[ntp:questions] Re: ntpd PLL and clock overshoot
David L. Mills
mills at udel.edu
Mon Oct 9 22:27:44 UTC 2006
Richard,
I know why they changed the design and why Linux did, too. It allows
quick adjustments with large offsets when done manually. From what
evidence I have, they use an exponential algorithm, which is simple to
implement. However, the extra pole that algorithm introduces conflicts
with the NTP PLL. There really should be a way to turn the algorithm on
and off, but I don't expect much sympathy from the kernelmongers.
Dave
Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> user at domain.invalid wrote:
>
>> Richard,
>>
>> The overshoot is the result of a misdirected Solaris/Linux design of
>> the adjtime() system call. The design added a poll to the transfer
>> function in order to speed the response to a programmed offset. The
>> result completely torpedoes the PLL transient response and there is
>> nothing that can be done to correct it in ntpd itself. What you see is
>> what you get. The problem is most apparent with large initial
>> frequency offsets, which are guaranteed to result in pinball behavior.
>> Note the overshoots do not occur in FreeBSD or Tru64, which have a
>> reasonable design.
>>
>> Dave
>
> Dave,
>
> Have you reported this to Sun as a bug?
>
> It seems to me that they should fix it and, perhaps, create a new
> function, say, adjtime_fast() that would add the functionality without
> breaking ntpd. It might not get you anywhere but he who does not ask
> does not get!
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