Configure Packet Timestamping

Timestamping packets is crucial in networking, Accurately recording time references for packets as they travel through the network. This technology aids in performance monitoring, latency analysis, network troubleshooting, and system synchronization. Precise timestamps help pinpoint delays, identify network bottlenecks, optimize routing, and ensure adherence to service-level agreements.

Timestamps are also crucial for coordinating distributed systems by maintaining a consistent time reference across geographically dispersed components. To do this, Specialized hardware or software captures and records these timestamps. Protocols like Precision Time Protocol (PTP) or Network Time Protocol (NTP), facilitate high-precision synchronization.

Timestamping feature is needed for below major use-cases:

1. Detecting the congestion point on the path of a flow

2. Path Tracing

3. Real-time performance monitoring

4. Arrival sequence validation

This feature is only supported on Broadcom TD3 platforms, specifically EC7326, and EC7726.

Enable Timestamping Globally

You can configure the Timestamping glo using the following command:

Reference

Command	[no] timestamping [enable ]
Description	OPB Packet Timestamping
Parameters	enable or disable
Mode	CONFIG

Example

pbnoscli# configure terminal
pbnoscli(config)# timestamping
  enable                enable/disable the OPB Packet Timestamping
pbnoscli(config)# timestamping enable
pbnoscli(config)#

#Disable#
pbnoscli# configure terminal
pbnoscli(config)# timestamping
  enable                enable/disable the OPB Packet Timestamping
pbnoscli(config)#no timestamping enable
pbnoscli(config)#

pbnoscli# show running-config
configure terminal
!
timestamping enable
!
!
pbnoscli#

Enable Timestamp Per-Interface

To Configure Timestamping per interface, use the below command:

Reference

Command	[no] timestamp {enable} stage {ingress | egress} source-id <23-bit value>
Description	Timestamp configuration
Parameters	enable/disable, stage, source-id
Mode	INTERFACE

Example

pbnoscli# configure terminal
pbnoscli(config)# interface ethernet Ethernet1/1
pbnoscli(config-if)# timestamp
  enable                Enable timestamp
pbnoscli(config-if)# timestamp enable 
pbnoscli(config-if)# timestamp enable stage
  egress                Egress
  ingress               Ingress
pbnoscli(config-if)# timestamp enable stage egress
  source-id             Specify source id
pbnoscli(config-if)# timestamp enable stage egress source-id 0x8233
pbnoscli(config-if)#end
pbnoscli#


#Disable#
pbnoscli(config-if)# no timestamp enable stage egress source-id 0x8233

pbnoscli# show running-config
configure terminal
interface ethernet Ethernet1/1
mtu 9100
speed 25000
timestamp enable stage egress source-id 0x8233
!
timestamping enable
!
!
pbnoscli#