Unlocking value with the Silicom Time Sync Operator

Earlier this month, Silicom GA’ed the latest iteration of The Silicom Time Sync (STS) Operator version 0.1.3. The Silicom STS Operator is an integrated Time Sync Solution that has been certified with Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform, providing flexible and scalable installation and management.

This version fixed some minor bugs and supports Silicom STS NICs in either T-GM, T-BC, or T-SC modes in an OpenShift environment, mainly through the usage of Custom Resource (CRs) YAML files. Silicom Time Sync Operator supports Open RAN and offers a carrier grade time synchronization solution for Fronthaul, Midhaul and Backhaul RAN deployments.

Silicom Time Synchronization is a NIC platform based on the Intel® E810 Ethernet Controller, and is implemented as a PCIe add-in card code-named STS – Silicom Time Synchronization. Four primary versions are offered to address customer requirements for different LLS (Lower Layer Split) configurations. STS major building blocks support LLS C1, C2 and C3 timing configuration, which include the following:

• DPLL, Microchip DPLL
• GNSS Receiver, Ublox
• Ethernet PHY - Supporting 10GbE and 25GbE
• OCXO, Vectron
• uController – M4 cortex ARM

Silicom’s STS TimeSync card offers the capacity to synchronize the system time from GNSS (T-GM mode) or from an external source (T-BC mode) by using 1PPS and 10 Mhz signals. The STS TimeSync server adapter supports both 1588v2/PTP and SyncE for high clock accuracy; and fulfills O-Ran requirements for LLS-C1, LLS-C2 and LLS-C3 as well as modes of operations with both Boundary and Transparent clocks.

What does it mean for our customers at the technical level?

The Silicom STS line TimeSync card for 4G and 5G NIC enables real-time data transmission with high timing accuracy at the lowest cost to power 5G DRAN and CRAN edge deployments:

• 1588/PTP support over IPv4 / IPV6, IEEE1588v2
• SyncE support /ITU-T G.8262
• T-BC/T-TSC Boundary Clock and TSC Slave Clock /G.8273.2
• T-GM Grand Master /G.8273.1 per G.8275.1 PTP Profile
• PRTC Primary Reference Time Clock Class B/G.8272
• T-TC Transparent Clock /G.8273.3
• 1588 Software Stack and Servo Software in x86

Wrapup

Our ongoing partnership with Silicom and other software partners is in response to deepening customer demand for a scalable and flexible hybrid cloud infrastructure that is facilitated by a standardized platform to address the evolving needs of customers. Red Hat and Silicom will continue to co-innovate in our joint commitment to driving agility, choice and hybrid cloud success on Red Hat OpenShift, the world’s largest open and commercially supported application ecosystem.

Further Reading

• Obtaining Support from Silicom
• A Guide to the Silicom Time Sync (STS) Operator on OpenShift

Acknowledgements

• Dave Cain, Senior Principal Software Engineer
• Jose Nuñez, Senior Software Engineer
• Motti Goren, EVP, Silicom Ltd
• David Hendel, Vice President - Research and Development, Silicom Ltd
• Eli Urshanski, Principal System Architect, Silicom Ltd
• Anna Lukin, Senior Software Architect, Silicom Ltd