Fri, 30 Nov 2012 03:52:39 GMT – FSM Labs

TimeKeeper Time Synchronization With Mellanox Interconnect Adapters Breaks Ground With High-Precision Time for NTP and PTP Messages on InfiniBand and Ethernet High-Speed Networks

AUSTIN, TX—(Nov 27, 2012) – FSMLabs, provider of network software for high-precision time synchronization and distribution, today announced that TimeKeeper® on Mellanox ConnectX®-3 interconnect adapters is available. The joint solution enables correlation of systems logs to system time, enabling auditing and analysis of multiple logs at the same level of time precision, plus the ability to synchronize both NTP and PTP time messages at sub-microsecond precision. Precision and reliability have been validated in production trading environments by several joint customers including a tier-one bank.

“The fluctuation of a few microseconds presents not only the risk of triggering badly timed trades, but also chaos in system logs that provide records for network analysis and regulatory audits. The combined capabilities of TimeKeeper and Mellanox provide end-to-end synchronization, timestamping and logging to turn mountains of non-aligned data into ordered and meaningful information,” said Victor Yodaiken, CEO of FSMLabs. “As the go-to high-speed server and storage interconnect solutions for InfiniBand, as well as 10/40Gbps Ethernet, Mellanox is already present in many computerized trading environments. These firms can now easily upgrade their time-precision strategies, gaining improved algorithm performance and massively reduced operational risk.”

TimeKeeper for Mellanox ConnectX-3 is available for application servers using TimeKeeper Client, on Grandmaster/Boundary Clocks using TimeKeeper Server and also on FSMLabs TimeKeeper Grandmaster Appliance.

“The ability to leverage off-the-shelf network hardware with state-of-the-art timing software is a win-win scenario for financial firms that urgently need to upgrade their time management technology,” said Amir Prescher, VP of Business Development at Mellanox Technologies. “The combination of TimeKeeper and ConnectX-3 provides highly accurate time synchronization that can be implemented immediately on our high-performing, cost-effective adapters.”

Features of the joint solution include the following:

• No dedicated hardware on client or server side
• Synchronization of PTP and NTP packets with timestamping and monitoring
• Simultaneous use of 10Gb/s network ports on application servers with TimeKeeper Client for time synchronization and general purpose data
• Reliable time signal without any of the asymmetries introduced by channeling signals from low-speed interconnect adapter into a fast network, when TimeKeeper GrandMaster Appliance serves time over a 10Gb/s channel
• Inclusion of all TimeKeeper advanced capabilities
  • Fault discovery, self-healing time networks, and failover
  • Scalable operation, including support for cross connection of servers over longer haul networks including virtual extensions of the enterprise
  • Reduced IT staff configuration time with TimeKeeper administrative console
  • Real-time logging, system alerts and graphic performance monitoring

TimeKeeper for Mellanox ConnectX-3 is available for application servers using TimeKeeper Client, on Grandmasters/Boundary Clocks using TimeKeeper Server, and also on FSMLabs TimeKeeper Grandmaster Appliance. For more information, contact [email protected]. For current users of Mellanox ConnectX-3 adapters, the latest firmware required for enabling highly accurate timestamping and time synchronization in available now. For more information, contact[email protected].

About FSMLabs
FSMLabs is a technology company specializing in time-related innovation. The firm’s flagship product is TimeKeeper, the software solution of choice for a growing number of high-speed trading firms for high-precision synchronization of time data. FSMLabs has more than 12 years experience in real-time operating systems and software for industries such as finance, avionics and robotics, where time is a mission-critical resource. The company is privately held and headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.fsmlabs.com.

About Mellanox 
Mellanox Technologies is a leading supplier of end-to-end InfiniBand and Ethernet interconnect solutions and services for servers and storage. Mellanox interconnect solutions increase data center efficiency by providing the highest throughput and lowest latency, delivering data faster to applications and unlocking system performance capability. Mellanox offers a choice of fast interconnect products: adapters, switches, software and silicon that accelerate application runtime and maximize business results for a wide range of markets including high performance computing, enterprise data centers, Web 2.0, cloud, storage and financial services. More information is available athttp://www.mellanox.com.

TimeKeeper and FSMLabs are registered trademarks of Finite State Machine Labs Inc. Mellanox and ConnectX are registered trademarks of Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. InfiniBand is a registered trademark and service mark of InfiniBand Trade Association.