How many clients in a network environment can be synchronized by a LANTIME time server?



We have successfully tested our LANTIME NTP server with more than 15,000 requests per second.

By default, every NTP client sends maximum one request per 64 seconds, so 15,000 requests per second could serve at least 64 * 15,000 = 960,000 clients.

Current implementations of NTP increase the polling interval from 64 seconds up to 1024 seconds after time synchronization is stable. Assuming all clients would follow that rule, a LANTIME capable of handling 15,000 requests per second could serve 1,024 * 15,000 = 15,360,000 clients.

Anyway, if you need to synchronize such a large network, you should not let all client stations contact one LANTIME directly. Instead, it is recommended to set up a hierarchical time synchronisation tree, e.g. servers in the different departments/network segments synchronize to the LANTIME, and the workstations in each department synchronize to their nearest server(s).

Meinberg processor units in comparison:

  • CPU-C05F1 - management and NTP processor module (LANTIME M100, M200, M300, M400, M600, M900)
    up to 6,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • CPU-C15G2 - management- and NTP processor module (all IMS LANTIME time server and M450)
    up to 25,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • CPU-C15G1 - management- and NTP processor module (LANTIME M150, M250)
    up to 25,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • CPU-C15G1 - management- and NTP processor module (LANTIME M320)
    up to 15,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • IMS-HPS100: PTP / SyncE / Hardware NTP Interface with Dual Core CPU (Meinberg LANTIME M900 and IMS systems)
    up to 409,600 hardware NTP req./s (performance level E)
    up to 15,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • microSync: 825 MHz Cortex A9 Dual Core CPU (microSyncHR, microSyncRX)
    up to 10,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • SyncFire 1500: Ultra-High-Performance NTP Time Server
    up to 825,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd" / Meinberg Multi-Threading-Support)
    tested with Intel® Ethernet Controller X710 for 10GbE SFP+

See also:
How time zones are handled with NTP?
What is the difference between NTP and SNTP?

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