MCLAG Clock Source Selection for Accurate Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-chassis link aggregation environments, issues arise with inaccurate time synchronization due to redundant and improperly handled timing messages, leading to confusion and errors in time offset computations among boundary time clocks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an MCLAG logical device with boundary time clocks that perform a clock source selection process and utilize MCLAG timing control engines to manage message handling, designating one clock as a source and another as a sink, and modifying their roles to address issues related to redundant and mismanaged messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple boundary time clocks independently process timing messages in an MCLAG environment, then redundancy and load balancing are improved, but time synchronization accuracy deteriorates due to redundant and improperly handled messages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the first boundary time clock acts as a mediator that receives timing messages and selectively forwards them to the second boundary time clock. This mediation prevents the second clock from independently processing messages it wasn't intended to receive, eliminating redundant message handling while maintaining the redundancy benefit of having multiple boundary time clocks in the MCLAG environment.
2Productivity
If multiple boundary time clocks independently handle timing messages, then load balancing is improved, but time offset computation accuracy deteriorates due to message handling errors
Solution Approach 1:
The first boundary time clock serves as an intermediary that intelligently routes timing messages to the appropriate second boundary time clock based on message characteristics and clock roles. This ensures that each clock processes only the messages it should handle, maintaining accurate time offset computations while still distributing the processing load across multiple clocks for load balancing.
3Reliability
If all boundary time clocks process all timing messages, then redundancy is improved, but message management complexity increases leading to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The first boundary time clock acts as a simplifying intermediary that handles the complexity of message routing and filtering. Instead of each clock independently managing complex message handling logic, the first clock centralizes this function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining redundancy through the collaborative operation of multiple boundary time clocks.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a system provides multi-chassis link aggregation by the first and second electronic devices that are part of a logical device supporting an MCLAG, where the first electronic device includes a first time clock, and the second electronic device includes a second time clock. The first and second time clocks perform, over a link between the first and second electronic devices of the logical device, a clock source selection process to select one of the first and second time clocks as a clock source and another one of the first and second time clocks as a clock sink as part of a time synchronization process in the system.