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Configuring PTP

Arista best practices are used, simplifying configuration of several global and interface-specific PTP settings:

  • PTP can be enabled on various levels of the AVD configuration:
    • fabric level
    • per node type
    • per node
  • Only when explicitly enabled, will the following global PTP settings take effect:
    • PTP mode boundary is used by default.
    • One of three different PTP profiles can be used:
      • AES67
      • SMPTE2059-2

      • AES67-R16-2016 (used by default if no profile is specified)

        The profile will apply PTP parameters for the following interfaces: - All routed interfaces - Individual PTP-enabled interfaces for connected endpoints

  • Defaults used when PTP is enabled:
    • All interfaces between leaf and spine switches participate in the Best Master Clock Algorithm (BMCA).
    • All interfaces used for endpoints with ptp specifically enabled use ptp role master.
    • PTP priority 1 and priority 2 are automatically set based on the node_type and switch_id.
    • PTP Clock Identity is automatically set based on a prefix (00:1C:73 by default) + PTP priority 1 and priority 2.

Enabling PTP

PTP must be specifically enabled:

  • on the fabric level, for example FABRIC.yml

    ptp_settings:
  enabled: true

  • per node type, for example for all spine nodes in SPINES.yml

    spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      enabled: true

  • per node for a specific node/device inside a node_group, for example for a specific leaf in LEAFS.yml

    l3leaf:
  node_groups:
    - group: leaf1
      nodes:
        - name: leaf1a
          ptp:
            enabled: true

Please note: If present, you need to remove the legacy PTP notation shown below, for example for all spine nodes. If this is not removed, the PTP profile-specific interface configuration will not be applied to the interfaces between leaf and spine switches.

spine:
  defaults:
    uplink_ptp:
      enable: true

Fabric wide PTP settings

Common PTP settings can be specified for the entire topology to greatly simplify the configuration of PTP:

These settings can also be defined on a more specific group_vars level, if the network design requires this.

PTP Profiles

Based on the PTP profile selection the following parameters are applied to all interfaces between spine and leaf switches:

profile: aes67 is the slow PTP profile setting the following interface parameters:

  • ptp enable
  • ptp sync-message interval 0 (1 message every second)
  • ptp announce interval 2 (1 message every 4th second)
  • ptp transport ipv4
  • ptp announce timeout 3
  • ptp delay-req interval 0 (1 message every second)

profile: smpte2059-2 is the fast PTP profile setting the following interface parameters:

  • ptp enable
  • ptp sync-message interval -4 (16 messages every second)
  • ptp announce interval -2 (4 messages every second)
  • ptp transport ipv4
  • ptp announce timeout 3
  • ptp delay-req interval -4 (16 messages every second)

profile: aes67-r16-2016 is the default PTP profile, setting the following interface parameters:

  • ptp enable
  • ptp sync-message interval -3 (8 messages every second)
  • ptp announce interval 0 (1 message every second)
  • ptp transport ipv4
  • ptp announce timeout 3
  • ptp delay-req interval -3 (8 messages every second)

Group or device specific PTP settings

PTP Priorities

Automatic PTP priorities

Regardless of the PTP profile selection, the PTP priorities are automatically generated by default:

  • Priority 1 is set automatically based on node_type.
  • Priority 2 is set automatically based on node id. (modulus 256)

As shown in the table below, PTP priority 1 is defined by default, based on the node_type setting, which currently is either spine or l3leaf. Spine switches will have a PTP priority 1 of 20 and leaf switches will have a PTP priority 1 of 30. This supports the recommended Amber/Blue topologies where PTP GrandMasters are connected to the spine switches directly. All other node_types will have a default PTP priority 1 of 127 to ensure they don’t win the BMCA by accident.

Node_Type Priority 1 Priority 2
spine 20 (node_id modulus 256)
l3leaf 30 (node_id modulus 256)
anything else 127 (node_id modulus 256)

For leaf switches connecting to a PTP GrandMaster we recommend to manually set PTP priority 1 lower than the other leaf switches, for example to “10” as shown below:

l3leaf:
  node_groups:
    leaf1:
      nodes:
        - name: leaf1
          ptp:
            enabled: true
            priority1: 10

Alternatively the default node_type_keys can be overridden to add a ptp_leaf or similar node type with default_ptp_priority1: 10.

