IEEE-1588 solution enables phase synchronization implementation with existing networks

The updates provide significant benefits to customers, allowing them to implement phase synchronisation in switches and routers in networks which are not completely phase-aware, without having to replace unaware nodes or any major infrastructure in the network—reducing costs and improving time to market.

“As a leader in synchronisation and IEEE 1588 end-to-end solutions, we are pleased to deliver this expansion of our portfolio, enabling customers to enhance their performance capabilities with ease as industry standards continue to evolve,” said Maamoun Seido, vice president and business unit manager of Microsemi’s timing products. “As we ensure our customers have access to the foremost solutions in this area of our expertise, differentiating our offerings from competitors will continue to be a priority for our team.”

The software release leverages Microsemi’s synchronisation expertise to provide a complete, high performance synchronisation solution enabling IEEE 1588 across a wide variety of equipment and applications. Target applications include carrier/edge routers and wireless backhaul, for which Microsemi’s IEEE 1588 solutions have been deployed with all major tier one communications equipment manufacturers since the standards inception in 2008.

Microsemi's TimeProvider series of PTP Grandmaster systems are deployed in over 300 networks worldwide to support packet based synchronisation requirements in mobile networks. The ITU-T G. 8275.2 PTP profile for timing and phase, with partial timing support, is designed to be compatible with existing carrier networks and synchronisation assets to add additional time and phase support needed for evolving LTE requirements. With these devices, customers can leverage and expand their existing deployed solutions for PTP frequency synchronisation to meet the new needs for time/phase synchronisation.

According to market research firm IHS, the global total 1G/2.5G/10G/25G/40G/100G port market, which is facilitated by IEEE 1588 and includes enterprise Ethernet switches and routers, as well as other communications equipment, grew to $44 billion in 2015 with an average growth of 6% through 2020.

Microsemi’s software interfaces to Microsemi’s time synchronisation algorithm and software programmable clock generators, such as the ZL3034x, ZL3036xand ZL3072x product families of clock generation and Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) devices. It also interfaces to 1588-capable PHY and switches with integrated timestamping.

Microsemi's phase-compliant solution is available now.