Secure, Reliable and Traceable Timing Services for Data Centres and Financial Institutions

A single timing rack or suite requires a secure GNSS connection for traceability, so before the signal even enters the site the use of the Microchip BlueSky GNSS Firewall will ensure that the signal received can be relied upon. Utilising the TimeProvider or SyncServer platform as PTP GrandMaster or NTP Stratum 1 server will deliver the traceable time required; monitored for performance via Microchip’s TimePictra platform and managed and monitored using Domain Time II.

Chronos will maintain availability through our SSP support plan, including same day hardware despatch, and ensure timing delivery networks and fit for purpose and maintain compliance to standards using our SyncAssure design and auditing service.

Time is as fundamental to most customers in a data centre as power and air conditioning; CentreTime offers a host the possibility of delivering a secure reliable and traceable time service to tenants or indeed a secure and resilient GNSS system for tenants’ existing timing infrastructure.

Distributing GNSS signals over fibre using ViaLite HD hardware will provide a high availability GNSS feed throughout a data centre and clear an often-cluttered roof space of the vast array of GNSS antenna systems currently in place.

A time service based in several data centres, even in distant cities and different countries, can be enhanced using Microchip’s unique APTS technology to enhance timing holdover in failure conditions, and mitigate against local GNSS loss though jamming and spoofing by delivering GNSS based timing from many kilometres away.

In satellite centres, or urban canyon locations where reception of GNSS is problematic, the TimeProvider vPRTC can utilise a wavelength between centres to deliver sub nanosecond time transfer from a GNSS site.

A network spanning various countries or even continents can deploy Microchip’s Cesium Atomic clock based ePRTC to deliver traceable time across the network built on sites within 100ns of UTC with the loss of GNSS for over fourteen days.

These stages cannot be completed by our team in isolation. The OT owning organisation has to be actively involved throughout the process to ensure we understand the implications of any test or activity and both sides have a clear picture of results and threats. The final report will fully describe the state of either vulnerability or robustness of the sync and timing dependant systems within the overall OT infrastructure.