Manually setting PTP priorities

The automatic PTP priorities can be manually overridden if required, for example for leaf1:

l3leaf:
  node_groups:
    - group: leaf1
      nodes:
        - name: leaf1
          ptp:
            enabled: true
            priority1: < 0-255 | default -> automatically set based on node_type >
            priority2: < 0-255 | default -> (node_id modulus 256) >

PTP Clock Identity

Setting PTP Clock Identity automatically

By default PTP clock identity is generated and set automatically. The clock identity will consist of the following:

  • a prefix which is “00:1C:73” by default
  • PTP priority 1 as HEX
  • “:00:”
  • PTP priority 2 as HEX

This means, that for a node with PTP priority 1 = 30 and PTP priority 2 = 2, the PTP clock identity will automatically be set to: 00:1C:73:1e:00:01

If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply set auto_clock_identity: false on one or more of the levels shown below:

  • on the fabric level, for example FABRIC.yml

    ptp_settings:
  auto_clock_identity: < true | false | default -> true >

  • per node type, for example for all spine nodes in SPINES.yml

    spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      auto_clock_identity: < true | false | default -> true >

  • per node for a specific node/device inside a node_group, for example for a specific leaf in LEAFS.yml

    l3leaf:
  node_groups:
    - group: leaf1
      nodes:
        - name: leaf1
          ptp:
            auto_clock_identity: < true | false | default -> true >

The most specific setting takes precedence. By default auto_clock_identity is enabled on the fabric level and can thus be disabled for one or more node types, or for one individual node. This effect can also be inverted, by disabling it on the fabric level and enabling it for one or more node types, or for one individual node.

PTP Clock Identity prefix

By default the 3-byte prefix for auto_clock_identity is 00:1C:73, but this can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).

Please note: Remember to use double-quotes around the value, as otherwise it will be not be rendered correctly.

For example for all spine nodes:

spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      enabled: true
      clock_identity_prefix: "01:02:03"

Setting PTP Clock Identity manually

If the auto generation of PTP clock_identity and the EOS system MAC-address of the switch is not what you want, the clock_identity value can be manually set on various levels of the configuration:

  • For example per node type, in this case for all spine nodes in SPINES.yml

    spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      clock_identity: "01:02:03:04:05:06"

Please note: Remember to use double-quotes around the value, as otherwise it will be not be rendered correctly.

Enable PTP unicast forwarding

With this feature enabled, multicast PTP packets will continue to be sent to the control plane, but unicast PTP packets will be hardware forwarded through the data plane. This feature enables the use of protocols such as Meinbergs NetSync to monitor downstream PTP slaves in the network without having the PTP packets dropped by Arista Switches acting as boundary clocks.

  • For example per node type, in this case for all spine nodes in SPINES.yml

    spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      forward_unicast: < true | false | default -> false >

PTP Source IP address

By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour. This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of 10.1.2.3:

spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      enabled: true
      source_ip: 10.1.2.3

PTP Time-To-Live (TTL)

By default in EOS, PTP packets are sent with a TTL of 1. This is perfectly acceptable when using the recommended topology with routed interfaces or VLANs with a local SVI, but can be overridden and set manually, for example to a value of 64:

spine:
  defaults:
    ptp:
      enabled: true
      ttl: 64

PTP Monitor Threshold configuration

PTP monitor thresholds is enabled by default, when PTP is enabled. Default parameters are provided.

This will result in the following configuration:

ptp monitor threshold offset-from-master 250
ptp monitor threshold mean-path-delay 1500
ptp monitor sequence-id
ptp monitor threshold missing-message announce 3 sequence-ids
ptp monitor threshold missing-message delay-resp 3 sequence-ids
ptp monitor threshold missing-message follow-up 3 sequence-ids
ptp monitor threshold missing-message sync 3 sequence-ids

All parameters can be overridden if required:

