clocks
Rubidium Sync Holdover Ensures Mobile Service Availability
Trends in Time & Phase Synchronization
Presented at the Workshop on Synchronization in Telecommunication Systems (WSTS) in 2012, this paper provides insight into the drivers for synchronization in the network, the ongoing migration from traditional to packet based networks and how evolving core, edge, and wireless networks drive the need for frequency and phase synchronization.
Time and Frequency Synchronization in Broadcast Video
White paper describing the synchronization requirements of different equipment used in the broadcast video industry.
From Complicated to Simple with Single-Chip Silicon Clock Generation
Describing the advantages of a single-chip silicon clock generation solution for the effective management and control of dataflow across multiple components for a wide range of applications.
IEEE-1588 and Synchronous Ethernet – the Whole is Greater Than Its Parts
Presented at the International Telecom Sync Forum ( ITSF) conference in 2012, this paper describes extension of the SONET/SDH timing model of frequency distribution using SyncE and when combined with IEEE-1588 to provide superior timing performance in the network.
Time Interfaces
Presented at the International Telecom Sync Forum (ITSF) conference in 2011, this paper describes the need for time synchronization in the network, challenges of the time interface and the various interfaces and requirements for time and phase.
Deploying SyncE and IEEE 1588 in Wireless Backhaul
Presented at the Workshop on Synchronization in Telecommunication Systems (WSTS) in 2012, this paper shows the evolution from generic switched network to a packet switched network and its impact on wireless basestations with synchronization of both frequency and phase being provided by the convergence of IEEE 1588 and SyncE.
IEEE 1588 Packet Network Synchronization Solution
Presented at the Freescale Technology Forum - China (FTF) in 2011, this paper describes the evolution of synchronization in 2G/3G and 4G/LTE networks, the standards, the convergence of IEEE 1588 and SyncE, and considerations for hardware and software architectures when implementing IEEE and SyncE for multiple applications.
New PDV Measurement Approaches and the Application of Legacy Network Limits
Presented at the Workshop on Synchronization in Telecommunication Systems (WSTS) in 2011, this paper looks at the various types of traditional timing network limits and metrics and introduces various packet-based metrics and terminology.
Use of Combined Synchronous Ethernet & IEEE-1588 in Wireless TDD applications
As wireless networks become increasingly overloaded and migrate to IP based backhaul, IEEE-1588 in combination with SyncE provides not only compatibility to SONET/SDH but superior performance.
A Closer Look at PDV and Oscillator for Packet Equipment Clocks
Describes the requirements and differences between traditional equipment clocks (ECs) and packet equipment clocks (PECs), the packet delay variation (PDV) metric and the impact of local oscillator (XO) selection for systems in packet networks.
The Basics of Synchronized Ethernet-SyncE
With Ethernet having become the dominant technology for data transmission, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) is now used to synchronize networks in the physical layer in a fashion similar to SONET/SDH or T1/E1. Originally published in EETimes Asia in 2009, Microsemi applications engineer Slobodan Milijevic describes the basics of SyncE and how telecom providers can confidently implement networks based on SyncE as a cost-effective and reliable solution.
Use an off-the-shelf signal source as a jitter/wander generator
Ensuring that routers, gateways or DSLAMs meet stringent timing specifications usually requires a specialized jitter/wander generator. Originally published in Design Idea/EDN, Microsemi applications engineer Slobodan Milijevic describes how to use a standard function generator to more cost-effectively and efficiently measure jitter and wander tolerance.
Assisted Partial Timing Support (APTS)