Master/slave negotiation associated with a synchronous ethernet network

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a first network element, a link master/slave relationship for an Ethernet link,
• the Ethernet link being associated with a connection between a first component of the first network element and a second component of a second network element;
• receiving, by the first network element, an indication that the second component of the second network element has been selected as a Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) slave associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• identifying, by the first network element and based on the indication, the first component as a SyncE master associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• providing, by the first network element and to the second network element, acknowledgment information indicating that the first component has been identified as the SyncE master;
• and
• determining, by the first network element and based on providing the acknowledgment information, a SyncE master/slave relationship associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link,
• the SyncE master/slave relationship superseding the link master/slave relationship for the Ethernet link.

A first network element, comprising:

• one or more processors to:
• determine a link master/slave relationship for an Ethernet link,
• the Ethernet link being associated with a connection between a first component of the first network element and a second component of a second network element;
• receive an indication that the second component of the second network element has been selected as a Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) slave associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• identify, based on the indication, the first component as a SyncE master associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• provide, to the second network element, acknowledgment information indicating that the first component has been identified as the SyncE master;
• and
• determine, based on providing the acknowledgment information, a SyncE master/slave relationship associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link,
• the SyncE master/slave relationship superseding the link master/slave relationship for the Ethernet link.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

• one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first network element, cause the one or more processors to:
• determine a link master/slave relationship for an Ethernet link,
• the Ethernet link being associated with a connection between a first component of the first network element and a second component of a second network element;
• receive an indication that the second component of the second network element has been selected as a Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) slave associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• identify, based on the indication, the first component as a SyncE master associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link;
• provide, to the second network element, acknowledgment information indicating that the first component has been identified as the SyncE master;
• and
• determine, based on providing the acknowledgment information, a SyncE master/slave relationship associated with enabling SyncE on the Ethernet link,
• the SyncE master/slave relationship superseding the link master/slave relationship for the Ethernet link.