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Overview

Reliable, accurate system time is important wherever scheduled events, invoice generation, automatic data backups and other actions are time-triggered. Computers' system clocks are much too inaccurate for this purpose. Much more suitable are radio clocks based, for example, on the atomic clock of the DCF77 system. But even a conventional radio clock can cause problems if time signal reception is poor. An incorrectly received signal can result in the time - or even the date - being set incorrectly: a system administrator's nightmare.

With its innovative technology, the NeoClock time synchronization system eliminates all possible reception errors and guarantees highly-accurate system time in networks even under adverse conditions and at long distances from the transmitter.

NeoClock is a turnkey solution consisting of the radio clock (DCF77 or TDF receiver) with two built-in aerials and all necessary programs for the respective network. NeoClock is extremely simple to install and operate: connected to the serial port of a PC - which then acts as time server - it uses up an almost negligible amount of system resources on servers and clients.

Different models are available to cover the widest possible range of applications. See ordering information.

Typical applications

• Banking
• Insurance sector
• Production facilities
• Airlines
• Time logging, production data acquisition
• Plus many other office and industrial applications

Key features

• Complete time synchronization system for networks under Windows, Linux/UNIX and Netware
• Time receiver, aerial and all required software for server and clients included
• Two built-in aerials for optimum reception at all times - no alignment necessary
• Four-stage integrity checking of the received time signal
• Only 100% reliable time and date information is passed to the network
• A highly accurate built-in crystal clock (with a lithium back-up battery) provides a time coordinate if reception fails
• Supported operating systems:
  Windows 95 / 98 / 2003 / 2000 / XP / NT 4 - Novell Netware 4.x / 5.x / 6.x
  For Linux and UNIX, see NeoClock4X
• Under Windows, the radio clock (time) server can also be installed on any workstation
• No separate power supply needed
• Desktop and wall-mounted enclosures available
• Optionally available for outdoor installation

Security

• Two aerials
  Instead of the normal reception aerial, NeoClock uses two aerials arranged at right angles to each other. This removes the need for precise alignment during installation, and reception is less prone to local interference and changing atmospheric conditions. Each aerial has its own reception module, whose signal quality is continually compared with the other. The better of the two signals is used for further processing.
• Multiple integrity checking
  The time information then undergoes several evaluation steps. If the received time is correct, it is transmitted to the connected network and the built-in crystal clock is synchronized if necessary. If there is any evidence that the received time information may be incorrect, NeoClock switches to its highly accurate internal time coordinate (the crystal clock) for as long as adequate reception is interrupted.
• Backup crystal clock
  The built-in high-precision crystal clock is stabilized against temperature fluctuations from 0 to 65 degrees Celsius. Even at a theoretically possible total signal reception failure for a whole month, the maximum deviation of the system time would be much less than five seconds, at room temperature even less than one second.
  The crystal clock, which has a lithium backup battery with reserve capacity of eight years, provides an accurate time signal as soon as the time server is started.
• Second time server
  In networks in which accurate timekeeping is mission-critical, an additional NeoClock can be connected to a second server. The clients then automatically query this secondary time server whenever the primary server fails.

Range

DCF77 The receiver NeoClock-D module is designed to receive the signal from the DCF77 transmitter near Frankfurt, Germany, whose theoretical range of 2000 kilometres is achieved only under ideal conditions. While some radio clocks already have a problem at a distance of 200 kilometres, the safe distance for NeoClock is 1000 kilometres. Taking into account that NeoClock can bridge prolonged signals failures, it will work reliably up to a range of 1500 kilometres, thereby covering all of central Europe.

TDF
An even larger area is covered by the NeoClock-F version, which takes its time signal from France Inter's TDF transmitter in Allouis near Paris with 40 times the transmitter power of the DCF77 and a resulting range of 2500 to 3500 kilometres. This covers all of Europe (except northern Scandinavia) and North Africa.

Detailed comparison of DCF77 and TDF

Hardware installation

Wall-mounted unit

The NeoClock is supplied ready to connect to the serial port (1 to 4) of a PC or server. Its five metre long built-in cable is simply plugged into the port and also provides power to the NeoClock; there is no need for a separate power supply.

Desktop unit

NeoClock can be configured as a desktop device and can be quickly converted for wall mounting. The aerial does not have to be aligned. A distance of one to two metres from any PC should be maintained. In environments with extremely high interference levels, the NeoClock's serial cable can be extended to up to 100 metres.

Software installation

NeoClock is supplied with easy-to-use server and client programs for the selected operating system. The guided installation is simple and the software does uses only few system resources.

Services for	Programs for
Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows 2000 Windows NT 4.00 Server Windows NT 4.00 Workstation	Windows 98 SE Windows 98 Windows 95 OSR1 Windows 95

Installation under Windows NT, 2000 or XP

On the server, two services are installed: the Time Synchronization Service, which forms the interface to the NeoClock hardware, and the actual Time Server, which distributes the time information to the registered clients. Both services keep a log file on the server, in which information about, for example, the NeoClock's reception status and any communication problems with the time clients are recorded. The installation usually takes about five minutes.

An information window displays the current time and reception status. If the DCF signal is interrupted for a longer time, or in the event of any other fault, administrators can automatically be notified.

On the client, only one service - the Time Client - is installed. During installation, you need to enter only the name, address and protocol (TCP/IP or IPX/SPX) used by the primary time server and - if existing - the secondary time server. In addition, you can specify the intervals at which the time information is retrieved from the time server and the time after a fault before an alarm is issued. The installation of the Time Client takes only about three minutes. Once installed, the client service is automatically started together with the system.

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Outdoor enclosure

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NeoClock is also available in a water-tight, weather-resistant industrial enclosure for outdoor mounting. This may be necessary, for example, if reception indoors is insufficient (such as in buildings with metal facade) or for use in humid or contaminated industrial environments.