Communications and Processing Uncertainties
Communications delays also inhibit the synchronization process, especially when two systems communicate over a WAN or low-speed link. DTS can adjust for the known processing delays that are required to send and receive messages between systems. Due to the varying quality of communications links, however, the time that is required to send, receive, and acknowledge messages varies from one message to the next. These delays cannot be known exactly because transit over the network and the time required to read an incoming timestamp both vary.
Rather than using estimates of communications and processing delays, DTS records all known error factors that accompany a time measurement sent over the network. This measurement enables DTS to determine the relative quality of a time source regardless of its geographic location or changing conditions on communications links.