As accurate time-of-day alignment is required by an increasing number of applications, from high-performance distributed databases and artificial intelligence systems to 5G and upcoming 6G cellular networks, robust network synchronization support is a must for more and more equipment. The Skyworks NetSync™ range of network synchronizer clocks are specially designed to support the network-wide, standards-driven, aspects of network synchronization while also including functionality critical to operation of the local equipment itself, such as support for super-high speed serial interfaces and wireless data converter clocking.
Different parts within the NetSync™ family are tailored to support either wireline or radio applications, with the former focusing on generating the ultra-low jitter clocks required to support 112 and 224 Gbps SERDES-based ports, while the latter have optimized phase noise performance for FR1, FR2 and FR3-band radios, along with support for JESD204-B/C data converter clock generation. The latest members of the NetSync™ family utilize Skyworks leading-edge Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) resonator technology to give the absolute best possible performance, enabling SERDES speeds beyond 224 Gbps.
The Skyworks AccuTime™ software is specifically designed to work alongside the NetSync™ clock devices to provide the software functionality required for a network synchronization solution. AccuTime™ includes a full-featured IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) implementation supporting PTP profiles for applications across multiple industries, as well as local GNSS receiver support, handling of synchronization status messaging for Synchronous Ethernet and legacy SONET/SDH/PDH networks, and interworking with oscillator vendor-developed algorithms to provide enhanced holdover capability.