Communication time information in a network to enable synchronization

A network node comprising:

• characterization logic configured to characterize a cumulative delay associated with a network link between the network node and a second node;
• a storage configured to store a data structure that contains the cumulative delay associated with the network link;
• synchronization logic configured to:
• receive a timing packet over the network link, the timing packet originated by a time server;
• update time information in the timing packet using the data structure;
• and
• transmit the timing packet containing the updated time information to a second node to enable the second node to perform synchronization;
• and
• a local clock device that has a lower accuracy than a primary clock device associated with the time server, wherein the time server is associated with a primary time reference source.

A network node comprising:

• a clock device;
• synchronization logic configured to:
• receive a timing packet originated by a time server associated with a reference time source, said timing packet including a field updated to reflect cumulative delays as the timing packet traverses a network to which said network node is connected;
• use the timing packet to synchronize the clock device;
• receive a further timing packet after the clock device has been synchronized;
• and
• update a time in the network node according to the further timing packet;
• wherein the clock device has lower accuracy than a primary clock device associated with the time server.