How many clients on the network can be synchronized by a LANTIME time server?



We have successfully performed tests with more than 25,000 requests per second to a Meinberg LANTIME M320 NTP server.

By default, every NTP client sends maximum one request per 64 seconds, so 25,000 requests per second could serve at least 25,000 * 64 = 1,600,000 clients.

Current NTP versions increase the polling interval from 64 to up to 1,024 seconds when time synchronization is stable. In this case, a LANTIME with 25,000 requests per second could synchronize 25,000 * 1,024 = 25,600,000 clients.

Anyway, if you need to synchronize a very large network, you should not let all client stations contact one LANTIME directly. Instead, it is recommended to set up a hierarchical time synchronization 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).

How many NTP requests a particular LANTIME model can process depends essentially on the performance of the built-in processor unit. On IMS systems (e.g. M1000), the type of processor unit can be seen at the top of the front panel of the module.

Meinberg processor units in comparison:

  • CPU Board: E900 (CPU-C05F1) - management and NTP processor module (LANTIME M100, M200, M300, M400, M600, M900 and older IMS systems)
    up to 6,000 NTP req./s (software service "ntpd")
  • CPU Board: Q7ATOM (CPU-C15G2) - management and NTP processor module (all IMS LANTIME Time Server, M150, M250, M320 and M450)
    up to 25,000 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 are time zones handled in NTP?
What is the difference between NTP and SNTP?

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