An interval-based framework for clock rate synchronization
Klaus Schossmaier · 1997
This paper addresses the problem of synchronizing the rate of clocks in a fault-tolerant distributed system. Contrived to bring the rates of all non-faulty clocks in accordance, rate synchronization algorithms are very similar to usual "state" synchronization ones. Major differences, however, arise from the fact that the quantities to be synchronized are not directly accessible and that they do not proceed linearly with time. Relying on an interval-based paradigm, we introduce a basic system model and suitable building blocks for a generic rate synchronization algorithm that employs a convergence function. Our rigorous analysis of the mutual rate deviation (aka. consonance) and deviation from the ideal rate of 1 Sec/sec (aka. drift) reveals that the clock rate stability (i.e. the maximum rate change per unit of time) takes over the role of maximum hardware drift rate in traditional clock synchronization approaches. Keywords: distributed systems, clock synchronization, drift, consonanc...