Clock distribution networks synchronize the flow of data signals among synchronous data paths. The design of these networks can dramatically affect system-wide performance and reliability. A theoretical background of clock skew is provided in order to better understand how clock distribution networks interact with data paths. Minimum and maximum timing constraints are developed from the relativ...

This article deals with two mechanisms for time synchronization over Ethernet networks, the “IEEE 1588 standard for a precision clock synchronization protocol for networked measurement and control systems” and the “synchronized universal time coordinated” technology. It presents a prototype system, which supports both synchronization mechanisms by offering dedicated hardware support on Ethernet...

We study the packet dispersion phenomenon that a traffic flow experiences when it passes through a router. We show that when there are competing flows and the router schedules packets first-come-first-served (FCFS), the dispersion is not described well by the bottleneck spacing effect. We therefore introduce the term FCFS-spacing effect. We also show that for a router implementing weighted fair...

Embedded generalized markup, as applied by digital humanists to the recording and studying of our textual cultural heritage, suffers from a number of serious technical drawbacks. As a result of its evolution from early printer control languages, generalized markup can only express a document’s ‘logical’ structure via a repertoire of permissible printed format structures. In addition to the well...

A novel method is presented for hiding information in audio and image files by subtly and inaudibly compressing or expanding time regions of an audio file. By comparing the altered file with a reference copy, compressed and expanded regions can be detected. The location and duration of compression and expansion encodes information in the modified file. This approach is novel and has many advant...

An increasing number of TCP performance issues including TCP Incast, TCP Outcast, and long query completion times are common in large-scale data centers. We demonstrate that the root cause of these problems is that existing techniques are unable to maintain self-clocking or to achieve accurate and rapid packet loss notification. We present cutting payload (CP), a mechanism that simply drops a p...