Virtualized clocks
A method of virtualizing a clock is executed by a network controller comprising a processor and computer-readable instructions for creating one or more virtual network elements comprising one or more virtual clocks. The method comprises retrieving, at a first virtual network element of the one or more virtual network elements, a first time of day value and a second time of day value. The method further comprises adjusting the amount of time elapsed based, in part, on a frequency adjustment value and incrementing a clock value based on the amount of time elapsed.
1. A computer-implemented method of virtualizing a clock of a network element in a virtualized network, comprising:
creating, by a network controller, one or more virtual network elements wherein each virtual network element comprises a virtual clock;
retrieving, at a first of said one or more virtual network elements a first time of day value;
retrieving, at the first virtual network element a second time of day value;
calculating an amount of time elapsed between the first time of day value and the second time of day value;
adjusting the amount of time elapsed; and
incrementing a clock value based on the adjusted amount of time elapsed;
wherein each virtual network element comprises a virtual network protocol stack that provides the first time of day value and the second time of day value.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual network protocol stack fully replicates the behavior of a network element.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the frequency adjustment value is stored as a multi-bit fractional value.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving an adjustment value; and
calculating a frequency adjustment value based on the adjustment value.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising executing the method of claim 1 on at least one thousand virtual network elements.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the method of claim 1 at a fixed time period.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the fixed time period is a one second interval.
8. A system for virtualizing a clock, the system comprising:
a network controller coupled with one or more virtual network elements, each virtual network element comprising a virtual clock adapted to;
retrieve a first time of day value;
retrieve a second time of day value;
calculate an amount of time elapsed between the first time of day value and the second time of day value;
adjust the amount of time elapsed; and
increment a clock value based on the adjusted amount of time elapsed;
wherein each virtual network element further comprises a virtual network protocol stack adapted to provide the first time of day value and the second time of day value to the virtual clock.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual network protocol stack fully replicates the behavior of a network element.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual clock is further adapted to:
retrieve an adjustment value; and
calculate a frequency adjustment value based on the adjustment value.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the frequency adjustment value is a fractional value.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the network controller is adapted to instantiate at least one thousand virtual network elements.