Variable Type Required Default Value Restrictions Description
<node_type_keys.key> Dictionary
  defaults Dictionary Define variables for all nodes of this type.
    ptp Dictionary
      enabled Boolean False
      profile String aes67-r16-2016 Valid Values:
- aes67
- smpte2059-2
- aes67-r16-2016
      mlag Boolean False Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
      domain Integer 127 Min: 0
Max: 255
      priority1 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> automatically set based on node_type.
      priority2 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> (node_id modulus 256).
      auto_clock_identity Boolean True If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + “:00:” + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
      clock_identity_prefix String PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. “01:02:03”.
By default the 3-byte prefix is “00:1C:73”.
This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
      clock_identity String Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. “01:02:03:04:05:06”.
      source_ip String By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of “10.1.2.3”.
      mode String boundary Valid Values:
- boundary
      mode_one_step Boolean False
      ttl Integer
      forward_unicast Boolean False Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
      dscp Dictionary
        general_messages Integer
        event_messages Integer
      monitor Dictionary
        enabled Boolean True
        threshold Dictionary
          offset_from_master Integer 250 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
          mean_path_delay Integer 1500 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
          drop Dictionary
            offset_from_master Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
            mean_path_delay Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
        missing_message Dictionary
          intervals Dictionary
            announce Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
            follow_up Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
            sync Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
          sequence_ids Dictionary
            enabled Boolean True
            announce Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
            delay_resp Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
            follow_up Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
            sync Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
  node_groups List, items: Dictionary Define variables related to all nodes part of this group.
    - group String Required, Unique The Node Group Name is used for MLAG domain unless set with ‘mlag_domain_id’.
The Node Group Name is also used for peer description on downstream switches’ uplinks.
      nodes List, items: Dictionary Define variables per node.
        - name String Required, Unique The Node Name is used as “hostname”.
          ptp Dictionary
            enabled Boolean False
            profile String aes67-r16-2016 Valid Values:
- aes67
- smpte2059-2
- aes67-r16-2016
            mlag Boolean False Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
            domain Integer 127 Min: 0
Max: 255
            priority1 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> automatically set based on node_type.
            priority2 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> (node_id modulus 256).
            auto_clock_identity Boolean True If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + “:00:” + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
            clock_identity_prefix String PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. “01:02:03”.
By default the 3-byte prefix is “00:1C:73”.
This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
            clock_identity String Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. “01:02:03:04:05:06”.
            source_ip String By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of “10.1.2.3”.
            mode String boundary Valid Values:
- boundary
            mode_one_step Boolean False
            ttl Integer
            forward_unicast Boolean False Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
            dscp Dictionary
              general_messages Integer
              event_messages Integer
            monitor Dictionary
              enabled Boolean True
              threshold Dictionary
                offset_from_master Integer 250 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
                mean_path_delay Integer 1500 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
                drop Dictionary
                  offset_from_master Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
                  mean_path_delay Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
              missing_message Dictionary
                intervals Dictionary
                  announce Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
                  follow_up Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
                  sync Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
                sequence_ids Dictionary
                  enabled Boolean True
                  announce Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
                  delay_resp Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
                  follow_up Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
                  sync Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
      ptp Dictionary
        enabled Boolean False
        profile String aes67-r16-2016 Valid Values:
- aes67
- smpte2059-2
- aes67-r16-2016
        mlag Boolean False Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
        domain Integer 127 Min: 0
Max: 255
        priority1 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> automatically set based on node_type.
        priority2 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> (node_id modulus 256).
        auto_clock_identity Boolean True If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + “:00:” + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
        clock_identity_prefix String PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. “01:02:03”.
By default the 3-byte prefix is “00:1C:73”.
This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
        clock_identity String Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. “01:02:03:04:05:06”.
        source_ip String By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of “10.1.2.3”.
        mode String boundary Valid Values:
- boundary
        mode_one_step Boolean False
        ttl Integer
        forward_unicast Boolean False Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
        dscp Dictionary
          general_messages Integer
          event_messages Integer
        monitor Dictionary
          enabled Boolean True
          threshold Dictionary
            offset_from_master Integer 250 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
            mean_path_delay Integer 1500 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
            drop Dictionary
              offset_from_master Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
              mean_path_delay Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
          missing_message Dictionary
            intervals Dictionary
              announce Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
              follow_up Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
              sync Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
            sequence_ids Dictionary
              enabled Boolean True
              announce Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              delay_resp Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              follow_up Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              sync Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
  nodes List, items: Dictionary Define variables per node.
    - name String Required, Unique The Node Name is used as “hostname”.
      ptp Dictionary
        enabled Boolean False
        profile String aes67-r16-2016 Valid Values:
- aes67
- smpte2059-2
- aes67-r16-2016
        mlag Boolean False Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
        domain Integer 127 Min: 0
Max: 255
        priority1 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> automatically set based on node_type.
        priority2 Integer Min: 0
Max: 255		 default -> (node_id modulus 256).
        auto_clock_identity Boolean True If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + “:00:” + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
        clock_identity_prefix String PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. “01:02:03”.
By default the 3-byte prefix is “00:1C:73”.
This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
        clock_identity String Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. “01:02:03:04:05:06”.
        source_ip String By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of “10.1.2.3”.
        mode String boundary Valid Values:
- boundary
        mode_one_step Boolean False
        ttl Integer
        forward_unicast Boolean False Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
        dscp Dictionary
          general_messages Integer
          event_messages Integer
        monitor Dictionary
          enabled Boolean True
          threshold Dictionary
            offset_from_master Integer 250 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
            mean_path_delay Integer 1500 Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
            drop Dictionary
              offset_from_master Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
              mean_path_delay Integer Min: 0
Max: 1000000000
          missing_message Dictionary
            intervals Dictionary
              announce Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
              follow_up Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
              sync Integer Min: 2
Max: 255
            sequence_ids Dictionary
              enabled Boolean True
              announce Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              delay_resp Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              follow_up Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255
              sync Integer 3 Min: 2
Max: 255		 
<node_type_keys.key>:

