TimeProvider 4500 Grandmaster

Product Information

TimeProvider® 4500 Series Release 3 — the Ultimate Grandmaster Platform for Precision, High-Speed Networking, and Expanded Capacity

TimeProvider® 4500 Version 3 series provides a solution that minimises dependency on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) with a terrestrial alternative that relies on existing optical networks, off-the-shelf Small Form-Factor Pluggables (SFPs), standard Ethernet and standard Precision Time Protocol (PTP). It is resilient, redundant and carrier grade.

Sub-Nanosecond Accuracy

The TimeProvider 4500 series now offers sub-nanosecond accuracy that allows you to extend the distance and the number of hops in the Virtual Primary Reference Time Clock (vPRTC) architecture for nationwide distribution of time. It also complies with ITU-T G.8271.1/Y.1366.1 (2022) Amendment 2 (01/2024) High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT) class A, with a maximum time error (|TE|) of only 5 ns over 800 km, which equates to an average of 500 ps per node (assuming 10 hops). This level of accuracy is ten times greater than that of high-performance class D boundary clocks.

Boasting exceptional PTP capacity, the TimeProvider 4500’s robust hardware platform enables unparalleled scalability, catering to thousands of clients. Whether optimising 5G mmWave technology or facilitating C-band 5G deployments, the TP4500 provides a scalable and cost-effective solution, adapting effortlessly to diverse network demands.

With its remarkable time accuracy, Microchip’s TimeProvider 4500 Grandmaster emerges as a superior alternative to GNSS, offering a terrestrial option that leverages existing optical network deployments to deliver precise time over extended distances without the need for GPS installations at each node. The TP4500 serves as a pivotal product in enabling the virtual PRTC (vPRTC) architecture alongside the BlueSky™ Firewall, TimeCesium®, TimePictra®, and TP4100.

As the successor to the TP4100, the advanced TP4500 hardware platform introduces new capabilities while seamlessly supporting all predecessor features, ensuring maximum return on investment.

Explore Microchip’s video tutorial introducing the groundbreaking TimeProvider 4500 grandmaster, a hardware timekeeping platform engineered to deliver high-speed network interfaces of up to 25 Gbps, ensuring unparalleled time accuracy of less than one nanosecond.

TimeProvider 4500 Grandmaster Benefits

High-Speed Connectivity

The high-speed ports available on the TP4500 eliminate the need for an expansion hardware module. You can choose between 1 GbE, 10 GbE or 25 GbE network interfaces on the base device.

To support future requirements, you can use a 100 GbE QSFP28 breakout cable to connect a 100 GbE port in a router or switch to a 25 GbE port on the TP4500.

You can add expansion modules to the base unit to provide additional Ethernet fanout capabilities.

High Accuracy Time Transfer (HA-TT)

A key component required for coherent-network Primary Network Time Clock (cnPRTC), HA-TT delivers sub nanosecond-accuracy time transfer over 800 km. By using UTC(k) as the source of time and virtual PRTC (vPRTC) with HA-TT as a highly accurate distribution of time, the TimeProvider 4500 series implements a cost-effective, redundant and resilient terrestrial alternative to GNSS that relies on existing optical networks; existing off-the-shelf SFPs; and standard-based 1588 PTP grandmasters, which interoperate with off-the-shelf switches and Ethernet routers.

Holdover Performance Choice

Three types of oscillators are available with the TP4500. You can choose from an Oven-Controlled Crystal Oscillator (OCXO), a super OCXO or a Rubidium atomic clock to implement the desired holdover to ensure continued operation in case GNSS is down or compromised.

Security

Our TimeProvider 4500 clock supports industry standards for Authorisation, Authentication and Accounting (AAA) such as TACACS+, Radius and Radius two-factor authentication. Our TP4100 clock also supports the IEEE 1588 2.1 2019 security standard. Enhanced security with password complexity requirements, support for Access Control Lists (ACL) and resolved CVE exposures.

Synchronisation Management and Monitoring

The TP4500 is fully managed by our TimePictra® synchronisation management system and via the Command Line Interface (CLI). A webGUI is also available for user friendly display of monitoring configuration and results.

enhanced Primary Reference Time Clock (ePRTC)

The ePRTC is enabled through a software license, so no additional hardware is needed. In ePRTC operation mode, the TP4500 meets ITU-T G.8272.1 30 ns time accuracy and can be combined with our TimeCesium® 4400/4500 or the high-performance 5071A cesium primary time and frequency standard to create a fully protected timescale.
Protection Against Jamming and Spoofing

The TimeProvider 4500 Grandmaster’s embedded BlueSky® technology option detects GPS jamming- and spoofing-related anomalies in real time to protect essential time and frequency outputs. Alarms are triggered when unexpected changes are detected and trust is compromised. The BlueSky technology detectors respond to protect the integrity of the TP4500’s time and frequency outputs.

Market-Specific Profiles

For power and utilities markets, the TimeProvider 4500 supports all PTP telecommunication profiles to be deployed on the communication network of the infrastructure. The TimeProvider 4500 also supports power profiles such as IEEE C37.238-2017, IEEE C37.238-2011 and IEC/IEEE 61850-9-3:2016 as well as Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) for deployments at the substations.

For Time Sensitive Network (TSN) deployments such as 5G private networks, the TimeProvider 4500 supports the latest IEEE 802.1.AS-2020 standard.

The Chronos difference

The TimeProvider 4500 series joins Microchip’s portfolio of IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grandmaster clocks, offering industry-leading performance and value, scaling from low-density indoor applications to high-capacity 5G network timing requirements. The product is available now, contact our team for more information.