Building a UK Global Timing Fabric

这项计划(“第二阶段”)是根据我们的可行性研究计划(“第二阶段”)进行的，该计划名为“分布式分类账可追踪时间至边缘设备的高度可扩展传播”(“第一阶段”)，旨在确定为英国及全球出口传播NPL时间刻度的必要性和可行性。可行性研究的主要结果是：\*大规模(数百亿)可追溯时间市场确实存在，并确定了关键行业\*我们需要地面时间分配来补充GNSS网络\*NPL时间刻度可成功地全球传播至1毫秒精度，在许多情况下达到10微秒的大规模精度，最好的解决方案是基于云的软件边界时钟时间结构\*NTP对NTP的扩展展示了在地理位置和散列分类帐中的适用性。阶段2是阶段1的逻辑进展，主要目标如下：\*第一阶段演示的软件边界时钟(SBC)技术的产品化\*建立一个由数百个基于云的软件边界时钟节点组成的网络\*开发互补的开源_Edge API_软件，允许设备消耗这些节点的时间\*与其他英国公司建立合作伙伴关系，对产品进行Beta版测试，并成为该技术的分销商\*进一步开发该技术的边缘设备地理定位能力\*进一步开发该技术的可追踪时间记录器能力\*进一步增强NTP协议，以适应当地时区，包括夏令时调整第一阶段期间建立的与Telehouse的NPL时间刻度的连接将需要维护，我们的目标是满足Innovate UK的优先事项：弹性：目标是提供一个由时间传播节点组成的全球网络，提供可靠的可用性、冗余性和监控。挑战是在大规模和低成本的情况下做到这一点。分发：该项目的核心任务是使用由Hoptroff提供的确保可访问性(例如，在没有GNSS的地方)和普及性(即，使用基于软件的云解决方案)的技术来提供高度可扩展的UTC(NPL)传播。信任、保证和安全：我们的可行性研究证实，不同部门/客户需要准确、可跟踪的弹性时间来改善其业务运营。我们正在提议创建一个位于英国的弹性全球地面时间同步实用程序。

This project ('Phase 2') follows on from our Feasibility Study project entitled _Highly scalable dissemination of traceable time to edge devices by distributed ledgers_ ('Phase 1'), which set out to establish the need and practicality of disseminating NPL's timescale for the UK and global export.The key findings of the feasibility study were:\*Markets for mass-scale (tens of billions) traceable time do indeed exist and key sectors identified\*We need terrestrial time distribution to supplement the GNSS network\*The NPL timescale can be successfully disseminated globally to 1ms accuracy, and in many cases to 10us accuracy\*At mass-scale, the best solution is a cloud-based Software Boundary Clock time fabric\*"NTP+" extensions to NTP demonstrated applicability in geolocation and hash ledgers.Phase 2 is the logical progression of Phase 1, with the following broad aims:\*Productisation of the Software Boundary Clock (SBC) technology demonstrated in Phase 1\*Establishment of a network of hundreds of cloud-based Software Boundary Clock nodes\*Development of complementary open-source _Edge API_ software to allow devices to consume time from these nodes\*Building partnerships with other UK companies to beta test the product and become distributors of the technology\*Further development of the edge-device geolocation capabilities of the technology\*Further development of the traceable-time ledger capabilities of the technology\*Further enhancement of NTP+ protocol to accommodate local time zones including daylight saving adjustmentsThe connection to NPL's timescale at Telehouse built during Phase 1 will need to be maintained, and indeed enhanced by a resilient connection at Daisy, Reading.Our aim to meet Innovate UK's priorities include:Resilience:The aim is to provide a global network of time dissemination nodes providing assured availability, redundancy and monitoring. The challenge is to do this at a massive scale and low cost.Distribution:The core mission of the project is to provide highly scalable dissemination of UTC(NPL) using technologies that ensure accessibility (e.g. where there is no GNSS) and ubiquity (i.e. use of software-based cloud solutions) supplied by Hoptroff.Trust, assurance and security:Our feasibility study confirmed different sectors/customers need accurate traceable resilient timing to improve their business operations. We are proposing to create a UK-based resilient, global, terrestrial time synchronization utility.