  # Define variables for all nodes of this type.
  defaults:
    ptp:
      enabled: <bool; default=False>
      profile: <str; "aes67" | "smpte2059-2" | "aes67-r16-2016"; default="aes67-r16-2016">

      # Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
      mlag: <bool; default=False>
      domain: <int; 0-255; default=127>

      # default -> automatically set based on node_type.
      priority1: <int; 0-255>

      # default -> (node_id modulus 256).
      priority2: <int; 0-255>

      # If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
      # default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + ":00:" + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
      auto_clock_identity: <bool; default=True>

      # PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. "01:02:03".
      # By default the 3-byte prefix is "00:1C:73".
      # This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
      clock_identity_prefix: <str>

      # Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. "01:02:03:04:05:06".
      clock_identity: <str>

      # By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
      # This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of "10.1.2.3".
      source_ip: <str>
      mode: <str; "boundary"; default="boundary">
      mode_one_step: <bool; default=False>
      ttl: <int>

      # Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
      forward_unicast: <bool; default=False>
      dscp:
        general_messages: <int>
        event_messages: <int>
      monitor:
        enabled: <bool; default=True>
        threshold:
          offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000; default=250>
          mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000; default=1500>
          drop:
            offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000>
            mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000>
        missing_message:
          intervals:
            announce: <int; 2-255>
            follow_up: <int; 2-255>
            sync: <int; 2-255>
          sequence_ids:
            enabled: <bool; default=True>
            announce: <int; 2-255; default=3>
            delay_resp: <int; 2-255; default=3>
            follow_up: <int; 2-255; default=3>
            sync: <int; 2-255; default=3>

  # Define variables related to all nodes part of this group.
  node_groups:

      # The Node Group Name is used for MLAG domain unless set with 'mlag_domain_id'.
      # The Node Group Name is also used for peer description on downstream switches' uplinks.
    - group: <str; required; unique>

      # Define variables per node.
      nodes:

          # The Node Name is used as "hostname".
        - name: <str; required; unique>
          ptp:
            enabled: <bool; default=False>
            profile: <str; "aes67" | "smpte2059-2" | "aes67-r16-2016"; default="aes67-r16-2016">

            # Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
            mlag: <bool; default=False>
            domain: <int; 0-255; default=127>

            # default -> automatically set based on node_type.
            priority1: <int; 0-255>

            # default -> (node_id modulus 256).
            priority2: <int; 0-255>

            # If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
            # default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + ":00:" + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
            auto_clock_identity: <bool; default=True>

            # PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. "01:02:03".
            # By default the 3-byte prefix is "00:1C:73".
            # This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
            clock_identity_prefix: <str>

            # Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. "01:02:03:04:05:06".
            clock_identity: <str>

            # By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
            # This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of "10.1.2.3".
            source_ip: <str>
            mode: <str; "boundary"; default="boundary">
            mode_one_step: <bool; default=False>
            ttl: <int>

            # Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
            forward_unicast: <bool; default=False>
            dscp:
              general_messages: <int>
              event_messages: <int>
            monitor:
              enabled: <bool; default=True>
              threshold:
                offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000; default=250>
                mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000; default=1500>
                drop:
                  offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000>
                  mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000>
              missing_message:
                intervals:
                  announce: <int; 2-255>
                  follow_up: <int; 2-255>
                  sync: <int; 2-255>
                sequence_ids:
                  enabled: <bool; default=True>
                  announce: <int; 2-255; default=3>
                  delay_resp: <int; 2-255; default=3>
                  follow_up: <int; 2-255; default=3>
                  sync: <int; 2-255; default=3>
      ptp:
        enabled: <bool; default=False>
        profile: <str; "aes67" | "smpte2059-2" | "aes67-r16-2016"; default="aes67-r16-2016">

        # Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
        mlag: <bool; default=False>
        domain: <int; 0-255; default=127>

        # default -> automatically set based on node_type.
        priority1: <int; 0-255>

        # default -> (node_id modulus 256).
        priority2: <int; 0-255>

        # If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
        # default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + ":00:" + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
        auto_clock_identity: <bool; default=True>

        # PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. "01:02:03".
        # By default the 3-byte prefix is "00:1C:73".
        # This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
        clock_identity_prefix: <str>

        # Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. "01:02:03:04:05:06".
        clock_identity: <str>

        # By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
        # This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of "10.1.2.3".
        source_ip: <str>
        mode: <str; "boundary"; default="boundary">
        mode_one_step: <bool; default=False>
        ttl: <int>

        # Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
        forward_unicast: <bool; default=False>
        dscp:
          general_messages: <int>
          event_messages: <int>
        monitor:
          enabled: <bool; default=True>
          threshold:
            offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000; default=250>
            mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000; default=1500>
            drop:
              offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000>
              mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000>
          missing_message:
            intervals:
              announce: <int; 2-255>
              follow_up: <int; 2-255>
              sync: <int; 2-255>
            sequence_ids:
              enabled: <bool; default=True>
              announce: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              delay_resp: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              follow_up: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              sync: <int; 2-255; default=3>

  # Define variables per node.
  nodes:

      # The Node Name is used as "hostname".
    - name: <str; required; unique>
      ptp:
        enabled: <bool; default=False>
        profile: <str; "aes67" | "smpte2059-2" | "aes67-r16-2016"; default="aes67-r16-2016">

        # Configure PTP on the MLAG peer-link port-channel when PTP is enabled. By default PTP will not be configured on the MLAG peer-link port-channel.
        mlag: <bool; default=False>
        domain: <int; 0-255; default=127>

        # default -> automatically set based on node_type.
        priority1: <int; 0-255>

        # default -> (node_id modulus 256).
        priority2: <int; 0-255>

        # If you prefer to have PTP clock identity be the system MAC-address of the switch, which is the default EOS behaviour, simply disable the automatic PTP clock identity.
        # default -> (clock_identity_prefix = 00:1C:73 (default)) + (PTP priority 1 as HEX) + ":00:" + (PTP priority 2 as HEX).
        auto_clock_identity: <bool; default=True>

        # PTP clock idetentiy 3-byte prefix. i.e. "01:02:03".
        # By default the 3-byte prefix is "00:1C:73".
        # This can be overridden if auto_clock_identity is set to true (which is the default).
        clock_identity_prefix: <str>

        # Set PTP clock identity manually. 6-byte value i.e. "01:02:03:04:05:06".
        clock_identity: <str>

        # By default in EOS, PTP packets are sourced with an IP address from the routed port or from the relevant SVI, which is the recommended behaviour.
        # This can be set manually if required, for example, to a value of "10.1.2.3".
        source_ip: <str>
        mode: <str; "boundary"; default="boundary">
        mode_one_step: <bool; default=False>
        ttl: <int>

        # Enable PTP unicast forwarding.
        forward_unicast: <bool; default=False>
        dscp:
          general_messages: <int>
          event_messages: <int>
        monitor:
          enabled: <bool; default=True>
          threshold:
            offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000; default=250>
            mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000; default=1500>
            drop:
              offset_from_master: <int; 0-1000000000>
              mean_path_delay: <int; 0-1000000000>
          missing_message:
            intervals:
              announce: <int; 2-255>
              follow_up: <int; 2-255>
              sync: <int; 2-255>
            sequence_ids:
              enabled: <bool; default=True>
              announce: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              delay_resp: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              follow_up: <int; 2-255; default=3>
              sync: <int; 2-255; default=3>

