Overview

The GNU/Linux operating system of the LANTIMEs SBC (Single Board Computer) has been optimized to ensure a high level of security and reliability.
A large VF display shows the state of the internal GPS receiver and the NTP subsystem. Three LEDs (green/red) indicate the status of the three main components: Reference Time (GPS), Time Synchronization Service (NTP) and Network (Link status). A fourth red LED is labelled ALARM and can be configured to signal any event that is covered by the notification handling routines.

The configuration of the system can be done by using a standard web browser to access the extensive but straightforward html interface. Alternatively a text based and menu driven setup utility can be started from the shell prompt after logging into the unit via Telnet or SSH.

The security-related features of LANTIME time servers satisfy highest demands. The time synchronization data can be reliably signed and secured by symmetric keys (MD5) and the NTP autokey procedures. This protects the clients against manipulated time and man-in-the-middle attacks and allows them to verify that the NTP packets they received were send by the LANTIME. Additionally the whole LANTIME configuration can be done by using encrypted channels (e.g. SSH, HTTPS or SNMPv3). Every unused/unneeded protocol can be disabled in order to reduce possible points of attack.

In order to support network management systems the LANTIME time servers offer an extensive SNMP interface, which can be accessed by SNMP V1, V2.c and V3. It allows the monitoring of all relevant system parameters (including operating system parameters, network interface statistics, detailed GPS and NTP status information as well as the complete system configuration) and can be used to alter the LANTIME configuration via SNMP set commands, too.

LANTIME time servers are designed to be deployed in IPv6 networks, the NTP time synchronization as well as the configuration interfaces (Web-based, SSH and SNMP) comes with IPv6 support. You can assign several IPv6 addresses and the system supports automatic configuration by IPv6 autoconf.

The LANTIME M600 GPS is equipped with high precision oscillator “OCXO LQ” (look at oscillator options for details) as standard. The oscillator determines the holdover characteristics (e.g. when the GPS signal is disturbed or jammed). Oscillator options like “OCXO MQ”, “OCXO HQ”, “OCXO DHQ” and Rubidium are available to fulfill higher requirements.