[LEAPSECS] Leap second smearing test results

[Hal Murray]

> Unfortunately not. More tests to be done. Especially the cases where the
> server sends "poll 4" to its clients during the smear interval. On the one
> hand this seems to have an affect on the client, in that the client's poll
> interval decreases more than without it. On the other hand, why does the
> client poll only decrease to 6, even though the server suggests 4, and why
> is the client increasing its poll interval when the frequency seems to
> become "stable", ... 

I don't think the client pays any attention to that field in the packet.

It reduces its polling interval when things change faster/farther than 
expected and increases it when things are working smoothly.  (Sorry for using 
non-technical terms.)

> If the client has a long poll interval and/or polls only lately next time
> after smearing has stopped the time offset due to the changed frequency has
> increased much more than with a client that polls next time shortly after
> smearing has stopped. 

Right.  Google's smear is off by 13.9 ppm.  At 1000 seconds, that's 14 ms worst case.

But how early do you want to poll?  If the client asks right after the smearing stops, there won't be any accumulated offset so it won't see any error and won't do anything.




-- 
These are my opinions.  I hate spam.