A Clock Syncronization Algorithm for the Performance Analysis of Multicomputer Systems

The paper deals with the implementation of global time in multicomputer systems. After a formalization of the synchronization problem, techniques to estimate the synchronization delay and to compensate the drift error are proposed. Then SYNC_WAVE, a clock synchronization algorithm where the values of a reference clock are diffused in a wave-like manner, is described. SYNC_WAVE has no provision for fault-tolerance and is specially designed to introduce low CPU and communication overhead, in order to support performance analysis applications efficiently. An implementation of the devised algorithm in a transputer-based system is presented, showing the accuracy results obtained. Finally SYNC_WAVE is compared to other synchronization algorithms and several of its possible applications are suggested.