Setting PTP DSCP values

You can manually set the global DSCP values used for PTP messages if this is required:

l3leaf:
  node_groups:
    - group: leaf1
      nodes:
        - name: leaf1
          ptp:
            enabled: true
            dscp:
              general_messages: 46
              event_messages: 46

PTP Settings for connected endpoints

By default all interfaces with connected endpoints do not have PTP enabled. It must be manually enabled. These are the default settings:

  • The global PTP profile parameters will be applied to all connected endpoints where ptp is manually enabled.
  • ptp role master is set to ensure control over the PTP topology.
servers:
  - name: <server-name>
    adapters:
    - type: <type>
      endpoint_ports: [ <server-ports> ]
      switch_ports: [ <switchports> ]
      switches: [ <switches> ]
      ptp:
        enabled: < false | true | default -> false >
        endpoint_role: < follower | bmca | default -> follower >
        profile: < aes67 | smpte2059-2 | aes67-r16-2016 | default -> aes67-r16-2016 >

Examples of connected endpoints

If you want to configure a routed interface with no IP address, for example to connect to a PTP Grandmaster, you can do as shown below. Please note in this example, the default PTP role has been overridden, making the interface Ethernet5 on blue-spine1 towards the Blue PTP Grandmaster run BMCA. Depending on the topology, this interface will end up in PTP mode Slave or Passive.

servers:
  - name: Blue-Grandmaster
    adapters:
    - type: server
      endpoint_ports: [ eth1 ]
      switch_ports: [ Ethernet5 ]
      switches: [ blue-spine1 ]
      structured_config:
        type: routed
      ptp:
        enabled: true
        endpoint_role: bmca

If you want to use a different PTP profile on an interface towards a connected endpoint, it can be set manually:

servers:
  - name: Endpoint-with-specific-PTP-profile
    adapters:
    - type: server
      endpoint_ports: [ eth3 ]
      switch_ports: [ Ethernet7 ]
      switches: [ blue-leaf1 ]
      ptp:
        enabled: true
        profile: smpte2059-2

Interfaces only used for PTP traffic

In a Media and Entertainment Layer 3 Leaf Spine network topology with redundant connectivity to either a single or dual PTP GrandMasters, you might require network connectivity between parts of the network only for PTP traffic.

Such switch-to-switch links must be defined on a fabric level, for example using two links between blue-leaf1 and blue-leaf2 as shown here:

core_interfaces:
  p2p_links:
      # Unique id
    - id: 1
      # Nodes where this link should be configured
      nodes: [ blue-leaf1, blue-leaf2 ]
      # Interfaces where this link should be configured | Required unless using port-channels
      interfaces: [ Ethernet10, Ethernet10 ]
      # Enable PTP
      ptp:
        enabled: true
      # Do not add this interface to underlay routing protocol
      include_in_underlay_protocol: false
    - id: 2
      nodes: [ blue-leaf1, blue-leaf2 ]
      interfaces: [ Ethernet11, Ethernet11 ]
      ptp:
        enabled: true
      include_in_underlay_protocol: false

This will result in the two interfaces being configured as routed interfaces without an IP address, with PTP enabled using the same PTP profile as defined globally:

! blue-leaf1
!
interface Ethernet10
   description P2P_LINK_TO_blue-leaf2_Ethernet10
   no shutdown
   mtu 1500
   no switchport
   ptp enable
   ptp sync-message interval -3
   ptp announce interval 0
   ptp transport ipv4
   ptp announce timeout 3
   ptp delay-req interval -3
!
interface Ethernet11
   description P2P_LINK_TO_blue-leaf2_Ethernet11
   no shutdown
   mtu 1500
   no switchport
   ptp enable
   ptp sync-message interval -3
   ptp announce interval 0
   ptp transport ipv4
   ptp announce timeout 3
   ptp delay-req interval -3

PTP Options not included

  • ptp delay-mechanism parameters are not included.
  • vlan settings are not included.

However, these settings can be set using custom cli configuration if needed.